| 12 June 2008 |
| Smoke Alarms in Boats - Fire Safety |
 Smoke alarm technology has developed significantly during the past several years with more features being available, such as optical sensors, long life batteries and the facility to ‘hush’ the alarm when, for example, cooking food.
It's strongly recommended that boats with overnight accommodation are fitted with at least one smoke alarm. Boaters should use smoke alarms as part of their fire action plan to detect and ultimately escape from fire on the boat.
Early detection of a fire while boating can help deal with a small fire before it gets out of control or give everyone aboard the chance to escape without being overcome by smoke or poisonous fumes, especially while sleeping and that's why unaware of the fire danger.
Three key points should be considered to enjoy the maximum protection smoke alarm can offer. 1. Choose the appropriate type of alarm 2. Find the best place to fix it. 3. Check the alarm’s ability to work routinely.
One of the best choices is an optical smoke alarm with a long-life battery and a hush button.
The recommendations have been developed with the help of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), which is one of the Great Britain leaders on fire protection issues. This set of guidelines cover the alarm choices, advice on positioning the units, and, guidance on the routine care, testing and maintenance.
So, here are the advice on smoke alarms in boats:
- Owners of boats with overnight accommodation are advised to have at least one smoke alarm of the recommended type on their boat.
- Any type of proprietary smoke alarm may provide some protection of a boat, the recommended type is an optical or photoelectric cell alarm, as it's also called. This type of smoke alarms is especially sensitive to dense smoke from a smouldering fire. Another type of smoke alarms, which is the alternative for optical smoke alarm, is ionisation type. It is best suited to flaming or fast developing fires.
- A smoke alarm with an extra-long life battery, which is lithium battery, is recommended. It's claimed that lithium batter has lifespan of 10 years, but it's usually tested for land dwellings use.
The damp and aggressive atmospheres found on boats make battery life shorter. With extra-long life battery boaters will have more confidence in the continued protection over many years, without having to remember to replace the battery in the smoke alarm.
- It's recommended to choose a smoke alarm with a hush button. This feature will allow the alarm to be temporarily silenced, for example, when making toast or cooking something.
- An alarm with certification which meets either the BS 5446-1:2000 or BS EN 14604:2005 standards gives more assurance that it will work if and when it is needed to.
- It's important to fit a smoke alarm in the right place. For maximum levels of protection, it must detect a fire in its earliest stages. Generally alarms should be mounted on the deckhead or ceiling, 30cm from the cabin sides and within five metres of each protected area of the vessel. On some boats this may mean installing more than one alarm, and it is recommended to choose units that can be linked together.
- At the same time, a smoke alarm must be able to wake anyone sleeping aboard, potentially from deepest sleep. You should better try out the alarm(s) before fixing it in position. If the trial suggests that not everyone would be woken if fire started, a different spot should be tried, or more alarms installed – again linking them all.
 - It's essential to making testing of smoke alarms on the boat your second nature. This way you will prevent any problems with the alarm before it is put to the test in vitaly important situations. Boaters are strongly recommended to press the test button on each alarm as part of their boarding routine. Boaters that live or stay aboard for longer than a week are urged to get into the habit of testing alarms once a week.
- It's suggested the owners of boats with complex cabin structures or multiple risk environments should fit more than one smoke alarm and better combine optical alarms with ionisation and possibly carbon monoxide alarms. Such multiple installations should be linked.
The BSS (Boating Safety Scheme) recommendations form part of its partnership activities with Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service to improve safety for boaters through advice and information. This partnership also hopes to influence many more boat builders to install the best types of smoke alarms on the new boats. It's hoped that in the future smoke alarms will become the norm on the new boats, that the alarm will be of the best type and well placed, to be used as another vital part of a boat owner’s fire action plan made with family members. It is crucial that boat owners understand that testing the alarm routinely by pushing the button is better than pushing their luck.
Smoke alarms will never be a substitute for fire prevention through proper installation, maintenance and safety practices for boats but they are a valuable aid if something does go wrong.
Go boating – Stay safe
|
|
Category: Articles » Boating Safety | Comments (0) | Views: 223
|
|
 |
|
|
Similar Yachting Articles |
|
|
| Boating Fire SafetyFuel on a Boat - Fire SafetyBoating Pre-Departure ChecklistVessel Safety CheckBoating Safety TipsLife Jackets for BoatingEssential Yachting Rules and Etiquette in Details |
