- Lifesaving & Fire Safety

5/13/2019: Fire Protection for Recreational Vessels

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The Coast Guard published a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the rules for recreational vessels by moving fire extinguishing equipment standards for recreational vessels from the uninspected vessel subchapter, which includes requirements for both recreational and commercial vessels, to the subchapter applicable only to recreational vessels. This proposed move would relieve owners of recreational vessels from having to adhere to NFPA 10 fire extinguisher inspection, maintenance, and recordkeeping requirements intended to apply to commercial vessels only. This would not alter fire extinguishing equipment standards for commercial vessels, but would correct an incongruity in our regulations.

Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before July 12, 2019. You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2018-0099 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov.

For information, view the Federal Register notice or contact Sean Ramsey, Office of Design and Engineering Standards, Lifesaving and Fire Safety Division at  202-372-1392 or email Sean.M.Ramsey@uscg.mil.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.