Actually have dealt with TVA on a potential marina, but on a new one they had all the rules they should. If I lived in the area I'd definitely make a run at it.
Fire at Alabama Docks
- Thread starter angus99
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Actually have dealt with TVA on a potential marina, but on a new one they had all the rules they should. If I lived in the area I'd definitely make a run at it.
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,308
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
You can bet that when we are cruising I am going to evaluate every marina that we stop at. No covered docks unless we are sure they are completely safe, even then not if they have uncovered slips available.
I've taken transient dockage at covered slips in this area. One very close to where the fire was. A fire egress plan never once crossed my mind. I could not tell you now, or probably that night, whether the roof had ventilation or whether there were fire hoses available.
I think it's dangerous for anyone to dismiss those who died or lost boats in this fire as somehow less intelligent. No doubt all of us take risks we're not even fully aware of.
Sure, now we know to check for this particular risk.
psneeld
Guru
In my experience, safety is a mindset that is a continuum.
Either one thinks in those terms almost all the time or not.
Yesterday I installed a solar ventilator in the hatch of my aft stateroom.
One of the first things I thought about is if there's a fire at night, will this pull the smoke out before it could get to the smoke alarm and give me early detection? It is the highest point....on purpose.
I can't say for sure, but it leaves me thinking that I should disable it before I go to sleep.
Mindset is what keeps you alive...... and thinking outside of the box is critical.
Do I see everything in my future? No way, I make as many mistakes as many...but not making the wrong ones is the idea.
Either one thinks in those terms almost all the time or not.
Yesterday I installed a solar ventilator in the hatch of my aft stateroom.
One of the first things I thought about is if there's a fire at night, will this pull the smoke out before it could get to the smoke alarm and give me early detection? It is the highest point....on purpose.
I can't say for sure, but it leaves me thinking that I should disable it before I go to sleep.
Mindset is what keeps you alive...... and thinking outside of the box is critical.
Do I see everything in my future? No way, I make as many mistakes as many...but not making the wrong ones is the idea.
Last edited:
rslifkin
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2019
- Messages
- 7,599
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Hour Glass
- Vessel Make
- Chris Craft 381 Catalina
That would make me think there should be a smoke detector right near the hatch, so any smoke that gets pulled towards the ventilator should be pulled towards / past the detector.
psneeld
Guru
In a perfect world...mounting issues, etc may allow close but not perfect placement of the detector.... and as they say...every little bit counts.
The real point is ....one should see almost immediately the conflict in systems and be aware....with any boat project....or previous installs.
Not one of my experienced boating friends caught it right away when I asked them if they had ventilators or dorades on their boat that may affect their smoke alarms.
My new safety checklist for projects is just that....primary purpose, what may interfere or negate it?
No one has dismissed them as less intelligent. Less aware of the dangers is an entirely different thing. I think most would assume a marina is safe. The point here is that we must not make such assumptions.
Agreed. My point was that it's very east to think "That'll never happen to me!" We need to avoid thinking that way.
Actually we need to be observant and cautious enough to minimize it ever happening to me.
For me, that means never docking in such conditions as this fire. Marinas have various levels of safety, but only a small percentage are as unsafe as this one, failing in every identifiable area.
Last edited:
DCDC
Senior Member
markpierce
Master and Commander
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2010
- Messages
- 12,557
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Carquinez Coot
- Vessel Make
- penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Again, the repeated fire-trap tragedies of covered berths. Guys, how about getting fire-sprinkler systems?
What a tragic loss of life through neglect and substandard marina build and operation. That marina also represented the worst of liveaboard's, especially on houseboats. Derelict boats. Not faulting those who were living aboard but the risks created by boats in disrepair being used as homes and not operable. The one line that hit me the hardest was that they searched the other docks and could not find a boat that could be used for rescue. Think of that, an entire marina, and people die because there's not a single boat there to rescue them.
Fires are a risk at marinas and can be a small and managed risk or a major risk. This was a catastrophe just waiting to happen. So sad. That report is very difficult to read as it takes you through the fire.
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,308
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
Every marina should have a dedicated fire boat with a large water cannon. Keys kept in a central location that firefighters and marina personnel have access to on a moments notice. Besides fighting a fire it could have been used in this case to evacuate the people stranded on the end of the burning dock, tragic.
Similar threads
- Locked
