Fire parties
Governing: STCW Code Table A-VI/3, 'organize and train fire parties'; REG Yacht Code Common Annex C1. Builds on: L1.2.
The second AFF competence is to organise and train fire parties. Table A-VI/3 lists three knowledge areas: preparation of contingency plans, composition and allocation of personnel to fire parties, and strategies and tactics for fires in various parts of the ship. Its criterion is that the organisation ensures prompt and effective implementation of emergency plans.
The yacht problem
A 60 m yacht may carry 16 to 20 crew. On a charter turnaround, a third may be ashore; at anchor at night, most are asleep. Your muster list has to work with the crew you actually have.
- Build two complete attack teams plus boundary and support, then check what survives if the chief officer or chief engineer is the casualty.
- Give interior crew real roles: guest muster, headcount, accommodation search, closing doors.
- Plan a reduced-crew bill for shipyard and winter lay-up periods.
Composition of a party
| Position | Task |
|---|---|
| Team leader | Directs attack, reports to on-scene commander |
| No. 1 and No. 2 | Breathing apparatus, branch and hose |
| BA entry control | Records entry times, pressures, calls withdrawal |
| Boundary team | Cools adjacent spaces, reports on all six sides |
| Services | Fire pump, isolations, ventilation, lighting |
| First aid | Receives casualties at a safe point |
Contingency plans by space
Write a one-page pre-plan for each high-risk space: engine room, galley, laundry, tender garage, toy store, AV and server rooms, lithium battery banks, helideck where fitted. Each shows access, isolations, fixed systems, boundaries to cool and the preferred tactic.
Drills: what the Code requires
The REG Yacht Code Common Annex C1 sets the floor:
- Drills conducted as if there were an actual emergency, as far as practicable.
- Every crew member takes part in at least one abandon ship drill and one fire drill every month.
- If more than 25% of the crew have not taken part in drills on board in the previous month, drills are held within 24 hours of leaving port.
- Each fire drill includes: reporting to stations; starting a fire pump using at least the two required jets; checking fireman's outfits and rescue equipment; checking communications; checking watertight doors, fire doors, fire dampers and ventilation openings in the drill area; and checking arrangements for abandoning.
- Equipment is restored to full operational condition immediately and defects remedied as soon as possible.
Communications equipment
Part A section 15A.8 requires at least two two-way portable radiotelephones for each fire party, explosion-proof or intrinsically safe. Test them at every drill; flat batteries are a recurring finding.
TIP - Drill the decision, not just the hose Run tabletop drills with officers: a scenario card, a clock and the fire control plan. The bridge team practises assessment, priorities and messages while the deck practises hose work.
CAUTION - Guests on board Drill scheduling around guests is a commercial pressure, not an exemption. Agree a standing approach with the management company and record it in the SMS.