Fire Drill:  The old saying Fire is a good servant, but a bad master, applies well to PTs whose wood and gasoline are wonderful ingredients for a roaring fire. 

 

Fire prevention is easily observed on the boats.  Just observe all the rules and all will be safe.  Every rule and precaution set up by the Navy usually has been originated because of some tragedy in the past.

 

If an engineer does not want to be a flaming torch of fire, he had better sniff the engine room for gas fumes before he starts the engines or any electrical apparatus in the engine room.  Failure to do this has sent more than one PT man to his death.  Countless engineers have saved themselves and their shipmates and their boats just by observing this one rule:  Sniff before you turn on any switch.

 

Gasoline fumes may be anywhere in the boat.  Gasoline and gasoline vapors can flow to any part of the boat through the bilges.  A PT looks very peculiar without a charthouse.  It happened in Tulagi and two men blew up with it.

 

No smoking signs always remind you that you need a smoke very much.  Don’t be careless.  Think of yourself and your shipmates.  Observe the no smoking rules.

 

Refueling is perhaps the most dangerous operation and consequently has the most rules:

• Know where your CO2 release valves are.
• Have your CO2 bottles topside.

Regular skinner filter funnels are now in use having a ready set-up ground.  If, in emergency, you must use the old type funnel, be sure that you make a good ground for your hose, funnel, and chamois.