Tips for Preventing Boat Fires

During National Fire Prevention Week, October 6-12, 2013; public awareness is brought to fire safety and prevention. You take steps to ensure your home is fireproof; but about your boat? Do you take precautionary steps to fireproof your boat? We bet you do. But as a reminder, here are some important steps you should follow in order to prevent boat fires.  

Make sure to inspect your boat's fire safety equipment:

• Ensure you have the proper size and type of marine fire extinguisher(s) for your boat.
• Make sure your extinguisher(s) are not out of date.
• Have your fire extinguisher(s) easily accessible so you can get to them quickly in an emergency.

Most boat fires are caused by fueling or electrical issues; avoid them by:

• Before fueling, get passengers off the boat and shut off all flames. Close all windows, doors and openings to prevent fumes from entering the boat.
• While you fuel, keep the nozzle in contact with the tank to prevent sparks. Don't overfill the tank. Wipe up any spills and properly dispose of the rags.
• After fueling, open all the windows, doors and openings on the boat and run the exhaust blower for four minutes.
• Prevent electrical problems by inspecting the electrical connections in your boat frequently; and also inspect any shore power connection lines before plugging them into your boat.

If a fire should break out on your boat:

• Have everyone put on a life jacket.
• If possible, position the boat so that the fire is downwind. Turn off the engine and any other electrical equipment.
• Never use water on a gasoline, oil, grease or electrical fire.
• Use the PASS method for operating a fire extinguisher:
• Pull pin
• Aim at the base of the fire
• Squeeze handle
• Sweep from side to side
• Use your VHF radio and/or cell phone to call for help.