Actions in Case of Marina Fire

[four winns 214]

Here’s a link to the NTSB report on the January 2020 Scottsboro, AL fatal marina fire, a tragedy of epic proportions.

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAB2032.pdf

A couple months ago, there was a similar fire at Green Turtle Bay Marina in Kentucky that, thankfully, did not result in fatalities, but destroyed a number of boats.

I keep my boat in a slip at my home marina for most of the season. I also trailer it to others parts of the country for cruises of a week or two that involve marina stays. These fires have prompted me to consider what to do in case of a fire on a slipped boat. What steps should be taken? These come to mind:

1) Get somebody to call 911

2) Alert occupants of other boats on the dock

3) Cut off shore power to the vessel on fire

4) Attempt to fight the fire with whatever extinguishing apparatus is available— fire extinguishers or water hoses

5) Get boats out of adjacent slips

What else can or should be done? In what order should these steps be?

 

[Scott Danforth]

What else can or should be done? In what order should these steps be?

have insurance

 

[racerone]

One of the issues is that there are no mandated inspections required on boats !!!----Folks will do their own maintenance.----With non flame arrested parts.------Fail to run the bilge blower before start-up. Their own wiring.-----Perhaps barbeques near gasoline vents.-----The list goes on.

 

[racerone]

four winns 214------Does your marina inspect boats before allowing them to take a seasonal slip / dock.-------Ask some of your fellow boaters if they have ever had ACTUAL fire training.------Randomly ask all folks at the marina if they have ever used a dry chemical extinguisher.--Not just a pail of water on an a dying camp fire.-----A gasoline fire in say a 10 square foot pan !!-----Where I worked all employees were given fire training courses.---Class room and hands on with various types of fire fighting apparatus.---A real eye opener.-----Perhaps your marina can co-ordinate a fire safety day with local firefighting department.----I am sure they would be delighted to set something up that is relevant to the marina !----Does your marina have a real FIRE PUMP ----Fire fighting cart at the docks.----Fire alarm siren ?

 

[four winns 214]

Racerone, all good points. Proof of insurance is all the marina association requires before occupying a slip. The marina by-laws require that every vessel leave their slip under their own power once per season. Unfortunately, that is not enforced, but the marina board has been proactive in removing boats that are clearly derelict or headed that way.

There are no fire fighting hoses on the docks. Fire extinguishers only. No fire alarms.

A fire safety day sounds like a nice idea, but unless free beer was being offered, I doubt more than 10% of slip owners would attend.

 

[ConchPirate]

Good points all. Marinas should - but not all do - have plenty of fire fighting equipment dispersed around the docks and working areas.

 

[racerone]

Only 10% ???------someone needs to explain how important it is.------No chance to practice once the real thing is surrounding you !!!

 

[dingbat]

Boats and buildings can be replaced.

The prompt evacuation of everyone is key to saving lives.

No heroics....leave the fire fighting to the experts.....

 

[redneck joe]

Boats and buildings can be replaced.

The prompt evacuation of everyone is key to saving lives.

No heroics....leave the fire fighting to the experts.....

With that much fuel waiting to explode, I'm in the water asap.


We lost a friend in the AL fire, never did find out exactly why he didn't get out. His brother jumped into the water and lived.

I've always had a nagging fear of sinking while sleeping so the v-berth always had the hatch completely loose to push up immediately (no latches) in a half drunk sleep.

 

[aspeck]

With that much fuel waiting to explode, I'm in the water asap.

Gas on the water can burn ... so the water would be my LAST escape route. If you can safely evacuate via the dock, do so.

If a boat is on fire at the dock and you can safely untie it and push it AWAY from the marina, do so, but be careful of wind and current direction, you don't want it coming back to the dock.

Familiarize yourself with your fire extinguishers and those at your disposal. A fire scene is not the time to be reading the instruction on how it works or where you are to point the extinguisher. You need to be familiar.

The 2 most important things to remember is that life is more important than stuff and you can't save someone else when you are in need of being saved. If you are over your head in stuff, get out. Don't rush into a situation without proper training or protective equipment. It is a hard decision to make, but it must be made. 1 fatality is bad but 2 is twice as bad.

 

[dwco5051]

Gas on the water can burn ... so the water would be my LAST escape route. If you can safely evacuate via the dock, do so.

Any other old salts remember these instruction from your survival classes. This is the version for aircrew since we did not have inflatables. A lot of steps here and no practical way to practice them.


If you are in an area where surface oil is burning —

• Discard your shoes and buoyant life preserver.

Note: If you have an uninflated life preserver, keep it.​

• Cover your nose, mouth, and eyes and quickly go underwater.
• Swim underwater as far as possible before surfacing to breathe.
• Before surfacing to breathe and while still underwater, use your hands to push burning fluid away from the area where you wish to surface. Once an area is clear of burning liquid, you can surface and take a few breaths. Try to face downwind before inhaling.
• Submerge feet first and continue as above until clear of the flames.

If you are in oil-covered water that is free of fire, hold your head high to keep the oil out of your eyes. Attach your life preserver to your wrist and then use it as a raft

 

[redneck joe]

Gas on the water can burn ... so the water would be my LAST escape route. If you can safely evacuate via the dock, do so.

If a boat is on fire at the dock and you can safely untie it and push it AWAY from the marina, do so, but be careful of wind and current direction, you don't want it coming back to the dock.

Familiarize yourself with your fire extinguishers and those at your disposal. A fire scene is not the time to be reading the instruction on how it works or where you are to point the extinguisher. You need to be familiar.

The 2 most important things to remember is that life is more important than stuff and you can't save someone else when you are in need of being saved. If you are over your head in stuff, get out. Don't rush into a situation without proper training or protective equipment. It is a hard decision to make, but it must be made. 1 fatality is bad but 2 is twice as bad.

of course dock is best, but i was thinking of my friend who jumped in and his brother on the same boat that did not. I'm guessing the dock was not an option. And I have run the water on fire thing thru my head, and underwater was the plan. And i'm bald no minimal hair loss.

 

[four winns 214]

>>If a boat is on fire at the dock and you can safely untie it and push it AWAY from the marina, do so, but be careful of wind and current direction, you don't want it coming back to the dock.<<

The guidance I’ve gotten on this matter of a boat on fire contained in a slip is to NOT untie and push the vessel on fire out of the slip. That creates a situation of an uncontrolled burning boat that can then drift to other docks and spread the fire.

The guidance I’ve received is to move boats not involved in the fire out of adjacent slips to keep the fire from spreading.