News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
New Coast Guard fire extinguisher regulations for boats will go into effect on Wednesday, April 20th.
Randy Ventress is the Nashville Auxiliary Division 11 Operations Officer. He said that the new regulations require any boat drivers with extinguishers over 12 years old to replace them.
“A corroded busted up fire extinguisher is of no use to the operator at all,” Ventress said. “It’s kind of like a shelf life, like your milk at the store. You go to buy a gallon of milk it’s got an expiration date and that’s kind of what we’re getting at with the fire extinguishers.”
Ventress said that you can check the date on the stamp at the bottom of the extinguisher. He said when it comes to getting a replacement, you can go to any marine outlet and purchase a Coast Guard-approved fire extinguisher.
Ventress said that even if it’s not out-of-date, the fire extinguisher needs to be in top condition. He said boaters should check for any signs of corrosion or blockages of the extinguisher as well.
“A lot of people store their boats outside,” Ventress said. “Wasps and other insects, spiders, like to build nests inside the nozzles. And if they’re not cleaned out, if they’re obstructed, there could be a misfire of the fire extinguisher itself.”
Ventress said it’s important to have a viable fire extinguisher because it’s basically the only line of defense if the boat catches fire, other than abandoning ship.
