Fire Fighting Appliances and

Systems on Board

The arrangement of the appliances
on board is laid down in the fire
control and safety plan posted in
a generally accessible location.
Fire fighting drills are carried out at
set intervals to familiarize the crew
with the operation of the systems
and appliances. Every member of
the crew is obliged to take part in
these drills.

Fire plan

Fire plan

IMO Fire Control Symbols Regulations

 

Currently there exist two sets of Fire Plan symbols to identify
equipment onboard.
SOLAS Consolidated edition 2001 Chapter II-2 regulation 20
and SOLAS amendments 2000 Chapter II-2 regulation 24
requires the use of fire control symbols on Fire Plans in
accordance with

IMO Resolution A.654(16)

, available as

signs.
SOLAS Consolidated edition 2004 Chapter II-2 regulation 15
as amended requires the use of fire control symbols in
accordance with IMO Resolution A.952 (23) which in turn
refers to ISO 17631 and applies to vessels constructed after
January 2000. Symbols to ISO17631 &

IMO Resolution A.952 (23)

are available as signs.

Vessels constructed before January 2004 may therefore
continue to use symbols to Resolution A.654 (16) until such
time as the Fire Plans require major modification or
replacement. When this occurs, symbols to ISO 17631
should be used to compile the new plans regardless of the
age of the vessel. If signs have been used to identify Fire
Control Equipment, then these too should be changed to
conform to ISO 17631.

IMO Fire Control
Symbols > ISO17631
& IMO ResA.952(23)

See Word doc.

Fire alarm systems

To make possible early detection of a fire and
identification of its location, fire alarm systems are
installed on board.
These comprise detectors, a transmission system and
a central unit.
The detectors monitor their environs for the
measurable characteristics of fires: temperature,
smoke and radiation.
A limited number of detectors may be connected in
series; this arrangement is called a detector loop.
Early warning detectors have an especially high
triggering sensitivity. They respond to a fire already in
its nascent phase.

Fire alarm systems

lonisation detectors
The smoke aerosols (invisible products of combustion
in the air) produced by every fire are taken up by the
detector. They reduce the stream of ions flowing in
the measuring chamber. The resultant weakening of
the electric current triggers the alarm actuator,
Smoke detectors working on the scattered-tight
principle
Smoke or dust gets into the path of a directed ray of
light, making the light scatter. A photoelectric cell
measures the weakening of the ray which this causes.
When a certain threshold value is reached, the
actuator is triggered.

Fire alarm systems

lonisation detectors

Fire alarm systems

Heat detectors
Heat detectors are triggered when a predetermined
temperature is exceeded.
This temperature can be set at between 40 °C and
100 °C at the maker's works.
Two versions are used on board ships, namely

- Bimetallic detectors

- Flame detectors

Fire alarm systems

Bimetallic detectors
Heating causes unequal expansion of two strips of
different metals rolled together. The bimetallic spring
distorts and makes an electric contact when the
triggering temperature is reached. That actuates the
alarm.

Fire alarm systems

Flame detectors

The electromagnetic radiation emitted by the flame is
led via an optical system to a photoelectric cell. In the
connected frequency filters the flicker frequency of
the flame is amplified, separated from other light
effects and evaluated. If the measured frequency
coincides with the preset typical flicker frequency, the
alarm is raised.

Fire alarm raised by persons

Every outbreak of fire must immediately be
reported to the nautical officer on watch.
Where persons are reporting a fire, technical
means should preferably be used to transmit
the message. Fire alarm press-buttons, telephones
and VHP walkie-talkies are available for this.
There are fixed fire alarm press-buttons (manual fire
alarms) in the passages needed for operational
purposes. Breaking the protective glass and pressing
the button triggers a visual or acoustic alarm in the
central unit. At the same time the location of the
alarm is shown on an indicator board.

Fire alarm raised by persons

If the telephone or a walkie-talkie is used, particular
attention must be paid to message discipline. The
caller must provide the following information
unambiguously, concisely and clearly:
Who is making the report?
Where abouts is the reporting person?
What is beinq reported (nature and size of the fire)?
How are conditions otherwise?
Runners are used for reporting fire only if there
are no technical means available for
transmitting the message.

Alarm systems

Alarm systems are fitted on board for a variety of
purposes.
The purpose of general emergency alarm systems is,
to alert everyone on board. The general emergency
alarm can be initiated from the bridge or from other
control stations. It consists of a sequence of seven
short notes and one long one. This signal is made by
bells or sirens in the accommodation and operational
spaces of the ship and constantly repeated. On top of
that, it is made with the signal lamps. If initiated from
the bridge, the signal is also made with the ship's
siren.

Alarm by the automatic fire alarm system

Certain operational compartments have an automatic
fire alarm system fitted.
In unmanned machinery spaces this system indicates
that a fire has broken out or is imminent, as soon as
the characteristic quantities smoke, temperature or
radiation have exceeded a certain preset threshold
value.

Fire extinguishing appliances

Portable fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are portable (mass less than 20 kg)
extinguishing appliances kept ready for use.
Because of their design, amount of extinguishant and
relatively short operating time they are primarily
intended for use by a single person to extinguish fires
in their initial phase.
They can be used without any special training
provided the operating instructions shown graphically
on the appliance are complied with.
The type of extinguisher is selected on the basis of
the nature of the fire risks in the compartments to be
protected. Up for consideration are ABC powder
extinguishers, BC powder extinguishers, D powder
extinguishers and CO

2

extinguishers.

Fire extinguishing appliances

Portable fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishing systems 

Water fire extinguishing systems

Every ship has an approved fixed water fire-extinguishing system.
When the fire pump is switched on, water from outboard is drawn in
via the sea valve and conveyed to the site of the fire via pipelines,
hydrants, fire hoses and nozzles.

Fire extinguishing systems 

Water fire extinguishing systems

Solid jet with personal
protective spray

Inssuing jet

Solid jet

Spray jet

Protection of the engine room by

a CO

2

fire ex tinguishing system

Functioning mode
When the activation station door is opened, a door-
operated switch triggers the CO

2

alarm in the

engine room. Next, the quick-opening valve is
turned to „OPEN" and the CO

2

-control cylinder

opened. That sends its contents into the activation
cylinder in the CO

2

cylinder room, which via rods

opens all the connected cylinders in the batch
dedicated to the engine room.
Safety note
When the CO

2

alarm sounds, everyone leaves

the engine room and the adjoining secondary
spaces via the normal-use ladders or die
emergency exits and proceeds to the
assembly station.

Sprinkler systems

The automatic sprinkler system protects the spaces
used by the crew and the passengers. It is always
ready for immediate use.

In the main control station the quick-opening
valve for the compartment to be protected is
opened and the pump starter operated. The
pump draws in water from over the side via the
sea valve and forces it via the pipelines and the
open quick-opening valve to the spray nozzles in
the compartment to be protected

Foam fire extinguishing systems

for tankers

To protect the cargo tank decks, cargo tanks and
machinery spaces on tankers, approved foam fire
extinguishing systems are fitted.
The system comprises:
- the main- and the emergency fire pump,

- the pipe system,

- the foam concentrate tank,
- the mixer,

- the fixed foam monitors,

- the hand-held foam nozzles,
- the fixed foam nozzles in the machinery spaces.

Powder fire extinguishing system

Gas tankers are equipped with a fixed powder fire
extinguishing system to protect the cargo area.
This system is capable of projecting at least 10 kg of
extinguishing powder per second through fixed
monitors or 3.5 kg per second via pressure hoses and
hand gun.
Structure of the system:
The powder fire extinguishing system consists of one
or more powder containers with associated batches of
propellent-gas cylinders, and of the activating and
operating stations. These are so arranged on deck
that every place which needs protection can be
covered with extinguishing powder.

Powder fire extinguishing system

Powder
installation

Release station

Monitor

Powder
hose and
handgun