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Boating Safety
Emergency Procedures
In an emergency situation, you may have to resort to measures
which are not commonly practiced. Always assess the dangers of
being in harm’s way versus the protection of equipment. Keep a
sound mind during an emergency and always use common sense.
Explosion and Fire
Many boat fires and explosions involve flammable liquids such as
gas or oil, which are used in your boat’s propulsion engine(s) and
generator. Carefully follow all warning labels and safety
precautions while handling flammable substances. Many fires in
inboard boats start in the bilge area due to gasoline vapors.
Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and collect in the bilge of
boats.
Explosion
• If explosion is imminent, put on PFDs, grab distress
signals and survival gear, and immediately abandon ship.
Fire
• Immediately turn off engines, generators, stoves and
blowers.
• Extinguish smoking materials.
• A fixed fire suppression system, if equipped, has heat
sensors that automatically flood the machinery space with
a fire extinguishant. Allow extinguishant to “soak” the
compartment for at least 15 minutes to cool the hot
metals or fuel before cautiously inspecting the fire area.
Have portable fire extinguishers ready. Do not breathe
fumes or vapors caused by the fire or extinguishant.
• If no fixed fire suppression system is installed and a fire is
in the engine compartment, discharge portable fire
extinguishers through the engine compartment access
plate, if equipped. DO NOT open the engine hatch as this
feeds oxygen to the fire.
• If you have access to the fire, direct the contents of the
fire extinguishers at the base of flames, not at the top.
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