Scene survey: Fires on board vessels

A full scene survey of the incident should be carried out at the earliest opportunity; this may require using other vessels or resources to assess the incident.

Available resources may include:

• Port authority vessels (e.g. tugs or pilot vessels)
• Fire and rescue service vessels
• Privately-owned vessels
• Fire and rescue service aerial appliances
• Fire and rescue service resources
• Other services resources (e.g. military or police air assets)
• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones

The scene survey should also include smoke and thermal scanning. Using thermal imaging equipment for both locating the fire and for assessing the effect of the fire on adjoining compartments will provide vital information. The incident commander should be mindful that insulated bulkheads may result in false temperature readings.