Fire appliances

(1) This paragraph applies to all vessels irrespective of keel laying date except where stated otherwise. (2) All fire-fighting appliances shall be of an approved type. Appliances approved by the government of a country signatory to the SOLAS 74 Convention shall generally be accepted by IMMARBE. (3) Every vessel shall be provided with two fire Pumps, one of these pumps shall be power-driven (preferably independently of the main engine), and may be a bilge, ballast or general service pump. The other may be a hand-operated pump or a power pump operated by a mean independent from the vessel’s main source of power; it should be located outside the machinery space and be capable of producing a jet of water having a throw of not less than 6 meters into any part of the ship. (4) The capacity of the power-driven pump shall be such that it can deliver a 12 meters jet of water through a 12mm diameter nozzle or maintain a pressure of 2.05 kg/cm at any hydrant. (5) Ships undertaking coastal or coastwise trades shall only require to have one power-driven fire pump preferably independent of the main source of power. Every centrifugal pump which is connected to the fire main shall be fitted with a non-return valve. (6) Fire pumps may be sanitary, bilge or general service pumps but must be ensured so that in the case of fire-fighting a blocking system automatically prevents the spraying of oil. Merchant Ships (Registration) 23 Relief valves shall be provided in conjunction with all fire pumps so placed and adjusted as to prevent excessive pressure in any part of the fire main. (7) All vessels shall be provided with a fire main and hydrants and at least 3 hoses (15 meters long), one of which is to be fitted with a dual-purpose jet-spray nozzle. The other two may have normal 12mm diameter jet nozzles. The diameter of hoses and hydrants generally should be of the order of 4 to 5cm. Every ship of 300 GRT or more shall be provided with two additional firehoses of the same characteristics Fire main hydrants, hoses, nozzles. (8) IMMARBE may require an increased number of hoses in accordance with the nature of the trade, manning of the engine room or for any other reason. The hoses shall be of closely woven flax canvas or other suitable material. (9) In spaces containing oil-fired boilers or internal- combustion type propelling machinery one of the nozzles shall be a spray or dual-purpose nozzle. (10) In every ship of 300 GRT or more the number and position of the hydrants shall be such that at least two jets of water not emanating from the same hydrants, one of which shall be from a single length of hose, may reach any part of the ship normally accessible to the passengers or crew while the ship is being navigated for ships less than 300 GRT one jet of water will be sufficient under the above-mentioned conditions. At least one such hydrant is to be provided in the machinery space and one adjacent to the entrance thereto. (11) The fire main shall have no connections other than those necessary for fire-fighting and washing down. Materials rendered ineffective by heat shall not be used for fire-mains. Where the fire-main is not self-draining, suitable drain-cocks shall be fitted. Merchant Ships (Registration) 24 (12) Couplings shall be either bayonet-type or instantaneous release type. Hoses shall be kept in a conspicuous position near hydrants with which they are intended to be used. (13) Hydrants and hose stowage boxed shall be suitably labelled and painted red. (14) In any oil-fired boiler room and in any unattended propulsion machinery space shall be provided either by– (a) a pressure water-spray system; or (b) a gas-smothering system; or (c) a fixed low-expansion foam-smothering system; or (d) a fixed-expansion foam-smothering system, due regard shall be taken of the vessel’s size in assessing the detailed requirements of the above system. (15) For vessels solely engaged in coastal or coastwise trade, the exemption from the fixed firefighting means shall be considered individually in each case, by IMMARBE. (16) Unless otherwise required by IMMARBE, every vessel shall be provided with a sufficient number of approved portable fire extinguishers for use in accommodation and service spaces with at least one provided at each deck level. (17) In every space containing oil-fired boilers, at least three portable fire extinguishers suitable for use on oil fires shall be provided. One of the fire extinguishers may be substituted by a receptacle containing at least 0.15 cubic meters of sand and a scoop. (18) There shall be in each space containing internal combustion type machinery one foam fire extinguisher of not Merchant Ships (Registration) 25 less than 45 litres capacity or one carbon dioxide fire extinguisher of at least 30 kg capacity and also one portable foam extinguisher for each 750KW of engine-power output or part thereof, but the total number of portable extinguishers so supplied shall be not less than two. (19) A spare charge shall be provided for every portable fire extinguisher capable of being readily recharged or an additional portable fire extinguisher. (20) Extinguishers specially intended for use in a particular space shall be stowed near the entrance/exit to the space. All extinguishers shall be recharged yearly and pressure-tested to maintain their strength. (21) Every vessel shall be provided with at least one fireman’s outfit completely equipped as given in SOLAS 74, Chapter 11-2, Regulation 17. (22) All fire-fighting equipment shall be clearly labelled for its specific purpose either in the predominant language of the ship’s personnel and in English or by means of self-explanatory diagrams.