Study on the Safe Operating Range of Fireboats in Ship Fire Rescue Operations

To define the safe operation range of fireboats in ship fire rescue, this study uses the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) software to simulate typical ship fires under windless and normal wind conditions. Key fire parameters—visibility, temperature, CO/CO2 concentrations, and smoke spread—are analyzed to assess their impacts on fireboat operations and identify optimal safe rescue distances for both scenarios. The results indicate that high temperatures, toxic gases, and smoke spread uniformly under windless conditions, allowing fireboats to maintain a stable, relatively close safe distance with minimal directional differences in safety margins. Under normal wind conditions, wind drives the directional spread of hazardous substances, requiring fireboats to adjust positions and maintain a greater safe leeward distance to avoid wind-borne risks. This study provides practical references for fireboat operations in ship fire rescue.