Safety procedures
If you find yourself involved in a fire that has broken out on a boat or an offshore platform, adopt the following safety procedures:
- keep calm;
- inform all crew members of the danger;
- turn off the engine and close the fuel valves;
- disconnect electrical circuits from the on-board power supply to avoid short circuits;
- locate the fire;
- if the fire is inside (e.g. in the engine compartment or cabin), check that there are no people inside and close the bulkheads and air intake openings/air vent;, keep the area closed (to prevent the fire from feeding on oxygen);
- guide the boat downwind (so that the wind does not blow the flames and smoke onto the deck);
- activate the fixed fire-fighting system (if present);
- try to put out the fire with the fire extinguisher on board (depending on the type of fire), and sail upwind. Aim the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire;
- if the boat goes out of control, drop anchor to try keep it safely oriented;
- make everyone on board wear life jackets;
- get any other security equipment ready for use, including: lifebuoy, first aid kit, distress signal kit (smoke buoy, red hand flares), sound signaling devices (whistle), life raft, etc.;
- check the stability of the boat (degree of heeling, likelihood of sinking);
- if the boat is moored, consider casting off to prevent the fire from spreading to other nearby boats;
- in the event of an uncontrolled fire and risk of sinking, abandon ship;
- call 1 1 2 and contact the Coast Guard by radio (distress frequency VHF channel 16) providing the requested information, including: name and type of the boat, position (geographic coordinates), distance from the coast, type of problem encountered, number of people on board, presence of injured people, people who may have fallen overboard, presence of people in need of special assistance (pregnant women, children, elderly people, disabled people), port of departure, destination, current weather and sea conditions, route and speed maintained, etc.;
- report any spills/pollution at sea;
- assesses whether the cargo on board may release toxic fumes and report the fact to the operator;
- communicates the possible presence of dangerous goods on board (possible risk of explosions);
- follow the rescuers’ instructions.
