A fire pump is required for a 75 gross ton mechanically powered vessel with 52 passengers. The minimum pumping capacity is?

A fire pump is required for a 75 gross ton mechanically powered vessel with 52 passengers. The minimum pumping capacity is?

• A. 30 Gallons Per Minute
• B. 50 Gallons Per Minute
• C. 75 Gallons Per Minute
• D. 100 Gallons Per Minute

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that fire pump capacity for small passenger vessels is tied to vessel size and passenger load, with a defined minimum that must be met to ensure an adequate water supply for firefighting. For a 75 gross ton vessel carrying 52 passengers, the rule sets a minimum pumping capacity of 50 gallons per minute. This ensures enough flow to operate the onboard firefighting system without being undersized. A pump delivering only 30 GPM would be too low, while 75 or 100 GPM exceed the minimum but aren’t required by this rule for this vessel class.

The key idea is that fire pump capacity for small passenger vessels is tied to vessel size and passenger load, with a defined minimum that must be met to ensure an adequate water supply for firefighting. For a 75 gross ton vessel carrying 52 passengers, the rule sets a minimum pumping capacity of 50 gallons per minute. This ensures enough flow to operate the onboard firefighting system without being undersized. A pump delivering only 30 GPM would be too low, while 75 or 100 GPM exceed the minimum but aren’t required by this rule for this vessel class.