During the national Fire Kills Campaign’s Boat Fire Safety Week, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service are stressing the vital message to boaters – It’s time for all boats to have suitable smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.
Timed for the start of the boating season, the heart of the message is that all crew members should understand the risks and follow the published advice from the Boat Safety Scheme in its leaflets and on its website.
Despite all efforts, should fire break out or a CO escape occur, the critical survival factor will be the presence of suitable working smoke and CO alarms. The Scheme publishes lists of suitable alarms on its website and has advice from the manufacturers on the best places to fix the devices. Alarms should be tested using the test button routinely and the batteries replaced as necessary and never removed.
To find out more about safety on board, visit Boat Safety | Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (hwfire.org.uk) or for further information about general boat fire and CO safety, visit www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe