Fire safety, education essential for boaters

SANDPOINT — Even when surrounded by water, fire safety is still essential.

"The biggest thing is for people to understand the rules of the water, just like understanding the rules of the road," said Mick Adams, a captain with Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS.

If a boating emergency does occur, Selkirk personnel will respond to incidents on Lake Pend Oreille or the Pend Oreille River using the department's fireboat.

"We will go anywhere at anytime that someone calls us," said Battalion Captain Kevin Amorebieta. "It doesn't matter where it's at on the lake or river."

The fireboat is used for boat fires, marina fires or even a house or wildfire on shore. Not only does Selkirk respond to fires on the water, the boat is stocked with EMS equipment so the crew can respond to rescues and medical emergencies as well.

Selkirk does not regularly patrol the lake in the fireboat, but is out during big events like the Fourth of July and the Long Bridge Swim to ensure safety of participants.

Selkirk acquired the fireboat last year from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, selling a smaller boat to Sam Owen Fire District in Hope. The smaller boat would pump about 750 gallons per minute, while this one is capable of pumping up to 3,000 gallons per minute, Amorebieta said. The fireboat also has an aluminum hull, weighing less than fiberglass, which is what the old fireboat hull was.

There are three water cannons, often called fire monitors, located on the bow and two on the stern. The larger deck gun on the bow can be rotated, but the intense pressure causes the boat to turn the opposite direction. Amorebieta and Adams demonstrated this during a short training session on the lake Monday. It takes a little extra training, Amorebieta said, to learn to control the boat when the water is pumping through it.  

Selkirk personnel go through different training exercises for driving the boat, swimming — sometimes in full gear — and adverse weather training. The boat even has a heater so if they need to warm someone up on a rescue, they can.

Amorebieta said the crew has responded to a mix of incidents, from boats running aground on shore to something leaking in the water, and every now and then, a watercraft collision. It has been a couple seasons since a boat has "full on" caught on fire, he said. Wildfires Selkirk firefighters have responded to with a fireboat include one at Kootenai Point and the Cape Horn fire a couple years ago. They contract with the Idaho Department of Lands for timber fires and helps transport IDL firefighters and equipment to fires off shore by way of the lake.

Although Selkirk personnel might enjoy heading out on the lake, they prefer not to do it in an emergency situation. For that reason, Selkirk has a list of boating fire safety tips to help keep boaters safe while enjoying a day on the water.

The first safety tip for any boater is to ensure age appropriate, Coast Guard-approved life jackets are on board and are worn. Throwable flotation devices such as ring buoys, seat cushions or horse shoe buoys should be on hand as well. The rest of the safety tips are divided into three categories — preparation, prevention and protection.

Preparation: Before heading to the open water, educate and plan.

- Take safety courses, including first aid, fire extinguisher use, and safe boating and navigation. Invite family and friends to attend these courses as well, and always be sure someone else on the vessel can operate the boat and radio in case you are incapacitated. Also, plan the trip and inform family and friends of those plans. Check and double check the weather forecast.

Prevention: The best fire protection is to prevent a fire from starting.

- Maintenance is essential in keeping a boat "fire safe." Keep the engine in good repair and the bilge clean and dry. If you smell fumes at any time other than when fueling, find out why immediately. Fix electrical problems promptly and professionally.

- Do not use portable electric or propane heaters.

- Keep aisles clear and store fuel-powered equipment in a separate area vented to the outside.

- Fires that occur during refueling can usually be prevented if the boater is careful not to spill the fuel or overfill the tanks. Let the engine cool and turn off the electrical system before refueling. Use a funnel so the gasoline does not spill if a sudden wave tips the boat. Extinguish all smoking material.

- Comply with Coast Guard ventilation standards. Gasoline vapors can explode. Before starting the engine, operate the blower for four minutes. Check the engine compartment for gas vapors.

- Ensure proper installation and inspection of all batteries. Overcharging and overheating are two mistakes that damage batteries.

- Follow your nose — The human nose is one of the best fire prevention tools. If something doesn't smell right, such as raw gasoline fumes or an overheating electrical cable, check it out immediately.

Protection: But in case a fire does occur ...

- A multi-purpose ABC fire extinguisher that can be used on all types of fires is the best extinguisher to have on board as a variety of fuels may be present. These can be used on flammable liquids and electrical fires, as well as wood, paper, plastics or rubber.

- In a fire emergency, early access to emergency assistance is critical. Have a means of communications available at all times.

An additional boat safety tip was noted during Monday's training — watch out for large debris in the lake. There is a lot of it out there. Also, obey the speed limits because as Adams pointed out, there are rules on the water, just as there are on the road.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.