Start hereRules checked 20 October 2026
When a fire is too big for an extinguisher, the ship sends in its fire party: two people in protective clothing and breathing apparatus, dragging a charged hose into heat and smoke they cannot see through. Their survival depends on the outfit they put on in the first two minutes and on talking to the person controlling them from outside. A missing glove, a torch that is not explosion-proof on a tanker, or a radio that dies or cannot be heard can end the attack, or worse.
Fire drills are where this goes wrong most visibly. In the 2023 Tokyo MOU fire safety campaign, 8.44% of the fire drills witnessed by inspectors were unsatisfactory, and drills caused more detentions (43) than any other campaign question.9 This lesson covers what the outfit must contain, how many the ship needs and where, the radio rule added in 2014, and how the monthly locker check catches problems before a drill or a fire does.
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In this lesson
- Monthly check of the fire-fighter's outfits on an oil tanker
- In plain words
- In detail
- What the rules say
- Flag and class notes
- Key numbers
- What inspectors find
- Quiz: 6 questions
Try it
Monthly check of the fire-fighter's outfits on an oil tanker
In plain words
A fire-fighter’s outfit is a full set of kit for one person going into a fire:
- Personal equipment: heat- and steam-protective clothing with a water-resistant outer surface, insulating boots, a rigid helmet, an approved safety lamp that lasts at least three hours (explosion-proof on tankers), and an axe with an insulated handle.
- A breathing apparatus, the SCBA from lesson 4, with its low-air warning.
- A fireproof lifeline at least 30 m long.
Every ship carries at least two outfits, tankers at least four, and passenger ships more. They are kept in clearly marked, easy-to-reach places, well apart from each other.
Since 2014 (and since 2018 for older ships), each fire party must also have at least two two-way radios that are safe to use where flammable gas may be present: explosion-proof or intrinsically safe. The team inside talks to the person controlling them from outside.
The crew check the lockers every month and use the outfits at fire drills. Anything used is put back in full working order straight away.
In detail
Contents of the outfit
FSS Code chapter 3, paragraph 2.11:
| Item | Requirement | Paragraph |
|---|---|---|
| Protective clothing | Protects the skin from radiant heat and from burns and scalding by steam; water-resistant outer surface | 2.1.1.1 |
| Boots | Rubber or other electrically non-conducting material | 2.1.1.2 |
| Helmet | Rigid, giving effective protection against impact | 2.1.1.3 |
| Electric safety lamp | Approved type, minimum burning period 3 h; explosion-proof on tankers and where used in hazardous areas | 2.1.1.4 |
| Axe | Handle with high-voltage insulation | 2.1.1.5 |
| Breathing apparatus | At least 1,200 l of air (or 30 min); interchangeable cylinders; audible alarm and a visual or other device that warns before the air falls to 200 l | 2.1.2 (as replaced by MSC.339(91)) |
| Lifeline | Fireproof, at least 30 m, approval test 3.5 kN for 5 min, snap hook to the harness or a separate belt | 2.1.3 |
The FSS Code list does not mention gloves separately. Check your flag notice and the approval documents of your outfit for what the approved set includes, and keep the inventory list in the locker to match.
How many outfits
SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.22:
- All ships: at least two fire-fighter’s outfits.
- Tankers: two more, so at least four.
- Passenger ships: for every 80 m (or part of 80 m) of the aggregate length of passenger and service spaces on the deck where that length is greatest, two outfits plus two sets of personal equipment. Ships carrying more than 36 passengers have two more outfits for each main vertical zone (with exceptions for stairway enclosures and some end zones), and one water fog applicator stored beside each pair of breathing apparatus.
- The Administration may require more sets of personal equipment and breathing apparatus for the size and type of ship.
- Spare charges: two for each required breathing apparatus, or one where cargo ships and smaller passenger ships can recharge on board (10.10.2.5), as covered in lesson 4.
Where they are kept
Regulation II-2/10.10.3.1 requires the outfits and sets of personal equipment to be kept ready for use in an easily accessible location that is permanently and clearly marked. Where more than one is carried, they are stored in widely separated positions. On passenger ships, at least two outfits and one set of personal equipment are available at any one position, and at least two outfits are stored in each main vertical zone (10.10.3.2).2
The breathing apparatus deadline
SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.1.2, added by resolution MSC.338(91), requires the SCBA of fire-fighter’s outfits to comply with FSS Code chapter 3, paragraph 2.1.2.2 (audible alarm and visual or other device) by 1 July 2019. Regulation II-2/1.2.5 extends this to ships built before 1 July 2012.34 Any ship still carrying outfit SCBA without the warning device is now non-compliant.
The radio requirement
SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.4, added by resolution MSC.338(91), requires “a minimum of two two-way portable radiotelephone apparatus for each fire party”. They must be “of an explosion-proof type or intrinsically safe”. The rule applies to ships built on or after 1 July 2014, and to older ships from the first survey after 1 July 2018.3
SOLAS sets no certification scheme for “explosion-proof” or “intrinsically safe”. Liberia’s notice is a useful benchmark7:
- The radios provide a dedicated link between the team entering the space and the crew member outside who controls the team.
- They should be certified safe for zone 1 hazardous areas as defined in IEC 60079, with apparatus group and temperature class matching the most demanding hazardous zone the fire party can reach.
- Accessories that could make a spark or heat, such as batteries and speaker-microphones, must also be certified safe.
- VHF, UHF or other bands are acceptable. A non-VHF band may need an amended ship radio station licence.
- Each fire party has at least two radios dedicated to it. The total depends on the number of fire parties in the muster list and the SMS, not on the number of outfits.
- Store them with the outfits. Otherwise mark them so they are not used for other work and the surveyor can recognise them.
The monthly check and drills
MSC.1/Circ.1432 paragraph 5.5 calls for a monthly check that the lockers holding fire-fighting equipment contain their full inventory and that the equipment is serviceable.5 SOLAS regulation III/19.3.4.2 requires each fire drill to include checking the fireman’s outfit and other personal rescue equipment, and checking the relevant communication equipment. Regulation III/19.3.4.3 requires everything used in a drill to be returned at once to full operating condition.6
A practical monthly locker round:
- Is the inventory list posted inside the locker, and is every item on it present?
- Clothing, boots, helmet and gloves: damage, contamination, fit, and sizes suited to the fire party.
- Lamp: approved type, Ex marking on tankers, charged or with fresh batteries, works.
- Axe: handle insulation intact.
- Lifeline: length, snap hook, no burns or chafe.
- SCBA: as in lesson 4, gauge in range and the low-air warning working, with spare cylinders in date.
- Radios: dedicated, Ex marked (with accessories), charged, tested on the fire party channel.
- Locker: marked, accessible, not blocked by stores, and in the position shown on the fire control plan.
What the rules say
- FSS Code chapter 3, paragraph 2.1, says a fire-fighter’s outfit “shall consist of a set of personal equipment and a breathing apparatus”, with a fireproof lifeline of at least 30 m for each breathing apparatus.1
- FSS Code chapter 3, paragraph 2.1.1.4, requires an approved electric safety lamp with a minimum burning period of 3 hours, explosion-proof on tankers and in hazardous areas.1
- SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.2.1 requires every ship to carry at least two fire-fighter’s outfits, and regulation 10.10.2.3 requires two more on tankers.2
- SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.3.1 requires outfits to be kept in easily accessible, permanently and clearly marked locations and, where more than one is carried, in widely separated positions.2
- SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.1.2 requires the SCBA of fire-fighter’s outfits to have the low-air warning of FSS Code chapter 3, paragraph 2.1.2.2, by 1 July 2019.3
- SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.4 requires at least two explosion-proof or intrinsically safe two-way portable radios for each fire party (ships built from 1 July 2014; older ships by the first survey after 1 July 2018).3
- MSC.1/Circ.1432 paragraph 5.5 calls for a monthly check that fire-fighting equipment lockers contain their full inventory in serviceable condition.5
- SOLAS regulation III/19.3.4.2 requires each fire drill to include checking the fireman’s outfit and personal rescue equipment and the relevant communication equipment.6
Flag and class notes
- Liberia sets out the radio guidance above (zone 1 to IEC 60079, certified accessories, dedicated sets, number based on fire parties, stored with or marked for the outfits).7
- Marshall Islands lists the fireman’s outfit and the fire stations and lockers as monthly checks by ship’s officers (MSC.1/Circ.1432 paragraph 5.5).8
- Additional sets: regulation II-2/10.10.2.4 lets the Administration require more personal equipment and breathing apparatus for the size and type of ship.2 Check your flag’s notices for any extra numbers.
- Class: for most flags the class surveyor checks the outfits and radios at the annual Safety Equipment survey, as part of the MSC.1/Circ.1432 checks that Liberia makes integral to that survey.7 Keep the approval certificates of the outfit components and the radios’ Ex certificates on board.
Key numbers
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Outfits, all ships | At least 22 |
| Outfits, tankers | At least 4 (2 + 2)2 |
| Passenger ships | 2 outfits + 2 sets of personal equipment for every 80 m (or part) of passenger and service space length, in addition to the basic 22 |
| Safety lamp burning period | At least 3 h1 |
| Lifeline | At least 30 m; 3.5 kN for 5 min approval test1 |
| SCBA air volume | At least 1,200 l4 |
| Radios per fire party | At least 2, explosion-proof or intrinsically safe3 |
| Radio rule, existing ships | By first survey after 1 July 20183 |
| Low-air warning on outfit SCBA, all ships | By 1 July 20193 |
| Locker inventory check | Monthly5 |
What inspectors find
- Unsatisfactory fire drills: 8.44% of drills witnessed in the Tokyo MOU 2023 campaign, the most common reason for campaign detentions (43).9
- Evaluation of crew performance in fire drills recorded as a deficiency 106 times in the same campaign, up from 15 in 2022.9
- Radios that are not certified safe, or shared with deck work and found flat or missing when the drill starts, against SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.4.37
- Incomplete lockers: lamps that do not work or are not explosion-proof on tankers, damaged axe insulation, lifelines missing, SCBA without the low-air warning.135
- Outfits stored together, or in lockers blocked by stores, against regulation II-2/10.10.3.1.2
FAQ
Is a fire-fighter's outfit the same as a set of personal equipment?
No. A set of personal equipment is the clothing, boots, helmet, lamp and axe. A fire-fighter’s outfit is that set plus a breathing apparatus (and its lifeline). Passenger ships carry extra sets of personal equipment in addition to complete outfits.
Can we use the ship's normal UHF radios as fire party radios if they are intrinsically safe?
SOLAS only requires two explosion-proof or intrinsically safe radios per fire party. Liberia goes further and requires them to be dedicated to the fire party and stored with the outfits or clearly marked. Even where the flag does not say so, dedicated and charged sets are what a surveyor expects.
Our ship is a bulk carrier. Does the lamp have to be explosion-proof?
The FSS Code requires explosion-proof lamps on tankers and for use in hazardous areas. If your fire party could enter a hazardous area (for example, a space where a cargo or bunker vapour risk exists), use an explosion-proof lamp. Many owners fit them fleet-wide.
What happens to the outfit after a drill?
SOLAS regulation III/19.3.4.3 requires the equipment to be brought back to full operating condition at once. Recharge or replace the cylinders, dry and inspect the clothing, recharge the lamps and radios, and record any faults.
Quiz6 questions
Sources
- 1
IMO Resolution MSC.98(73), International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code), adopted 5 December 2000, chapter 3, paragraphs 2.1, 2.1.1 and 2.1.3. https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/MSCResolutions/MSC.98(73).pdf
- 2
IMO Resolution MSC.99(73), revised SOLAS chapter II-2, adopted 5 December 2000, regulation II-2/10.10.2 and 10.10.3 (consolidated numbering). https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/MSCResolutions/MSC.99(73).pdf
- 3
IMO Resolution MSC.338(91), Amendments to SOLAS 1974, adopted 30 November 2012, in force 1 July 2014, regulations II-2/1.2.5, 10.10.1 and 10.10.4. https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/MSCResolutions/MSC.338(91).pdf
- 4
IMO Resolution MSC.339(91), Amendments to the FSS Code, adopted 30 November 2012, chapter 3, paragraphs 2.1.2.1 and 2.1.2.2. https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/MSCResolutions/MSC.339(91).pdf
- 5
IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432, Revised guidelines for the maintenance and inspection of fire protection systems and appliances, 31 May 2012, paragraph 5.5 (copy annexed to Cayman Islands Shipping Notice 01/2014 Rev 2). https://www.cishipping.com/system/files/notices/documents/CISN%202014_01%20Rev%202%20with%20Annex.pdf
- 6
IMO Resolution MSC.47(66), Adoption of amendments to SOLAS 1974 (revised chapter III), adopted 4 June 1996, regulation III/19.3.4. https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/MSCResolutions/MSC.47(66).pdf
- 7
Liberia Maritime Authority, Marine Notice FIR-001 Rev. 02/26, Fire-protection systems and appliances, section 9, portable radios for fire-fighting parties. https://www.liscr.com/sites/default/files/online_library/FIR-001.pdf
- 8
Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator, Marine Notice 2-011-14 Rev. Aug/2025, Appendix A. https://www.register-iri.com/wp-content/uploads/MN-2-011-14.pdf
- 9
Tokyo MOU, Report of the 2023 Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Fire Safety, section 2.1 and tables 1 and 3 (question 10; deficiency code 07125). https://www.tokyo-mou.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/CIC-ON-FIRE-SAFETY-2023-Report-public.pdf
Rules checked 20 October 2026. VSL Safety is not an approved training provider and doesn't issue certificates. These lessons don't replace STCW training, or the manufacturer's training and certification that service technicians need.
