FIRE PREVENTION AND

FIRE FIGHTING
FIRE PREVENTION AND
FIRE FIGHTING
At Dar es salaam Maritime Institute
(DMI)
OBJECTIVES OF THE
COURSE
Trainee will acquire knowledge and skills
to be able to react correctly firebreaks
and able to use fire extinguishing
equipments.
Trainee will able to carry out first
treatment to fire victims.
Trainee will acquire knowledge of source
of fire thus take precautions to prevent
firebreaks.
 INTRODUCTION
Ships are constructed with
internationally agreed regulations to
achieve the fullest practicable
protection from fire.
The regulations required that;
a. Accommodation spaces be isolated
from the other parts of a ship by
thermal and structural boundaries.
b. Fire in any space may be detected,
contained and extinguished
c. Means of escape route
WHAT IS COMBUSTION ?

This is a chemical reaction giving

off heat and light.
The elements must be present to
enable combustion to occur.
Heat
Oxygen
Fuel (Flammable materials)
These three requirements can be
presented by a triangle known as a
“fire triangle”
THE ELIMINATION OF ANY 1 PREVENTS
FIRE

If one side is removed the triangle

will collapse, if one element is
removed a fire will go out.
METHODS OF EXTINGUISHING
FIRES

STARVATION
This shall deprive the fire of fuel by
cutting off or removing the supply of
fuel at the source.
Therefore starvation of the fire is
deprivation of fuel
 COOLING
if substance is cooled until it does not
give
off sufficient vapour to support
combustion
the fire will be extinguished.
Therefore cooling is a limitation of
heat.
 SMOTHERING
if the oxygen content is reduced to
below
15% by volume by adding other gases
or the air is excluded by blanketing
off the fire will be put out by
smothering.
-Therefore smothering is a limitation of
oxygen.
 PROPERTIES OF BURNING
MATERIALS
IGNITION TEMPERATURE
This is the temperature at which
combustion
can take place.
Flash point
Fire point
Spontaneous ignition temperature
 FLASH POINT
Is the lowest temperature at which a
fuel will flash when a flame is
applied.

i.e. a substance gives off sufficient

vapours to flush when a flame is
applied. Substances with flash points
below 23°C are classed as highly
flammable i.e. the flash point of
petrol is below -18°C)
Flash fire still occur at higher temperature
 FIRE POINT

Is the lowest temperature at

which a substance will give off
sufficient vapour to continue to
burn when ignited.

Continuous burning takes place

SPONTANEOUS IGNITION TEMPERATURE

Is the lowest temperature at which

the spontaneous ignition of a
substance can take place.
 SPONTANEOUS IGNITION
TEMPERATURE
An example of spontaneous ignition that
could easily occur aboard a vessel might
be a rag soaked with oil or paint that has
been discarded in the corner of an
engine room.
The area is warm and there is no
ventilation, The oil on the rag begins to
oxidize-to react chemically with the
warm air around it.
 HOW FIRE SPREAD

There are three ways how fire spread and

using similar principles – prevent them
from spreading.
Conduction
Convention
Radiation
Therefore fire is spread by an equalization
of temperature between two bodies
 WHAT IS A ?

CONDUCTION
This is a transmission of heat
without motion of molecules
and takes place in solids only ,
(i.e. iron bar)
 CONVENTION

This is a transmission of heat by

actual
motion of heated particles and
takes
place in liquids and gases.
(i.e. water vapour).
 RADIATION
This is a transmission of heat
through electro – magnetic
waves.
This method needs no material to
travel through.
e.g. sun
FIRE EXTINGUISHING
MEDIUM
Water
Foam
Carbon dioxide
Dry chemical powder
Hallon— Not in use now days, because of
– it depresses the ozone layer
– very expensive to produce.
But haIlon is very effective.
 CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE

Fire classes as:

Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
 CLASS A
This is involving solid materials of
organic in nature.
e.g. wood ,papers ,and clothes etc
 CLASS B

This is involving flammable liquids

 CLASS C
This is involving flammable gases.
e.g. methane, propane etc.

CLASS D
This is involving metals .e.g.
pottasium ,magnesium ,aluminu
m etc
 THE BEST EXTINGUISHER FOR
EACH CLASS
CLASS A
Water,CO2,& Dry chemical powder.
CLASS B
Foam,CO2 & Dry chemical powder.
CLASS C
Dry chemical powder & CO2
CLASS D
Special Dry chemical powder
EXTINGUISHING
CAPABILITIES
WATER EXTINGUISHING AGENT
Water extinguishes a fire by cooling.
It brings the temperature of burning
materials below the lgnition Point.
When water comes in contact with
the fire, it evaporates, it takes the
heat from the fire.
 WHAT IS THE GREATEST
DISADVANTAGE OF WATER ?
It conducts electricity.
Fire fighters can get electrocuted

Water is easily available at sea, too

much water onboard will affect the
ship’s stability.
 DRY CHEMICAL POWDER
EXTINGUISHING AGENT

It puts off the cooling. This cooling

takes place simply because the dry
chemical is at a lower temperature
than burning material.
It puts off the fire by smothering
when dry chemical reacts with the
heat and burning material, some Co2
and water vapour are produced.
ADVANTAGES OF DRY CHEMICAL
POWDER

It is suitable for use on electrical

equipment. it is non corrosive.

DISADVANTAGE OF DRY CHEMICAL

POWDER
It will clog and become useless if it
allowed damp. it leaves a residue. it does
not offer protection against re-ignition.
CO2 EXTINGUISHING AGENT
Carbon dioxide is a gas does not that
support combustion.
The co2 forms an invisible blanket
around the fire, but in a gaseous
form.
CO2 EXTINGUISHING AGENT

Co2 therefore extinguishes a fire by

smothering or diluting the amount of
oxygen to such an extent it can not
sustain a fire.
WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGE OF
CO2 ?

Co2 is a heavy gas, like water, it will

flow all over the place if not
contained.
It is therefore less effective in open
& high space area.
In a confined space, using co2 can
also endanger fire fighters.
 FOAM EXTINGUISHING
AGENT
Foam is a blanket of bubbles that
extinguishes fire mainly by smothering.
They extinguish fire by covering the
burning materials with a blanket of
froth which excludes oxygen.
They are particularly effective in the
case of oil fires.
May be fitted to protect engine rooms
and cargo spaces of tankers.
WHAT IS THE DISADVANTAGE
OF FOAM ?

Since it is manly composed of water,

it can conduct electricity.
The stabilizer is a protein that can
break down with time. if the
stabilizer fails, the foam making
quality also fails.
 HALON EXTINGUISHING
AGENT
Halon is a gas that also extinguish a
fire by breaking its chain reactions.
However it is not environmentally
friendly and we have stopped using
it.
 FIRE FIGHTING APPLIANCE
ONBOARDSHIP
Fire hoses & nozzles
Hydrant
Portable fire extinguishers
Fixed fire extinguisher
Main fire pump
Sand bucket
Emergency fire pump
International shore connection
PORTABLE EXTINGUISHERS

Water extinguisher
Dry chemical powder
Foam extinguisher
Carbon dioxide (co2)
TRAINING - FIRE
EXTINGUISHERS
Use PASS method
– Pull pin
– Aim at base of fire
– Squeeze handle
– Sweep at base of fire
 FIRE MAN’S OUTFIT
Fireman’s outfit must consist:
breathing apparatus
lifeline with a belt or a harness
flashlight a flame safety lamp
rigid helmet, boots and gloves
protective clothing
fire axe
A fire fighter’s outfit shall consist of a set personal equipment and
a breathing and a breathing apparatus.
 FIRE MAN’S OUTFIT

2-3 minutes is ideal time to wear the

fireman’s outfit
Personal assigned should wear this
frequently
 BREATHING APPARATUS
It shall be a self contained compressed
air operated breathing apparatus, the
volume air contained in the cylinders of
which shall be at least 1,200l,or other self
contained breathing apparatus which
shall be capable of functioning for at least
30 min.
All air cylinders for breathing apparatus
shall be interchangeable.
 LIFE LINE
For each breathing apparatus a fireproof
lifeline of at least 30m in length shall be
provided.
The lifeline shall be capable attached by
means of a snap-hook to the harness of
the apparatus or to a separate belt in
order to prevent the breathing apparatus
becoming detached when the lifeline is
operated.
 SPLINKLER SYSTEM

Generally installed on passenger

vessels
Fully automatic
Crew and passengers
BENEFIT OF AN AUTOMATIC
SPRINKLER SYSTEM

Immediate notification of
alarm/location
Immediate operation at all times
No crew required for its operation
Continuous supply of water
Essential for passenger and crew
accommodation on passenger
vessels
OPERATIONAL OF SPLINKER
SYSTEM
As the water flow out of fresh water
tank
The fresh water level drops
Fresh water drops further
At a certain pressure, sea water
pump takes over, pumping sea water
through the pipes to the fire.
 FIRE & SMOKE DETECTORS
All ships must have a fire and smoke
detection system.
Early detection means
 Early containment of fire (class A
bulkhead)
 Prevent spread of fire
 Extinguishing the fire
 FIRE DETECTORS

Main types of automatic fire

detectors
Automatically activates fire alarms
when there is a fire
 Heat detectors
 Smoke detectors
 Flame detectors
 MUSTER LIST
This is a list comprising names of crew
onboard ship with their respective
obligation and tasks to be performed
during an outbreak of an emergency
such as fire.
Muster station is where all crew
gathered.
There muster list will inform crew of their
respective duties in a fire.
LOCATION OF THE MUSTER
LIST
BRIDGE
ENGINE ROOM
ACCOMODATION
ALLEYWAYS
MESS ROOM
MUSTER STATION
NEED TO THE MUSTER
LIST
It specify details of General
Emergency Alarm signal.
It show duties assigned to crew
during an emergency.
Location of the muster station.
The order to abandon ship comes from the
master and is given verbally.
The master would give such an order after taking
into account several options
 COMMUNICATIONS

During a fire, communication are very

important. this is done by :
Telephone
Walkie-Talkies
Ship- to- shore VHF
Public address system
 ORGANIZING AND TRAINING
OF FIRE PARTIES
Organizing is to give
responsibility/duties to the people
whereby in case of emergency they will
know what to do.
Today after having a muster list, then
we have fire parties:
-Control party
-Attack party
-Support party
 CONTROL PARTY

Master
Second officer
AB’s (Able seaman)
R/O (Radio officer)
In charge all parties (commander)
 ATTACK PARTY

Chief officer
Second Engineer
AB’s
Motorman
Assigned is to fight fire
 SUPPORT PARTY
Controlling:
Ventilation fans.
Starting an emergency pump.
Refilling used extinguishers.
NUMBER OF PARTIES WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CREWS ON
BOARD AFTER ORGANIZING THEN YOU HAVE TO TRAIN
PERIODIC SHIPBOARD DRILLS
Purpose of drills
Know what your duties are in an
emergency
Types of drills
Fire Drills(engine room, cargo
hold,cabin,galley)
Abandon Ship Drills
Man-overboard drills,etc
 PREVENTION OF FIRE

Who is responsible for the prevention?

Fire prevention is shared duty of

each and every crewmember of the-
not just muster or the chief engineer,
or any particular individual or group
of individuals.
 PREVENTION OF FIRE

No fire prevention effort/program

can be successful unless it involves
everyone aboard ship.

Every member of the crew should

analyze his own attitude towards
safety and toward fire prevention in
particular.
 ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE
PROGRAMS
The fire prevention program on any
vessel
should include the following elements:
Formal and informal training
Periodic inspections
Preventive maintenance and repair.
Recognition of effort.
FORMAL TRAINING SESSION

Formal training session should be

conducted on a regular basis during
each voyage.
For the benefit of now crew
members, it is essentials that these
training session be started as soon
as possible.
FORMAL TRAINING SESSION

The safety committee should plan

and schedule the formal training
sessions.
 INFORMAL TRAINING

Informal training can be very

effective teaching tool.

When crew talk things over a relaxed

atmosphere, every gets a chance to
speak and to listen.
 INFORMAL TRAINING

There is a free interchange of

information and ideas.

This can lead to a better understand

of the responsibilities of crewmembers
relatives to their specific skills, the
general safety of the ship and fire
prevention in particular.
PERIODIC INSPECTIONS

Inspection is one of the most

important parts of the shipboard
fire prevention program. Its
purpose is to find and eliminate
fuels and ignition sources that
could cause fires.
PERIODIC INSPECTIONS

Every crewmember should be

informal inspector, checking for the
fire hazards at all times, on and off
duty, whenever he/she may be may
be on the ship. This is a matter of
attitude, and an extension of the
ideal of “one second for safety
RECOGNITION OF EFFORTS

One way in which owners can

recognize fire prevention efforts is by
awarding to each vessel that
achieves a certain number of “fire
free” years.
CONTROL OF FIRE ABOARD
SHIP
AREAS OF FIRE HAZARDS
Machinery spaces
Paints/deck stores
Galley
Cargo holds/tankers/pumps room
Accommodation /laundry
Battery room
 CAUSES OF FIRE
MACHINERY SPACES

Fuel leakage ----pipeline not in good

quality
Overheating ----- irregular
maintenances schedules.
Oil rags ----littered
everywhere/made of cotton
spontaneous fire.
Hot work -----welding/flame cutting
(do not put acetylene and oxygen
cylinders in the workshop)
 MACHINERY SPACE
Poor houseman ship---- boiler suits
Oil bilges ----- keep clean all the time
Irresponsible smoking habit -
smoking itself is not a fire hazards.
Electrical-----broken insulation
 PAINT/DECK STORE

Flammable liquid (all marine paints)

Thinners
Kerosene
Combustible materials - gloves,
rags
 GALLEY
Hot fat cooking oil---fried chicken in a
bowl of oil stainless
Hot surface
Oil rags
Electrical appliances toaster,
blenders, mixer, etc.
Greasy flues – dirty accumulated and
combustible material is formulated.
 CARGO HOLDS

Cotton---when it is wet it starts generate

heat
Coal---gives off methane-it generates its
own heat.
Timber/wood products---sawn material
( cigarette buds)
Phosphate---always wetted---highly
flammable
CAUSES OF FIRE: TANKERS

Petroleum products---no fire during

loading/fire occurs when tanks are
empty

Tank washing---make sure that, you

have inerted the place/gas free
 PUMP ROOM
Fire occurs in the pump room during
the time of loading and discharging.

Seals should be provided to the pump

room, this will keep away the
hydrocarbon vapours during loading or
discharging.
i.e. hydrocarbon vapours + oxygen +
any one enters with cigarette = FIRE
ventilation in the pump rooms is vital important
 ACCOMMODATION

Irresponsible smoking:
Already tired from work, working
without resting. Inside your cabin
continuing smoking while sleeping
on bed.
“how tired you are: never smoke
when you are on the bed”.
 ACCOMMODATION

Electrical socket
Overloading of electrical appliances
such as
Computer
Video
TVs
Mobile phone
 Combustible materials
Such as
Wood + varnish
Carpets
Wall paper
Now days they are using non – combustible materials
to furnish the accommodation. These material do not
increase its own temperatures while burning
CAUSES OF FIRE: LAUNDRY
Thumble drier: in a washing machine.
Whenever you read the instruction,
there is a warning “clean filter each
time, thumble drier is used’
CAUSES OF FIRE: LAUNDRY

When the drier dries water from the

clothes some small particles (fine
faric) stays on the drier plate. These
particles cannot be seen by your
eyes (very fine like dust). You can
see it by rubbing with your hands.
 BATERY ROOM

Hydrogen emission:
Batteries are wet,
either---hydrochloric acid ( HCL)
Sulphuric acid(H2SO4)
 BATERY ROOM

Batteries are on charge for 24 hours.

Therefore they have a tendency to
release hydrogen (i.e. H or H2).
If there is no good ventilation, then it
will build up and causes fire if a
naked fire is introduced.
 BATERY ROOM

ELECTRICAL
• If the terminals are loose then this
could cause sparks and the results is
fire “terminals must be tightened
property”.
 FIRE EXTINGUISHING
MEDIUM FOUND EACH AREA
MACHINERY SPACE
A. Fixed:
Co2
Foam
Hydrants
Sprinkler
Sand box
Number of hydrants is less in the engine – due to its nature of
fire
i.e. electrical, fuel etc.
 FIRE EXTINGUISHING MEDIUM
FOUND EACH AREA

B. Mobile
• Foam 45lts (trolley) long discharge
hose
C. Portable
• dry powder
• Co2
• foam
FIRE EXTINGUISHING MEDIUM
FOUND EACH AREA
Hallon-- Not in use nowdays,
because of
it depresses the ozone layer
very expensive to produce.
But halon is very effective.
 PAINT/DECK STORES

Paints -Co2 ( fix) or portable CO2

-Foam
-Dry Chemical powder
-Deck store – water base
 GALLEY
One big cylinder of CO2 outside the
galley (fix)
Portable CO2
Dry chemical powder
Fire blankets
 CARGO HOLDS

Fixed :- Hydrants
CO2

TANKERS
Fixed :-foam
 PUMP ROOM
Fixed - foam

ACCOMMODATION
Fixed: hydrants
Portable:-water
-Foam
-CO2 (in case of electrical
sockets)
 LAUNDRY

Portable CO2
 BATTERY ROOM

Portable CO2
FIRE FIGHTING PROCEDURES

VESSEL AT SEA
Raise alarm
Inform the O.O.W (he/she must be
aware of the situation)
Start to fight fire (the one who
raised alarm must fight fire).
 VESSEL AT SEA

Crew mustered.
Master takes control.
Fire parties deployed.
Vessels course altered/stopped as
appropriate
Fire extinguished
Emergency called off/head count
 VESSEL AT SEA

Fire watch( very important)

Fire investigation
Fire reporting
 Fire investigation is not a criminal
but our aim is to find what is wrong
with safety system.
 VESSEL AT SEA
 For example
When was observed = 0730hrs
When was fire alarm raised = 0820hrs
Here you can see that there is a big
different between the observation
and the raising of alarm
 Has the person raised alarm had FIRE
BASIC TRAINING.
 VESSEL AT SEA

No, he has never been training before

Who employed him?

Recommendation to the company

Company should employ trained
personnel
 VESSEL IN PORT
Procedure is the same as vessel at sea.
“EVERY PORT HAS PORT REGUALTIONS ”
For example :
In case of fire inform shore fire brigade
Evacuate all non-essential persons
i.e. stevedores, passengers and visitors.
 VESSEL IN PORT

Rig fire wires (some port is

mandatory for every ship)
Keep ready international shore
connection.
Keep ready ships fire plan
Keep ready cargo a stowage plan.
 DON’T FORGET
General actions that need to be taken :

Raise the alarm – no matter what is the size of the

fire
Think first and assess the situation
Remove casualties if possible
Close down any ventilation
Obtain the nearest extinguisher considered correct
for tackling that type of fire
Have a standby man clear of the danger, ready to
back up
Depending on the circumstances, cut off any power
supply that may be alive
Rig hoses into the area to reduce the heat
Establish good communications as soon as possible
EVACUATION PROCEDURES

• Proceed to nearest safe exit

• Be aware of smoke, noxious fumes

• Most victims
suffocate
EVACUATION PROCEDURES

• Close all doors within reach

• Crawl on hands, knees

• Don’t use elevators

EVACUATION PROCEDURES

• Get away from flames, smoke

• Use blankets, tarps as shield

 PERSONAL HAZARDS

• Smoke and noxious fumes

• Smoke and fumes cause

unconsciousness

• Death may
result
 Summary of Main Points

• Workplace fire hazards

• Potential sources of ignition
• Housekeeping measures to prevent
fires

• Fire protection equipment

 Summary of Main Points

• Evacuation procedures
• Know how to handle and store
chemicals

• Know what to do in an emergency

 Summary of Main Points

• Call professional help if fire is out of

control

• Know the chemicals that you work

with

• Become familiar with emergency

action plan