A mandatory shipboard exercise practising the crew's response to a fire emergency, required at least monthly under SOLAS.
Quick facts
Regulation
SOLAS Chapter III
In practice
During a fire drill, the officer of the watch sounds the alarm, the crew proceeds to their fire stations, and teams practise isolating ventilation, pressurising the fire main, donning SCBA, and using portable extinguishers. A boundary cooling team prevents heat spread whilst a fire-fighting team advances. The drill co-ordinator debriefs all participants, identifying weaknesses and corrective actions under the ISM Code's non-conformity reporting process.
Regulatory detail & full definition
A fire drill is a mandatory shipboard exercise in which the crew practises detecting, reporting, and responding to a fire scenario. SOLAS Chapter III requires musters and drills at intervals of not more than one month; fire drills must, as far as practicable, simulate actual emergency conditions. Records of drills must be entered in the official log book, and port state control inspectors review these records during port calls.
During a fire drill, the officer of the watch sounds the alarm, the crew proceeds to their fire stations, and teams practise isolating ventilation, pressurising the fire main, donning SCBA, and using portable extinguishers. A boundary cooling team prevents heat spread whilst a fire-fighting team advances. The drill co-ordinator debriefs all participants, identifying weaknesses and corrective actions under the ISM Code's non-conformity reporting process.
Fire is statistically one of the most serious hazards aboard ship; inadequate drills are a recurrent factor in casualty investigations. The ISM Code requires the company to ensure that procedures are practised, and the SMS (Safety Management System) must include a drill schedule. Officers must also ensure that new crew members complete a familiarisation to the ship's fire-fighting systems before the vessel sails.