FIRE SAFETY OF NAVAL SHIPS—AN OPEN CHALLENGE

Abstract

ABSTRACTFire safety of Navy ships is a matter of continuing concern. The practice in land—based buildings and commercial ships experiencing a serious fire accident is often to abandon the building or ship. For Navy warships in combat, however, it is imperative that the ship's crew be able to control an on—board fire and retain the ship's combat effectiveness. The need for effective and rapid fire—fighting capability aboard naval ships is further dictated by the increased potential of fire hazards characteristic of a warship, such as the high density of fuel and ammunition stores aboard ship, refueling and replenishment at sea, and possible hostile enemy action.Fire casualties aboard Navy ships are briefly reviewed, with emphasis on recent lessons learned in control of fires and fire hazards. Also reviewed are ongoing and planned actions to upgrade fire protection in the ship design process and in the Fleet. Based on these lessons learned, the Navy is initiating a “total systems approach” to shipboard fire safety, and is reorienting R&D thrusts accordingly. The scope of the Navy's ongoing research and development program is reviewed, with a description of selected hardware/software obtained to date from this program for improvements to Fleet fire—fighting and personnel—survival equipment. Finally, the future trends of research and development needs are discussed and projected research program directions indicated.