How to Use a Boat Fire Extinguisher

Boat fire extinguishers are required by the Coast Guard to be on board in case of an accidental fire. In fact, boats that are 26’-40’ need to have at least two B-1 fire extinguishers on board. No matter the size of your vessel, we suggest having one more B-1 fire extinguisher than is required placed strategically on board to assist you in putting fires out.

Most boaters are satisfied when they have the required amount and type of boat fire extinguishers on board. However, many people are not prepared to actually successfully put a fire out on their watercraft because they lack the knowledge on how to use a fire extinguisher. So, it’s time you learn how to actually use your extinguisher in order to successfully put out a fire before it ruins your boat or causes severe injury to yourself or guests.

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

Before you use your fire extinguisher, it is extremely important to know exactly what type of fire the extinguisher is designed to put out. All fire extinguishers are labeled with a special tag that identifies the type of fire the device is intended to suppress. Fires involving cloth or wood, electrical devices and flammable liquids will react differently to extinguishers. Thus, using the wrong extinguisher can actually catalyze a fire and make matters worse! The most common marine fire extinguisher will be labeled as A:B:C or B:C.

Once you have the right fire extinguisher(s) on board using a boat fire extinguisher is as simple as remembering the PASSWORD. Each letter in the word or acronym “P-A-S-S” is a step in chronological order on how to use a boat fire extinguisher.

1. P ull the pin at the top of the cylinder
2. A im the nozzle at the base of the fire
3. S queeze or press the handle
4. S weep the contents from side to side at the base of the fire until it goes out

Now that you know how to use a fire extinguisher to quickly put out a fire, ensure that your boat hull is also protected from the maritime environment with a floating boat lift. Our boat lifts have a patented design that lifts watercrafts of almost any size completely out of the water ensuring that it does not get harmed from the water.

Information sourced from Boat U.S.® Foundation