Fire Safety & Protection

Due to the remoteness through which a vessel travels, having appropriate fire safety equipment and protection, as well as the knowledge for use, is critical. The Polar Code requires that escape can be achieved quickly and safely to the lifeboat embarkation deck under any expected environmental conditions. In order to meet this set of goals, the Polar Code requires the following:

• Components of fire safety systems and appliances, when installed in a way that they are exposed, must be protected from snow accumulation and ice accretion, and must be effective at the PST.
• Equipment and machinery controls need to be placed in such a way that they are always accessible, they will not freeze, and ice and snow cannot accumulate on them. These must also be effective at the PST.
• When the fire safety system is being designed, consideration needs to be taken for the crew and passengers who will be wearing bulky cold weather gear.
• A way to remove or prevent ice and snow from accumulating in accesses must be provided.
• Appropriate extinguishers must be made available.

In order to meet the requirements for fire safety and protection, the Polar Code has mandated the following:

• Locate fire pumps, mist pumps, and water spray pumps in compartments that are maintained above freezing.
• Design the fire main so that exposed sections can be isolated and a way to drain those sections must be provided.
• Any fire hoses and nozzles may be stored in a protected location near a hydrant, but hoses and nozzles do not have to be connected to the fire main.
• Store firefighting gear in a warm location on the ship.
• If a sea suction device is used for firefighting, the device must be able to be cleared of ice accumulation.

When operating in low air temperature, each component of the fire safety system, its appliances, and materials that are exposed must be designed in such a way that they can effectively operate at the PST. Fire extinguishers need to be placed in a location that best protects them from freezing temperatures. If the location is subject to freezing, then the extinguisher provided must be capable of operating at the PST.

To learn more about Polar Code visit our Polar Code Online Training web page.