When spending time with friends and family on your boat or yacht, everyone’s enjoyment and safety should be your top priorities. As the frequency of recreational marine fire-related accidents has increased, so have the injuries and deaths associated with them. To keep yourself, your family, and your friends safe while aboard your boat or yacht, it’s important to abide by safe boating practices, particularly fire safety, so you can enjoy your time on the water and make it back to the dock for your next adventure.
Below, we’ve outlined the three “P’s” of marine fire safety every boater should follow.
Prepare
- Understand how to fuel up safely. Be sure the engine blower is operational and on before fueling and restarting the engine.
- Develop a plan and practice what you’ll do if you need to extinguish a fire or abandon ship.
- Know who to call for help and what to say, depending on the situation.
- Make sure you know how to safely use a galley stove or barbeque grill on board.
Prevent
- Install smoke and CO detectors in the cabin and other enclosed compartments.
- Install automatic fire suppression system in the engine room. This might also save you money on your insurance premiums – contact your broker or agent for details.
- Inspect the wiring on battery terminals and breaker panels on high-amperage circuits. If necessary, obtain an electrical inspection or survey.
Protect
- Not all fire extinguishers are alike or should be used for every fire. Make sure you purchase the correct quantity and type of fire extinguishers as required by the USCG and have them inspected at least every two years by a local fire department or civil authority.
- Purchase fire blankets and mount them in the galley so they are readily available if needed.
- Create an evacuation plan in the event your vessel needs to be moved from a fiery area.
Sources:
Chubb is the marketing name used to refer to subsidiaries of Chubb Limited providing insurance and related services. For a list of these subsidiaries, please visit our website at
www.chubb.com
. Insurance provided by ACE American Insurance Company and its U.S.-based Chubb underwriting company affiliates. This document is advisory in nature and is offered for informational purposes only as a resource to be used together with your professional insurance advisors in maintaining a loss prevention program. The information contained in this document is not intended as a substitute for legal, technical, or other professional advice, nor is it intended to supplant any duty to provide a safe workspace, operation, product, or premises. No liabilities or warranties are assumed or provided by the information contained in this document. Chubb, 202 Hall's Mill Road, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889-1600.
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