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SPRING 2001
ISSUE

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BOATING SAFETY: 

Fire Extinguishers

U.S. COAST GUARD SAFETY REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS: Fire Extinguishers

The idea of a fire onboard will make any boater shudder, and there are few more hazardous situations on the high seas. To help prevent fires onboard, the U.S. Coast Guard enforces a Federal Requirement:

Coast Guard Approved fire extinguishers are required on boats where a fire hazard could be expected from the motor or the fuel system. - U.S.C.G.

Fire extinguishers are classified by a letter and number system. The letter, which comes first, indicates the type of fire the device is used to extinguish. The number, which is last, indicates the relative size of the extinguisher (a larger number indicates a larger device). For example, a B-I extinguisher is designed to put out flammable liquids like gasoline, oil and grease, and is smaller than a B-II extinguisher.

The Coast Guard approves the use of portable extinguishers that are either B-I or B-II. The device is also required to have a special marine mounting bracket that is designed to keep the device from swinging with the movement of the boat. Always mount the fire extinguisher in a handy spot, but far enough away from any potential fire hazard so it will not be affected by the heat and flames.

Finding the right kind of fire extinguisher is relatively easy. Most ship's stores carry USCG approved fire extinguishers. The correct device will have a label on it that says "Marine Type USCG" followed by the letter-number classification. The device's classification symbols can be marked in a number of different ways: "Type AB, Size II" is a a device designed to extinguish Type A and Type B fires and is size II. As long as the device is classified "B" and is either size "I" or "II" it is approved.

The US Coast Guard requires that a fire extinguisher be carried on boats that have any of the following conditions:

• Inboard engines are installed.
• There are closed compartments and compartments under seats where portable fuel tanks may be stored.
• There are double bottoms not sealed to the hull or which are not completely filled with flotation materials.
• There are closed living spaces.
• There are closed stowage compartments in which combustible or flammable materials are stored.
• There are permanently installed fuel tanks. (Fuel tanks secured so they cannot be moved in case of fire or other emergency are considered permanently installed. There are no gallon capacity limits to determine if a fuel tank is portable. If the weight of a fuel tank is such that persons on board cannot move it, the Coast Guard considers it permanently installed.) - USCG

There are regulations regarding the number of fire extinguishers required on boats of different lengths:

NUMBER of EXTINGUISHERS REQUIRED PER BOAT

Fire extinguishers must also be inspected and tagged by a servicing company once a year or immediately after use in order to be approved by the Coast Guard.

The United Stated Coast Guard Safety Regulations and Requirements are designed to keep boaters safe and to help prevent accidents. It's easy to install the correct kind of fire extinguisher on your vessel and it may help you to avoid a boater's great fear: fire onboard.

Click here to see FIRE EXTINGUISHERS for sale at the MarinaMate.com SHIP'S STORE.

January 2001 - MarinaMate.com
Fire extinguisher image provided by U.S.C.G. Boating Safety Office website.

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