STCW Advanced Fire Fighting (Updating Training)

The course complies with Merchant Navy Training Board guidelines.  The National Maritime Training Centre is an approved training centre and issues the STCW certificate upon successful completion.

Section A-VI/3 of STCW (paragraph 5) states that ‘Seafarers qualified in accordance with paragraph 4 in advanced fire fighting shall be required, every five years, to provide evidence of having maintained the required standard of competence, to undertake the tasks, duties and responsibilities listed in column 1 of table A VI/1-3.’

Some of the required updating training may be carried out on board ships, with certain elements that have to be undertaken ashore at an MCA approved training centre.  

The following training and experience that can be undertaken onboard is:

• Fire fighting procedures at sea and in port, with particular emphasis on organisation, tactics and command
• Communication and coordination during fire-fighting operations
  • Ventilation control, including smoke extraction
• Control of fuel and electrical systems
• Fire fighting process hazards (dry distillation, chemical reactions, boiler uptake, fires)
• Fire precautions and hazards associated with the storage and handling of materials
  • Management and control of injured persons
  • Procedures for coordination with shore-based fire fighters.

Where this onboard training and experience is undertaken, a self declaration form must be signed confirming that all the requirements have been met in order to attend the requisite shore based training course.  

For those who have not undertaken this onboard training and are therefore unable to sign the self-declaration form, the full updating training requirements must be undertaken.  This means that there are two routes for advanced fire fighting updating training.