Fire extinguishers and blanket placement

[katie_hannah]

I'm preparing for our BSC and am installing fire extinguishers and a blanket. I've read the guidelines and have installed them next to the exits and a fire blanket under the gunwhale in the galley.

 

They aren't particularly nice to look at, and when I look at pictures of boats I never see them installed. Am I going to far to install them in accessible places or do people hide them after the BSC is done? 

 

If I can put them somewhere more discreet and still pass BSC that would be great!

[dor]

Well I guess you could put them in a cupboard.  You might regret it as you shrivel up in the fire because you can’t get out of your boat.

Still your life ( or the life of your family, pets etc.), your choice.

 

And ideally you want them inside the boat rather than right at the exits.  If you can’t get to the exits, you won’t get to the extinguishers.  The primary purpose of the extinguishers is to help you get out, rather than necessarily putting the fire out.

Edited November 3, 2020 by dor

[BEngo]

You can put them where you want.  The BSS only requires that they exist on the boat and that the examiner sees them.

 

More sensibly, I would want the fire blanket in the cooking area as that is the place it will be needed, but not so close to the cooker that I could not grab the blanket when needed.   I would also want a fire extinguisher near me anywhere that there is a fire source between me and the exit.  Then I can use the 

 fire extinguisher to clear a path to the door.  Dry powder fire extinguishers are really good at fire knockdown, but less effective at putting things out for good.

A fire extinguisher by the exit is not needed if you can get to the exit without one and if you cannot get to  it is stuff all use.

Once you are out, leave the fire to the Fire Brigade.  

N

[Bod]

Where would you expect to find them, in an emergency?

They are required for safety, not ornamentation.

 

Bod.

[Pie Eater]

They need to be in a place where a visitor can find them immediately and not out of sight.

 

I can still remember when I had just left school and a fire started in the room where I was working.

I could not find the fire alarm button as my gaffer had hung his flat cap on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ally]

Keep them readily available. Personally I would always have one in reach of the bedroom,  if anything went awry overnight you don't want to be feeling your way to one by an exit (unless that's where your bedroom is).

Having been caught in 4 fires during my life, as a toddler at home, in a hospital ward I worked in, and two from adjacent flats in my 20s, I have a major fear of it, meaning I have 6 extinguishers on board, and 2 blankets!  (Yes, call me over cautious  )

The blanket should be where you can practically pull it down and out, so nothing in the way below, and not too low to be practical. They take a bit more pulling out  if they are low towards the floor. Don't position it next to the hob, where you most likely would need it, position it opposite ideally, so you are reaching away from, say a burning oil pan, not around or over it.

 

Let commonsense prevail, not aesthetics,  it won't be pretty after a fire.

 

Also, keep torches handy around the boat, its easy to lose your bearing even in a boat, in thick smoke, especially at night.

Edited November 3, 2020 by Ally

[Col_T]

I have three 2kg extinguishers, one at the front of the boat, one in the middle ( in the kitchen area, together with a fire blanket), and one at the stern - all new in 2019 for the BSS. Being a lazy sod, I haven't yet got rid of the 'old' 1 kg extinguishers, all of which are still in the green zone on the pressure gauge, and the 2kg extinguishers stand alongside them in their respective locations.

 

[springy]

IIRC you can put an extinguisher in a cupboard or locker But .....

 

You then have to put a large red label on the outside of the cupboard saying "fire extinguisher".

 

springy

[Machpoint005]

1 hour ago, katie_hannah said:

>>If I can put them somewhere more discreet and still pass BSC that would be great!

 

"Discreet" means "less visible". Don't do it. 

 

Learn to live with the fact that it's a boat, not a bijou living space.

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Once a boat cabin catches fire it goes up with frightening speed. It is full of wood, in effectively a wind tunnel once it takes hold. Anything that delays you making an exit, even by a few seconds, like trying to find a cupboard door to grab an extinguisher, is going to decrease your survival chances. Google pics of boat fires and their result if you want a post halloween scare.

Jen

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, Ally said:

Keep them readily available. Personally I would always have one in reach of the bedroom,  if anything went awry overnight you don't want to be feeling your way to one by an exit (unless that's where your bedroom is).

Having been caught in 4 fires during my life, as a toddler at home, in a hospital ward I worked in, and two from adjacent flats in my 20s, I have a major fear of it, meaning I have 6 extinguishers on board, and 2 blankets!  (Yes, call me over cautious  )

The blanket should be where you can practically pull it down and out, so nothing in the way below, and not too low to be practical. They take a bit more pulling out  if they are low towards the floor. Don't position it next to the hob, where you most likely would need it, position it opposite ideally, so you are reaching away from, say a burning oil pan, not around or over it.

 

Let commonsense prevail, not aesthetics,  it won't be pretty after a fire.

 

Also, keep torches handy around the boat, its easy to lose your bearing even in a boat, in thick smoke, especially at night.

I have a smoke alarm which has a bright LED light in it, excellent. I have a big extinguisher near the door under the gunwales, to tackle a fire in the stove area, there are three in the engine room two in the galley and one above my bed, I don't think that is excessive, one fireblanket hanging where it can be seen and deployed opposite cooker, one near the s.f. stove, and the curtains near the stove are fire retardent, all foam is fire retardent, and I like every electrical connection to be safe.

It all looks OK, but importantly, there is a fire extinguisher to hand all the length of the boat, two smoke alarms and two CO alarms.  and I leave the boat with some minimal illumination after dark.

The front and the back door are fire exits, they must never be locked on the outside if you are on board.

I like home made chips, but it is a risky operation, I recommend oven chips only on a salty water boat, but inland, when moored I will make real chips as a treat (mmmm m mayonaise). I will not leave those chips unsupervised, come hell or high water.

Edited November 3, 2020 by LadyG

[Clanky]

I would also suggest that you get comfortable in how to use them ie. read the instructions or watch some videos on you tube. The last thing you need in a stressful situation (real fire) is to go into panic mode and not have any idea how to operate an extinguisher or fire blanket properly.  I speak from 30 years of experience as a (now retired?) firefighter.

[Alan de Enfield]

Remember that a fire extinguisher is NOT to put the fire out - it is simply there to enable you to make a 'path' to the exit.

If you can get to the exit, get out, DON'T try and fight the fire if it has taken hold.

 

A 2kg extinguisher lasts only a matter of seconds, and once exhausted trying to fight the fire, you have nothing left to clear the way to be able to get out of the boat.

 

 

 

[Guest]

A life hammer can be useful, in case exit through a window is the quickest option, or your alternative exit is padlocked from the outside (who on earth would do that?).

 

I believe a fire blanket should be taken out and re-folded from time-to-time.

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Once a boat cabin catches fire it goes up with frightening speed. It is full of wood, in effectively a wind tunnel once it takes hold. Anything that delays you making an exit, even by a few seconds, like trying to find a cupboard door to grab an extinguisher, is going to decrease your survival chances. Google pics of boat fires and their result if you want a post halloween scare.

Jen

 

This was the Lindy Lou after a fire. The owner got out alive. His girlfriend did not.

[Machpoint005]

42 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I will make real chips as a treat (mmmm m mayonaise).

 

Real chips come from the chip shop!

 

Oven chips are nice too.

 

[Machpoint005]

15 minutes ago, Martin Nicholas said:

A life hammer can be useful, in case exit through a window is the quickest option, or your alternative exit is padlocked from the outside (who on earth would do that?).

 

I believe a fire blanket should be taken out and re-folded from time-to-time.

 

That's not a bad idea. It has at least four benefits:

 

(1) The folds will end up in different places after you've done that, thus making it easier to open it out flat;

(2) When you put it back in the sleeve it won't fall out so easily, but it will come out in an emergency;

(3) You will now what it looks like opened out, and

(4) It will engrave upon your brain where the bloody thing is, when you actually need it!

 

Not that anyone on here needs telling, but DON'T EVER THROW WATER ON A CHIP PAN FIRE!

[katie_hannah]

Thanks everyone, lots of helpful info!

 

I was just curious to know whether my chosen placement was unnecessary, they're definitely visible and easy to grab. I was curious as to how others seem to get away with them hidden away.

 

In the bsc regulations it says to put them by fire exits but like some of you have suggested, it would make more sense for them to be away from the exits so we can make it to the exits in an emergency. I'll check with the examiner on Thursday. 

 

Thanks again! 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, katie_hannah said:

Thanks everyone, lots of helpful info!

 

I was just curious to know whether my chosen placement was unnecessary, they're definitely visible and easy to grab. I was curious as to how others seem to get away with them hidden away.

 

In the bsc regulations it says to put them by fire exits but like some of you have suggested, it would make more sense for them to be away from the exits so we can make it to the exits in an emergency. I'll check with the examiner on Thursday. 

 

Thanks again! 

The BSS has been written by people in offices who have not ventured out to the real world, (or in this case had any Fire training)

 

(I had mine in the RAF)

[Mike Jordan]

All portable fire extinguishers are intended to allow you to stop the fire in its initial stages, not to fight a developed fire.  If the fire is not out in a few seconds then turn your back on it and use the means of escape. In short - spot the fire - alert everybody- use the extinguisher- run away. The idea that you can fight your way through a fire with a 2kg dry powder is ludicrous . Don't even think about it. 

[LadyG]

53 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

Real chips come from the chip shop!

 

Oven chips are nice too.

 

My home made chips have a very artisan look, every one is uniquely hand crafted by an indentured ethnic Scot , the oil is a balanced mix of sunflower oil and cold pressed rapeseed, the potatoes are locally grown for this Internationally travelled Chef, and peeled by hand, then washed in pure water from the local reservoir, which nestles the beautiful countryside in the historic county of Nottingham, home of the legendaty Robin Hood and his nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Edited November 3, 2020 by LadyG

[Col_T]

17 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A 2kg extinguisher lasts only a matter of seconds,

 

16 hours ago, Mike Jordan said:

The idea that you can fight your way through a fire with a 2kg dry powder is ludicrous

Thanks for the info - I consider myself educated.  Makes it concerning that at least one company selling brand new boats reckons that 3 off 1kg extinguishers is sufficient, as that is all that is required to satisfy BSS (Tingdene rep at 2018 Crick show). 

[Alan de Enfield]

45 minutes ago, Col_T said:

 

Thanks for the info - I consider myself educated.  Makes it concerning that at least one company selling brand new boats reckons that 3 off 1kg extinguishers is sufficient, as that is all that is required to satisfy BSS (Tingdene rep at 2018 Crick show). 

3x 1kg Dry powder fire extniuishers (which are typically 8A 34B) would fail the BSS for boats over 36 feet.

 

The BSS does not actually state 'the weight' of extinguishers needed, it specifies the total 'fire rating', this could be made of of (say) 6x 1kg or 3x 2kg extinguishers.

 

Read the label on your extinguishers and make sure they total (as a minimum) the number required for the size of your boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[ditchcrawler]

Most chandlers sell 1Kg 8a 55b extinguishers in which case 3 is sufficient https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/fire-extinguisher-1kg-8a-55b-fbp1-k-ae-025 

 

[Momac]

I only need two extinguishers for the BSS but have three on board . There is no penalty for having too many . (Plus an automatic extinguisher in the engine bay - which is not a BSS requirement) .

The extinguishes in the accommodation space are fixed on brackets and easily accessible. The fire blanket sits on a shelf .

Plus a smoke alarm and three CO alarms.