CFR > Title 46 - Shipping > CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY > SUBCHAPTER T—SMALL PASSENGER VESSELS (UNDER 100 GROSS TONS) (parts 175 to 186) > PART 185—OPERATIONS > SUBPART E—Preparations for Emergencies (§185.502 to §185.530) > 185.512—Recommended emergency instructions format.

185.512—Recommended emergency instructions format.

An emergency instruction placard containing the following information will satisfy the requirements of § 185.510.
(a) Emergency instructions— (1) Rough weather at sea, crossing hazardous bars, or flooding. Close all watertight and weathertight doors, hatches, and airports to prevent taking water aboard or further flooding in the vessel.
(ii) Keep bilges dry to prevent loss of stability due to water in bilges. Use power driven bilge pump, hand pump, and buckets to dewater.
(iii) Align fire pumps to use as bilge pump if possible.
(iv) Check all intake and discharge lines, which penetrate the hull, for leakage.
(v) Passengers must remain seated and evenly distributed.
(vi) Passengers must don life jackets if the going becomes very rough, the vessel is about to cross a hazardous bar, or when otherwise instructed by the master.
(vii) Never abandon the vessel unless actually forced to do so.
(viii) If assistance is needed follow the procedures on the emergency broadcast placard posted by the radiotelephone.
(ix) Prepare survival craft (life floats, (inflatable) rafts, (inflatable) buoyant apparatus, boats) for launching.
(2) Man overboard. (i) Throw a ring buoy overboard as close to the person as possible.
(ii) Post a lookout to keep the person overboard in sight.
(iii) Launch rescue boat and maneuver to pick up person in the water, or maneuver the vessel to pick up the person in the water.
(iv) Have crew member put on life jacket, attach a safety line to him or her, and have him or her stand by jump into the water to assist the person overboard if necessary.
(v) If person is not immediately located, notify Coast Guard and other vessels in vicinity by radiotelephone.
(vi) Continue search until released by Coast Guard.
(3) Fire. (i) Cut off air supply to fire—close items such as hatches, ports, doors, ventilators, and louvers, and shut off ventilation system.
(ii) Cut off electrical system supplying affected compartment if possible.
(iii) If safe, immediately use portable fire extinguishers at base of flames for flammable liquid or grease fires or water for fires in ordinary combustible materials. Do not use water on electrical fires.
(iv) If fire is in machinery spaces, shut off fuel supply and ventilation and activate fixed extinguishing system if installed.
(v) Maneuver vessel to minimize effect of wind on fire.
(vi) If unable to control fire, immediately notify the Coast Guard and other craft in the vicinity by radiotelephone.
(vii) Move passengers away from fire, have them put on life jackets, and if necessary, prepare to abandon the vessel.
(b) [Reserved]