The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending changes in response protocols and training to keep land-based fire fighters safer when responding to port vessel fires.
The newly released safety alert was developed with direct input from the IAFF, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other subject matter experts.
“Too many of our members have been killed or injured responding to shipboard fires without the proper training, equipment, or protocols,” General President Edward Kelly said. “But working with the NTSB, the IAFF is making sure those lessons turn into action – and that steps are taken to make a dangerous job safer.”
The alert was prompted in part by the July 2023 fire aboard the Grande Costa D’Avorio, which claimed the lives of Newark, NJ Local 71 fire fighters Augusto “Augie” Acabou and Wayne “Bear” Brooks Jr.
As the NTSB investigated the incident and formulating recommendations, the board consulted the IAFF and others to identify gaps in shipboard firefighting practices. IAFF staff also attended the January 2024 U.S. Coast Guard hearings in Union, New Jersey.
Additionally, Kelly convened a working group of marine firefighting experts to develop a training course covering initial tactics, required resources, and communication protocols for shipboard responses. Affiliates can request the 8-hour training through their District Vice President.
The NTSB and the IAFF also recommend departments follow NFPA 1405: Guide for Land-Based Fire Departments that Respond to Marine Vessel Fires and NFPA 1010: Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters. Department not meeting those standards,should seek compliance and training for members.
Full recommendations are in the safety alert.
