Safe at Sea: USCG to enact new fire safety regulations
On Labor Day in 2019, The MV Conception burst into flames, resulting in the death of 34 passengers. This horrific tragedy was the worst in modern maritime history. The Conception, a “live aboard” dive boat, was built in 1981 and had been refurbished in 2005.
Initially, the cause of the fire was attributed to an electrical system unable to handle the sheer number of the personal electronics charging overnight in the salon. The designer of the vessel speculated that the fire began in the bunk area, possibly sparked by a lithium battery.
At the time of the fire, the Conception was believed to be in compliance with safety requirements. Federal and international regulations require boats over a certain size to be made of fire-resistant materials and to include fire sprinkler and smoke detectors wired into the ship’s electronics or linked to the bridge. While the Conception was equipped with smoke detectors, surviving crew do not recall hearing any alarms prior to their abandoning ship.
Several investigations over 18-plus months have concluded that stronger safety rules are needed for small passenger vessels. Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard agreed with these major changes, including, most specifically, improved smoke-detector systems, roving watch logs and emergency exit routes.
Three specific recommended changes may well have prevented the Conception tragedy. The first requirement is for interconnected smoke detectors in all passenger accommodation spaces. The second recommendation is the development of secondary escape paths that provide an alternate exit point. The third requirement is a verification system to assure a roving safety check occurs 24/7.
While the average recreational boater need not consider the requirements, there are numerous small passenger vessels in our Southwest Florida waters for whom they are still pertinent. Do all staterooms have smoke detectors which are linked together? Throughout the evening and night, does a passenger do a roving safety check?
FOR EVERY BOATER
– When did you last check the status of your fire extinguisher(s)?
– Have you trained all your regular passengers how to properly use a fire extinguisher? If not, use this simple lesson: P.A.S.S. — Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the trigger, and Sweep back and forth at the base of the fire.
All boaters need to be cognizant of every means possible to keep everyone safe at sea.
Pat Schmidt is a member of America’s Boating Club of Sanibel-Captiva. For more about the chapter and its boating education courses, visit www.sancapboating.club or contact education@sanibelcaptivasps.org or 612-987-2125.