Fire extinguisher

Just relaying info on normal dry chem extinguishers and their toxicity....

Not posting a fire fighting plan......just fire extinguishers dont put out fires, knowing how to use them does.

Here it seems is a major problem with fire fighting chemical foam:
Defence admits three-year delay in warning people about toxic foam danger - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Note that the publicly funded Australian Broadcasting Commission loathes and constantly attacks the Govt. which funds it. This may affect the quality and accuracy of the report.

Wow looks like I found another anchor like subject with my question

L

Extinguishers are inexpensive. I prefer those that won't leave a mess if used. Fortunately, have had no need for one.

Powder in the powder type can solidify unless regularly agitated by shaking. I doubt boat motion is enough,unless the boat is really getting hammered.

I doubt if many of us have had the need for a fire extinguisher nor a rescue raft.

OldDan1943 said:

I doubt if many of us have had the need for a fire extinguisher nor a rescue raft.

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Not sure what you mean. I need fire extinguishers partly because they are a USCG requirement. I also need them as necessary safety equipment, much like a PFD. I’ve never fallen overboard, but I still think I need PFDs.

FWIW, I did respond to a Mayday call for a boat on fire. I was in my sailboat at the time. By the time we were able to arrive on site the captain felt that he was getting the fire under control. We, along with another sailboat, stayed there to offer any assistance (take them off the boat or give them additional fire extinguishers) if necessary. A USCG helicopter arrived shortly after we did and about 30 minutes later a fireboat arrived followed by Vessel Assist.

The point is that fires do occasionally happen.

Dry chemical cleanup

In the early 2000’s I was racing my Catalina 27 around San Clemente Island. As we were nearing the island I went off watch and went to the head. The boat lurched while I was getting my pants down and I lurched with it and bumped the extinguisher in the (small) head compartment. There was a hissing noise and the compartment filled with powder. I thought I had knocked the safety out and hit the valve handle, but I could feel that the safety was in place. I pulled the bottle out of the rack, carried it through the cabin and put it in the cockpit (still hissing).

Next morning one of my crew guys found the pressure gauge on the floor of the head compartment. I had knocked it off when I lurched.

I cleaned up the best I could but there were still traces of the powder when i donated the boat 12 years later.

I have witnessed more boat fires over the years than I can count. All of them burned for some time (they ALL went out when the boats sank). The one thing in common in each case was how fast the fire got out of control. Based on what I have seen you have less than one minute to stop the fire on a boat. May by two if you are lucky. So you had better be ready to take very aggressive action to get the fire out or be ready to get in the water. I have seen multi million dollar mega yachts with fire suppression systems burn to the water line because a kitchen fire got out of hand. It is scary how little time it takes fiberglass to light up.

I have extinguishers all over my boat , my goal is to (if I can't put it out) slow it down long enough to put out a mayday, get PFDs and start swimming.

psneeld said:

The original halon was breathable at the fire fighting concentration. A friend of mine researched it for use in USCG Aviation back in the early 80s.

The new stuff I can't speak for and some along the way was toxic when heated enough I think I heard in the USCG.

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If the system is correctly sized for the installation. At high enough concentrations halon will start to be hazardous to humans. The fire fighting concentration is about 5%. Between 7 and 10% effects may start to be apparent in susceptible people. I once worked at place where the system could cause an unacceptable level (too high). If the halon was discharged we were to enter the space and get anyone who was overcome out of the area.

On the other hand, once we came in on a Monday and noticed that we had a trouble alarm on one of the systems. After some troubleshooting it was determined that sometime over the weekend the system had discharged for no apparent reason (there was no fire). Other than the trouble alarm and zero pressure readings on the tanks, there was no visible evidence in the space that the system had fired off.

The newer dry chem ones do not cake up and the older recommendation to remove and agitate has been changed to NOT agitate.
Above right from USCG.

On the bottom of the cylinders of the powder type there is a date stamped. The extinguisher expires 10 years after that date, even if the pressure reads in the green. I had no idea this rule existed until boarded by USCG, who very politely failed the boat for safety. Big box store to the rescue.

Rough Magic said:

On the bottom of the cylinders of the powder type there is a date stamped. The extinguisher expires 10 years after that date, even if the pressure reads in the green. I had no idea this rule existed until boarded by USCG, who very politely failed the boat for safety. Big box store to the rescue.

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What if they are not date stamped? As part of the Kidde recall I checked my extinguisher (to see if it is recalled) and there is nothing on the bottom of the cylinder. Apparently if there is no code on the bottom, then the extinguisher is not part of the recall.

ssobol said:

What if they are not date stamped? As part of the Kidde recall I checked my extinguisher (to see if it is recalled) and there is nothing on the bottom of the cylinder. Apparently if there is no code on the bottom, then the extinguisher is not part of the recall.

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That's not necessarily true...

I had one w no date code and they replaced it. The date codes seem to be inconsistent... some have them others not.
If the online form won't process w/o a date you might try calling them to talk live w a rep.

Agree that the first priority is to extinguish the fire immediately. Cleanup happens at your leisure IF you still have a boat . Once the resin gets going you’ll need foam or submerge the material to extinguish.
You choose best extinguishers based on the threat present to kill it in the few precious seconds that you may have.
Also expect a reflash. Make sure you have extra.