Drill Bits: Know your extinguishers

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Next in our ‘Drill Bits’ series – where we help
you get the most out of your drills – we look
at the portable fire extinguishers.
It is important that seafarers conduct regular focused emergency response training
as well as full scenario-based drills. This keeps knowledge current and fresh. In this
instalment of our ‘Drill Bits’ series, we will help you conduct a training drill about
portable fire appliances, looking at classes of fire, extinguisher types, their uses
and where they are located on board. This knowledge can then be put into practise
as part of other scenario-based drills in the future.

Preparation
Identify a suitable area to conduct the training session. Bring together one of each
of the different types of portable firefighting appliances to allows everyone
involved to become familiarised in what they look like and how to use them safely.
You may have extinguishers or blankets on board that are dedicated for training
purposes, which is even better.

In this drill, the crew can complete a fire extinguisher quiz! We have provided you
with questions (for the crew) and answers (for the officer running the drill). The
officer running the drill can simply add the ship’s specific detail such as fire
extinguisher locations.

Try to split the crew into small teams to allow more involvement and so they can
discuss their answers openly. The officer in charge (typically the Chief Officer)
should emphasise to all participants that this is NOT a test; there is no ‘pass’ or
‘fail’ for the individual. Groups should have mixed experience where possible; don’t
have all the junior crew in one team and the seniors in another.

The senior officer should hand each team the following questions.

Question Time
Question Example answer

1 How many classes of fire are 5

there?

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2 What are these classes called
and what kind of fires do they
represent?
3 What are the 3 elements of
the fire triangle?
4 What type of extinguisher has
a blue colouring on it?
5 What type of extinguisher has
a cream colouring on it?
6 What type of extinguisher has
a black colouring on it?
7 What type of extinguisher has
a red colouring on it?
8 Which element of the fire
triangle does dry powder
remove?
Class A: solid combustibles, such as
wood, paper, coal.
Class B: flammable liquids, such as
petrol, oils, fats, paints
Class C: flammable gases, such as
methane, hydrogen, acetylene
Class D: flammable metals, such as
magnesium, lithium, sodium
Class F: combustible cooking material,
such as deep fat fryers in commercial
kitchens
There is no longer a Class E
Fuel, heat and oxygen.
Dry powder
Foam or Aqueous film forming
foams (AFFF)
CO2
Water
Dry powder fire extinguishers contain
an extinguishing agent, which is
propelled out of the extinguisher body
by a compressed, non-flammable
gas. The agent forms a ‘blanket’ over
the fire, smothering it and preventing
re-ignition.
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9 Which element of the fire
triangle does CO2 remove?
10 Which element of the fire
triangle does water remove?
11 Which element of the fire
triangle does foam remove?
12 Which type of extinguishing
medium is used in a deep fat
fryer galley range fixed
system?
13 Which type of extinguisher do
you have near your laundry
and why?
14 Which type of extinguishers do Specific to your vessel
you have near your galley and
why?
15 Which type of extinguisher
would you have at the end of
your cabin alleyways and
why?
Carbon dioxide extinguishes work by
displacing oxygen or taking away the
oxygen element of the fire triangle.
The carbon dioxide is also very cold as
it comes out of the extinguisher, so it
cools the fuel as well.
Water extinguishers work by firing
water at the fire, this cools them
removing the heat
Foam or AFFF (aqueous film forming
foam) works by creating a blanket
over the fire therefore smothering the
fire and removing the oxygen.
The wet chemical forms a thick soapy
foam-like blanket over the surface of
the burning oil/fat which stops oxygen
from reaching the fire and smothers
the flames.
Specific to your vessel
Specific to your vessel
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16 Which type of extinguisher Specific to your vessel
would you find in the
switchboard area and why?

17 Which type of extinguisher Water

would you use on a Class A
fire?

18 Which type of extinguisher Foam, Dry Powder or CO2 – you can

would you use on a Class B use any of these to smother a liquid
fire? fire.

19 Which type of extinguisher The best measure is to cut off the

would you use on a Class C source of the gas, in some cases dry
fire? powder may work.

20 Which type of extinguisher These are usually special

would you use on a Class D extinguishers, such as L2 or M28 dry
fire? powder fire extinguishers. You may
not have these on board

21 Which type of extinguisher Typically, a wet chemical

would you use on a Class F extinguishing system
fire?

22 What other portable fire Fire blanket

extinguisher would you find in
the galley?

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23 What is the danger to you
when using a CO2
extinguisher?
24 Before using an extinguisher,
what steps should you take?
When used in enclosed spaces, the
CO2 will reduce the amount of oxygen
in the space.
Upon discharge the nozzle will get ice
cold; holding it in the wrong place on
the nozzle may result in a hand injury.
The discharge is quite violent and can
result in the extinguisher being
statically charged
• Make sure the extinguisher is the
correct type for the fire.
• If the extinguisher is a stored-
pressure type, make sure that the
gauge shows it as fully charged.
• Remove the extinguisher from the
bracket, check the overall condition.
• Before entering the space or
approaching to close to the fire, tilt
the extinguisher so the release handle
is pointing away from your head, this
way if the top fly’s off when you
discharge it, it won’t hit you in the
face!
• Point the nozzle away from the fire
and carry out a test discharge,
checking the throw of the
extinguisher – this should be very
brief to make sure it works and not
waste the contents.
• Approach the fire and release the
entire contents of the extinguisher.
• Reminder: never return a used
extinguisher back to its original
designated location – put it aside for
refilling/servicing and place a full
extinguisher in the designated
location.
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Debrief
Don’t forget the importance of the debrief! Here is an opportunity to discuss the
answers with the teams altogether. Remember this is not a “pass or fail” situation;
it should be an open and frank discussion. Discuss the answers, giving
explanations where necessary, and always encourage interaction.

Drills work best when you create a safe space to learn. Participants must not be
afraid to speak up, so ensure the atmosphere allows positive interaction.

Afterwards, remember to update your record of emergency drills.

ARTICLE CONTRIBUTORS

John Southam

Office
+44 191 232 5221

Mobile
+44 780 319 3303

Email
john.southam@nepia.com

Office Location
UK (Newcastle)

Office Hour Emergencies +44 191 232 5221