NIMASA STCW FPFF study guide
NIMASA STCW FPFF · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
STCW Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF), listed under Table A-VI/1-2 of the STCW Convention, is one of the four basic safety training modules required before a seafarer can be issued a certificate of competency or proficiency. In Nigeria it is administered through NIMASA-approved maritime training providers, and it is aimed at deckhands, engine ratings, cadets and officers alike - anyone designated to fight fires on board. The NIMASA STCW FPFF study guide has 9 sections and about 3,237 words.
01Shipboard Fire Theory: the Fire Triangle/Tetrahedron, Ignition Sources and Fire Chemistry
This domain tests whether you can apply fire chemistry rather than recite it. Expect a fuel, an environment and an extinguisher, and a question about what happens next.
415 words, about 2 min02Fire Hazards and Prevention: Flammable Liquids, Gases, Electrical Hazards, Hot Work and Housekeeping
Prevention questions test whether you can spot the ignition source, the fuel and the pathway before a fire starts. The examinable content is the permit system, flammable liquid and gas behaviour, electrical risk and housekeeping discipline.
400 words, about 2 min03Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Fixed Installations and Emergency Communications
Detection, fixed installations and communications are examined as one chain: the alarm must be raised, the right system released, and the right people told. Optical smoke detectors respond to visible smoke; ionisation units to sub-micron particles.
358 words, about 2 min04Firefighting Equipment: Extinguishers, Hoses, Nozzles, Couplings and Breathing Apparatus
Equipment questions test identification, limits and pre-use checks - not just the colour of the extinguisher. Water (Class A), foam (A and B), CO2 (B and electrical), dry powder (ABC or BC), wet chemical (F).
384 words, about 2 min05Firefighting Tactics and Procedures: Containment, Boundary Cooling, Ventilation Control and Extinguishing Methods
Tactics questions give a scenario and expect a sequence: alarm, isolate, contain, cool, rescue, extinguish, watch. Raise the alarm and inform the bridge; locate the fire and identify its class.
344 words, about 2 min06Classification of Fires and Selection of Appropriate Extinguishing Media
Classifying the fire first determines the medium. Most lost marks come from mixing up the classes or ignoring how the fuel behaves.
327 words, about 2 min07Shipboard Fire Organisation: Muster Stations, Fire Teams, Command Structure and Drills
This domain tests the ship's organisation, not personal bravery: who does what, when, and what must be recorded. Posted before sailing and updated after every crew change; it assigns each person a station, a duty and a substitute.
333 words, about 2 min08Personal Safety: Firefighter PPE, SCBA Use, Entry Control and Casualty Rescue
Personal safety questions are practical: what you wear, how you wear the set, and how the entry is controlled. Firefighting suit or proximity suit as appropriate, helmet with visor and neck protection, gloves, boots, BA set, personal distress alarm, torch, and where fitted a lifeline and harness.
351 words, about 2 min09Fire Investigation, Reporting and Post-Fire Safety Precautions
Investigation and post-fire safety are examined as much for procedure as for cause: preserve, record, report, then make the space safe. Do not disturb, clean or move anything before photographs and notes are taken.
325 words, about 2 min