A Few Words of Praise for Fixed Systems in the Engine Room
Overall, the most efficient fire protection system is the safest.
The majority of fires begin in the engine compartment for numerous reasons:
- Constant pounding and vibration loosens
wiring terminals and causes chafe, engine exhausts fail, water pumps fail, fuel leaks--
the list goes on.
- An automatic system, activated by a rise in temperature, can discharge and extinguish
a fire long before any crew can detect a fire
and react with a portable extinguisher, which
is even more relevant if you sometimes cruise short handed.
- The automatic system kills the fire earlier and minimizes damage. And since Halon and its replacements will not damage internal engine parts, it is often possible, after locating and correcting the problem, to restart the engine(s) after a fire and return to port.
- Fire extinguishers are typically the last line of defense when a fire suddenly appears. The
first line of defense is knowing how to prevent
fires before they occur.
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