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From The Yacht Report, Issue 79, Captains' Forum- Fire Down Below!
Contribution By Maritron Staff
We know that installation by technicians not certified
in fire safety systems can be lethal. Some of the most
common mistakes we have encountered in the
installation and maintenance of fire detection systems
on yachts could easily be avoided. Install a certified fire
system. Uncertified fire systems, frequently installed in
both new builds and refits, are extremely dangerous,
uninsurable and a liability. The ship's computer is not
approved as a fire panel and should be connected only
as a non-required mimic panel.
The protection of crew and guests trumps aesthetics.
Never mount detectors in hidden corners. Smoke 'bends'
and will bypass the detectors. Be sure to know where all
of your detectors are located, including crawl spaces,
equipment rooms and under decks. Detectors that are
addressable alert to the exact location of an alarm.
Mounting store bought home detectors, or detectors
wired in zones, obscure the source of a triggered alarm
that can result in catastrophic loss of response time.
In the engine room, check the rating of heat detectors.
Standard heat detectors are rated to 135 degrees
Fahrenheit. High temperature detectors are rated to 195
degrees. The average temperature of an engine room
at 115 degrees can trigger false alarms in a standard
detector. Install strobe alarms and sirens. (The use of rate
of rise detectors also reduces false alarming, Ed.)
To ensure the safety of crew and guests we have some
standard recommendations:
• Install multiple remote text displays in the crew mess
and ECR (emergency control room) for rapid response
and dealing with emergencies in which the helm is
inaccessible.
• To avoid false alarms keep adequate replacement
smoke and heat detectors on board. Use only high-
temperature rated heat detectors in the galley and
engine room. Like crying wolf, crews will stop paying
attention to the nuisance noise, assume it's just another
false alarm, or worse, disarm them completely putting
the vessel at risk.
• Rely on calm voice annunciation alarms, which will not
panic guests, integrated with sirens. When triggered,
verbal alarms state the type of alarm (fire or security),
the location, and can direct the crew, for example, to
'report to the bridge'.
Ultimately the most effective fire-prevention system
rests on the response of the crew. The importance of
an emergency procedure plan including emergency
drills cannot be overestimated. The extreme marine
environment can result in an increased deterioration
rate of equipment. It is therefore critically important
that the system be annually inspected. The law requires
an emergency plan and yearly certification of residential
and commercial fire prevention systems. Responsible
ownership and management should include the same
safety procedures throughout the marine industry.
Maritron, Inc.
Complete news article from  Sevenstar's in PDF format.
Originating website, hosted by The Yacht Report: www.synfo.com
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