CHAPTER 6 FIGHTING THE FIRE

Various tools and equipment are used in the event of a fire. You will become more familiar with these items as you participate in the emergency drills on board your ship. In this chapter, you will be introduced to various equipment used to combat a fire and to dispose of the fire-fighting water. The basic procedures used to combat the fire and dispose of the firefighting water, and methods used to prevent fires, are also discussed.

FIRE PREVENTION

A fire aboard ship may start from an enemy hit, from a cigarette or match carelessly thrown away, from the spontaneous ignition of various combustible substances, from the use of sparkor flame-producing tools and equipment in an atmosphere containing explosive vapors, from the improper stowage of flammable materials, from static electricity, and from many other causes. As a Damage Controlman (DC), you have a particular responsibility to prevent fires as well as to fight them.

Damage control patrol watches and division damage control petty officers are required to make regular and frequent inspections as a part of an overall ship's fire prevention program. Such inspections should include the following: . Check to ensure that all installed and

portable fire-fighting equipment is in good working order and ready to use if the need arises. Check to ensure that the ship's firemain pressure is adequate at all times. . Check to ensure that safe operating procedures are being followed and that personnel are taking all appropriate precautions to prevent fires.

. Check to ensure that fire hazards are not allowed to exist. There are so many different kinds of fire hazards that it is almost impossible to list them all. Among other things, keep your eyes open for spilled oil, spilled paint, greasy rags not properly stowed, improper stowage of dangerous materials, and any violation of good housekeeping procedures.

. Check to ensure that the ship's fan rooms and ventilation trunks are kept free of cleaning gear, deck gear, and miscellaneous stowage that might restrict airflow and constitute a fire hazard. Be sure to check ventilation ducts, filters, and heaters at the required intervals. These items continuously collect flammable lint and dirt that could cause a fire to spread rapidly from one compartment to another. 

. Check continuously for evidence of electrical fire hazards. Report all hazards immediately to the proper authority so that qualified personnel can make repairs or take other corrective action. Some of the electrical hazards to look for are unauthorized plugs or extensions, multiple connectors, and unauthorized wiring. Anything that causes overloading of an electrical circuit is a potential fire hazard. Other fire hazards result from failure to secure electrical devices, distribution equipment, or controls in the approved manner. 

. Keep a close watch on the conduct of operations that are, by their very nature, likely to present fire hazards. When necessary, see that a fire watch is posted until the conclusion of the hazardous operations. A few (by no means a complete listing) of the shipboard operations that may present special fire hazards are welding or cutting, repairing diesel engines, refueling of the ship, and loading or transferring ammunition. Whenever fuel or ammunition is being transferred, fire hoses and other fire-fighting equipment should be led out and manned to be ready for instant use. When the ship is in port for these operations, both shipboard and shore fire-fighting equipment should be placed where it will be ready for immediate use.

The list of things to be checked and inspected as a means of preventing fires could be extended almost endlessly. Instead of going on with a list, however, it may be more useful at this point to stop and formulate a few general rules for fire prevention:

RULE 1: Learn to look at everything with an eye for possible fire hazards. Develop a special kind of alertness for situations or actions that could conceivably lead to a fire.

RULE 2: Insist on proper stowage and good housekeeping procedures. Report violations to the proper authority.

RULE 3: Maintain all fire-fighting equipment in a state of maximum readiness. While this won't prevent a fire from starting, it is the best possible means of preventing the spread of fire.

RULE 4: Make sure that all fire-fighting personnel are trained to be alert to fire-fighting operations.

RULE 5: Keep up with new fire-fighting equipment and techniques. The Navy is constantly working to provide improved fire-fighting equipment and improved fire-fighting techniques. It's up to you to keep abreast of new developments in fire fighting and fire prevention.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

The Navy uses a wide variety of special fire fighter's protective equipment. It includes the oxygen breathing apparatus, protective masks, proximity suits, tending lines, and atmospheric testing equipment plus gloves, helmet, anti-flash hood and voice amplifier. You will need to know what equipment is available, how to operate it, and how to maintain it in top operating condition.