Did you know that October is fire safety month?  That’s right!  There are thousands of activities and campaigns going on nationwide teaching people ways to improve their safety at home and at work.  For many of us, our boats are also our homes and so we wanted to share our top five tips on how to prevent boat fires.

1. Check and maintain all of your shore power components: Worn or overloaded cordsets and damaged shore power connections are a common cause of fires.  Make certain to check all cable and adapter ends as well as receptacles on both boatside and dockside.  Check for:
   1. Loose connections
   2. Corroded pins                                
   3. Any signs of blackening/scorching
   4. Any heat detected
2. Have a U.S.C.G. approved fire extinguisher onboard and know how to use it!
   1. Here is a great read from Boat US on fire extinguishers,  [read article] 
3. Talk with your marina to make sure they are educating their tenants and taking all the proper steps to help prevent fires.
4. Regularly inspect electrical and fuel systems.
5. Have a smoke alarm installed!  If you already have one, it’s recommended to test them on a monthly basis.

A fire on a boat is extremely dangerous due to how fast fiberglass burns and the fact that it can spread so quickly to our neighbors’ boats.  Let’s all dedicate this month to checking that all proper precautions are in place at our boats, homes and work places to help prevent fires.

And remember, it’s important to review this information regularly…not just in October!  We must always be taking the proper steps to ensuring the safety of our families and neighbors all year around, and it’s our responsibility as boat owners to help prevent boat and marina fires!

Pass this on to a friend in honor of fire safety month!

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