---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 C.F.R. § 185.512"
title: "46"
number: "185.512"
heading: "Recommended emergency instructions format."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/46/185.512"
---

# §185.512. Recommended emergency instructions format.


An emergency instruction placard containing the following information will satisfy the requirements of [§ 185.510](/cfr/46/185.510.md).

- (a) **Emergency instructions—**
  - (1) **Rough weather at sea, crossing hazardous bars, or flooding.**
    - (i) 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]

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 2103, 3306, 6101; E.O. 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; DHS Delegation 00170.1, Revision No. 01.2, paragraph (II)(92)(a).

### Source

Source: CGD 85-080, 61 FR 1005, Jan. 10, 1996, unless otherwise noted.