Question 1

The gas is off but the pan is still burning. There is a fire blanket clipped near the galley. What now?

Accepted Answer

Pull out the fire blanket, hold it in front of you like a shield, and lay it gently over the pan to cut off the air supply. Leave it in place — do not peek A fire blanket smothers a small pan fire by cutting off oxygen — exactly what it is designed for. Leave it in place for several minutes so the pan cools. A dry powder extinguisher works too but can blast burning oil around the galley. Any liquid (water or drinks) on an oil fire causes a dangerous fireball. Opening hatches feeds the fire more air — close them if anything, once the fire is out.

Question 2

SUNBEAM is cooking lunch. A pan of oil catches fire and flames are climbing above the pan. What do you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Shout "FIRE!" so everyone knows, then turn off the gas/stove if you can reach it safely without leaning over the flames Tell people first — a fire spreads fast in a small space and everyone needs to know. Turning off the gas stops it getting worse, but only do this if you can reach the control safely. NEVER throw water on a fat/oil fire — it explodes into a fireball. Never carry a flaming pan — you will spill it on yourself or the boat.

Question 3

The fire is out under the blanket but smoke is filling the cabin. Two crew start coughing. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

Get everyone up into the open air on deck. Keep low if moving through smoke — cleaner air is near the floor. Count heads to make sure everyone is out Smoke inhalation is dangerous, especially below decks on a small boat. Get crew into fresh air on deck and count everyone present. Crawling low avoids the worst of the smoke if you must move through it. Do not open hatches right next to the extinguished fire — a small ember can reignite with fresh air. Ventilate from hatches further away once the area has cooled.