New Requirements for Fire Fighters' Outfits

Maritime Topics Marine Safety
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From: Maritime Administrator - Marshall Islands - International Registries, Inc.
To: Regional Marine Safety Offices, Nautical Inspectors, Masters, Owners/Agents

Subject: NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRE-FIGHTERS’ OUTFITS

Date: 23 May 2014

Please be advised that the 2014 amendments to SOLAS and the Fire Safety Systems (FSS) Code, adopted by IMO Resolutions MSC.338(91) an MSC.339(91), will enter into force on 1 July 2014, introducing revised and new requirements for fire-fighter’s outfit breathing apparatus and two-way portable radiotelephone apparatuses, as follows:

[B]Breathing apparatus[/B]

Changes to SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.1 and the FSS Code mean that: “Compressed air breathing apparatus shall be fitted with an audible alarm and a visual or other device which will alert the user before the volume of the air in the cylinder has been reduced to no less than 200 litres.”

This applies to ship’s constructed (keel laid) on or after 1 July 2014. Ships constructed (keel laid) before 1 July 2014 must comply no later than 1 July, 2019.

New SOLAS regulation II-2/15.2.2.6, relating to ‘Onboard training and drills requires that: “An onboard means of recharging breathing apparatus cylinders used during drills shall be provided or a suitable number of spare cylinders shall be carried on board to replace those used.”

This applies to all ships on or after 1 July 2014.

[B]Two-way portable radiotelephone apparatuses [/B]

New SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.4 requires that: “For ships constructed on or after 1 July 2014, a minimum of two (2) two-way portable radiotelephone apparatus for each fire party for fire-fighter’s communication shall be carried on board. Those two-way portable radiotelephone apparatuses shall be of an explosion-proof type or intrinsically safe. Ships constructed before 1 July 2014 shall comply with the requirements of this paragraph not later than the first safety equipment survey after 1 July, 2018.”

Owners and operators of new and existing ships should ensure that the fire fighters’ outfits on their vessels meet the requirements of SOLAS and the FSS Code and that any changes to the fire locker contents are shown on the vessel’s fire control plans, if included. Please also bring this information to the attention of your members, crews, surveyors and other relevant employees and parties.

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Are they going to make sure the SCBAs are rated for fire fighting or just SAR?

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[QUOTE=KrustySalt;138015]Are they going to make sure the SCBAs are rated for fire fighting or just SAR?[/QUOTE]

Good Question, this got me to wondering. I just went and checked our SCBA’s and they are NFPA 1981 approved. All have the visual, sound and also something we call the dead man alarm.
If the pack doesn’t move in 15 seconds an alarm will sound. Cool little thing to have if you drop, just follow the sound to the body.

Our boat was built 10 years ago so I guess we will get the radio’s before the dead line.

We already have two of the radios they are talking about because we carry Methanol. We will need two more due to having two fire teams.

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[QUOTE=rob;138007]From: Maritime Administrator - Marshall Islands - International Registries, Inc.
To: Regional Marine Safety Offices, Nautical Inspectors, Masters, Owners/Agents

Subject: NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRE-FIGHTERS’ OUTFITS

Date: 23 May 2014

Please be advised that the 2014 amendments to SOLAS and the Fire Safety Systems (FSS) Code, adopted by IMO Resolutions MSC.338(91) an MSC.339(91), will enter into force on 1 July 2014, introducing revised and new requirements for fire-fighter’s outfit breathing apparatus and two-way portable radiotelephone apparatuses, as follows:

[B]Breathing apparatus[/B]

New SOLAS regulation II-2/15.2.2.6, relating to ‘Onboard training and drills requires that: “An onboard means of recharging breathing apparatus cylinders used during drills shall be provided or a suitable number of spare cylinders shall be carried on board to replace those used.”

This applies to all ships on or after 1 July 2014.

.[/QUOTE]
This requirement not clear mentioned how many spare cylinders required for training? can you help me. what is suitable cylinder? 1, 2,…?
Thank you!

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Everyone needs to keep this in mind now.

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MSA makes an attachment for their UltraElite SCBA masks for a UHF radio too. I was on tankers so we always had spare I/S UHFs and the company bought a couple of these dodads for the fire team leaders. At almost $500 a pop, we never used them. Most masks have voice diaphragms in them that you can talk through slowly into a normal mic and it wasn’t worth the hassle to hook up a separate radio.

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What gets overlooked is not updating the posted fire and safety plan. I’ve hit this several times during audits.

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This is the golden question. This often overlooked “grey area” between NFPA vs. USCG vs. SOLAS leaves our fire teams at risk if not provided with the appropriate SCBA’s (i.e. Firefighting SCBA’s for Firefighting!), and not just having “APPROVED” (for SAR) SCBA’s on board to satisfy the conflicting regs.

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Vane Brothers has a fire equipment service and gives loaner packs that aren’t approved for firefighting.
:angry: