FIREFIGHTING PROCEDURES IN DRYDOCK.

The possibility of fire aboard the ship or elsewhere within the dockyard complex is always unwelcome. As with any other fire incident the alarm should be raised as soon as possible after the discovery of the fire and the following procedures are suggested. Assuming that the crew have remained onboard and the fire is onboard the vessel , after the alarm has been raised..

• Muster an emergency fire party and attempt to contain and extinguish the fire immediately following its discovery.

• if alarm is not working / given for maintenance,the fire witness should shoutouts the nature and location of fire.

• Non essential personnel should be evacuated to the store and the fire brigade should be contacted.

• A gangway watch should be set out to ensure that the access to the vessel is not blocked which would deny accessibility to firefighters.

• fire lines should be kept charged via shore through ISSC

• Emergency teams to fight the fire and evacuate casualties.

• technical team cut necessary electrical supply etc.

• The minimum water volume should be used when tracking fires in drydock because of stability dangers,while on the blocks.the possibility of shoring is directly affected by heat or flame which,combined with excessive water volume ,could cause the vessel to move from the block.

• the ship's sides should be cooled, especially in the way of the shores.These must not be allowed to become dislodged by the effects of fire and the heat effects on steel hulls.

• any gas bottles are extremely hazardous and susceptible to explosion when in contact with excessive heat.

• The affected space is not open and exposed for repairs.The use of CO2 is preferable to water as a fire fighting option.The admission of water into the docked vessel is highly undesirable and its use if possible should be restricted to boundary cooling of decks and the shell sides.