Most boat owners in the US, and many elsewhere, have heard about the recent tragic dive boat fire in Southern California, with the resultant loss of life. Many of my clients and readers have inquired about regulations regarding fire, firefighting, smoke alarms and escape routes.
Like most others in this industry I anxiously await the full NTSB report, which will hopefully detail the cause of the fire. At the moment there is speculation that it may have been caused by rechargeable lithium ion battery, like that used in a phone or camera (it was a dive boat so no doubt there were many underwater cameras, lights etc, all with Li Ion batteries). I've encountered overheated Li Ion batteries, having had one catch fire in the toolbox of my pick-up truck on one occasion a few years ago.
Until the full report (a preliminary report has been released, the link is included here) is released all we can do is speculate. However, there are things you can do to prevent such a tragedy aboard your own vessel.
Make sure you have working, up to date (most common battery-powered household units are OK to use aboard, with some caveats, see link below, however, they should be replaced every 5 years) smoke detectors with fresh batteries. You should have one on both sides of every door, as well as in engineering spaces, and behind electrical panels. The last time I wrote about this was after another tragic onboard fire.
https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/special-edition-smoke-detectors/
Make sure you have fire extinguishers, more than the USCG-required minimum. They are relatively inexpensive, you should have one in every cabin, and no fire extinguisher should be more than three large steps away.
https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/portable-fire-extinguishers-not-all-are-created-equal/
Make certain your fixed engine room and other engineering space fire extinguishers are up to date, inspected, and pressure gauges are in the green. I recently inspected a 3 year old vessel, whose safety pins had never been removed from fire extinguishers in the engine room and machinery space; which means neither of these units could have been discharged manually.
https://vimeo.com/160266778
Preliminary NTSB report: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/DCA19MM047-preliminary-report.pdf
Recent Coast Guard Safety bulletin
https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/cs_srgb/MTY2ODY4ODk2MTY1NDA2NTcy/safety-bulletin.pdf
ABYC is silent on escape routes, but NFPA 302 isn’t, it says...
NFPA 302, Fire Protection Standard for Pleasure and Commercial Motor Craft, 2010 Edition
Chapter 4 Hull
4.1 General Arrangement.
4.1.1
The hull shall be arranged so that all compartments are accessible and all escape hatches are unobstructed and readily accessible.
4.1.1.1
Every boat having enclosed accommodation spaces shall have a readily accessible and unobstructed means of egress.
4.1.1.2
Every boat having enclosed accommodation spaces shall have a second accessible means of egress if it is possible for one exit to
be blocked by a fire in a galley or machinery area.
4.1.1.3
The means of egress in 4.1.1.1 and 4.1.1.2 shall provide for minimum clear opening dimensions of 14 in. × 18 in. (36.8 cm × 47
cm) (rectangular); or 18 in. (45.7 cm) diameter (circular); or 270 in.2 (1741 cm2) with a minimum dimension of 141
⁄2 in. (36.8 cm)
(oval).
4.1.1.4
Any hatch that is required for egress shall have a means of being operated from the inside and a means of being operated from the
outside when not secured from the inside.
4.1.1.5
All hinged hatches shall have a means or method to support the hatch in an open position
Like most others in this industry I anxiously await the full NTSB report, which will hopefully detail the cause of the fire. At the moment there is speculation that it may have been caused by rechargeable lithium ion battery, like that used in a phone or camera (it was a dive boat so no doubt there were many underwater cameras, lights etc, all with Li Ion batteries). I've encountered overheated Li Ion batteries, having had one catch fire in the toolbox of my pick-up truck on one occasion a few years ago.
Until the full report (a preliminary report has been released, the link is included here) is released all we can do is speculate. However, there are things you can do to prevent such a tragedy aboard your own vessel.
Make sure you have working, up to date (most common battery-powered household units are OK to use aboard, with some caveats, see link below, however, they should be replaced every 5 years) smoke detectors with fresh batteries. You should have one on both sides of every door, as well as in engineering spaces, and behind electrical panels. The last time I wrote about this was after another tragic onboard fire.
https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/special-edition-smoke-detectors/
Make sure you have fire extinguishers, more than the USCG-required minimum. They are relatively inexpensive, you should have one in every cabin, and no fire extinguisher should be more than three large steps away.
https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/portable-fire-extinguishers-not-all-are-created-equal/
Make certain your fixed engine room and other engineering space fire extinguishers are up to date, inspected, and pressure gauges are in the green. I recently inspected a 3 year old vessel, whose safety pins had never been removed from fire extinguishers in the engine room and machinery space; which means neither of these units could have been discharged manually.
https://vimeo.com/160266778
Preliminary NTSB report: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/DCA19MM047-preliminary-report.pdf
Recent Coast Guard Safety bulletin
https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/cs_srgb/MTY2ODY4ODk2MTY1NDA2NTcy/safety-bulletin.pdf
ABYC is silent on escape routes, but NFPA 302 isn’t, it says...
NFPA 302, Fire Protection Standard for Pleasure and Commercial Motor Craft, 2010 Edition
Chapter 4 Hull
4.1 General Arrangement.
4.1.1
The hull shall be arranged so that all compartments are accessible and all escape hatches are unobstructed and readily accessible.
4.1.1.1
Every boat having enclosed accommodation spaces shall have a readily accessible and unobstructed means of egress.
4.1.1.2
Every boat having enclosed accommodation spaces shall have a second accessible means of egress if it is possible for one exit to
be blocked by a fire in a galley or machinery area.
4.1.1.3
The means of egress in 4.1.1.1 and 4.1.1.2 shall provide for minimum clear opening dimensions of 14 in. × 18 in. (36.8 cm × 47
cm) (rectangular); or 18 in. (45.7 cm) diameter (circular); or 270 in.2 (1741 cm2) with a minimum dimension of 141
⁄2 in. (36.8 cm)
(oval).
4.1.1.4
Any hatch that is required for egress shall have a means of being operated from the inside and a means of being operated from the
outside when not secured from the inside.
4.1.1.5
All hinged hatches shall have a means or method to support the hatch in an open position