Marking of fire and emergency apparatus, watertight doors, lifeboat embarkation stations and direction signs, stateroom notices, instructions for changing steering gears, etc., shall be carried out as follows:

(a) General alarm bell switch. The general alarm bell switch in the pilot-house or fire control station shall be clearly marked with lettering on a brass plate or with a sign in red letters on suitable background: “General Alarm.”

(b) General alarm bells. General alarm bells shall be marked in not less than 1⁄2 -inch red letters: “General Alarm—When Bell Rings Go to Your Station.”

(c) Steam, foam or CO2 fire smothering apparatus. Steam, foam or CO2 fire smothering apparatus shall be marked “Steam Fire Apparatus” or “Foam Fire Apparatus” or “CO2 Fire Apparatus”, as appropriate, in not less than 2-inch red letters. The valves of all branch piping leading to the several compartments shall be distinctly marked to indicate the compartments or parts of the nautical school ship to which they lead.

(1) Steam, foam, carbon dioxide, Halon, or clean agent fire smothering apparatus. Steam, foam, carbon dioxide, Halon, or clean agent fire smothering apparatus must be marked “[STEAM/FOAM/CARBON DIOXIDE/HALON/CLEAN AGENT—as appropriate] FIRE APPARATUS,” in red letters at least 2 inches high, and the valves of all branch piping leading to the several compartments must be distinctly marked to indicate the compartments or parts of the nautical school ship to which they lead.

(2) Each entrance to a space storing carbon dioxide cylinders, a space protected by carbon dioxide systems, or any space into which carbon dioxide might migrate must be conspicuously marked as follows:

(i) Spaces storing carbon dioxide—“CARBON DIOXIDE GAS CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. VENTILATE THE AREA BEFORE ENTERING. A HIGH CONCENTRATION CAN OCCUR IN THIS AREA AND CAN CAUSE SUFFOCATION.”.

(ii) Spaces protected by carbon dioxide—“CARBON DIOXIDE GAS CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. WHEN ALARM OPERATES OR WINTERGREEN SCENT IS DETECTED, DO NOT ENTER UNTIL VENTILATED. LOCK OUT SYSTEM WHEN SERVICING.” The reference to wintergreen scent may be omitted for carbon dioxide systems not required to have odorizing units and not equipped with such units.

(iii) Spaces into which carbon dioxide might migrate—“CARBON DIOXIDE GAS CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. DISCHARGE INTO NEARBY SPACE CAN COLLECT HERE. WHEN ALARM OPERATES OR WINTERGREEN SCENT IS DETECTED VACATE IMMEDIATELY.” The reference to wintergreen scent may be omitted for carbon dioxide systems not required to have odorizing units and not equipped with such units.

(d) Fire hose stations. At each fire hose valve there shall be marked in not less than 2-inch red letters and figures “Fire Station 1,” 2, 3, etc.

(e) Emergency squad equipment. Lockers or spaces containing equipment for use of the emergency squad shall be marked “Emergency Squad Equipment.” Lockers or spaces where oxygen or fresh air breathing apparatus is stowed shall be marked “Oxygen Breathing Apparatus” or “Fresh Air Breathing Apparatus,” as appropriate.

(f) Fire extinguishers. Each fire extinguisher shall be marked with a number and the location where stowed shall be marked in corresponding numbers in not less than 1-inch figures.

(g) Watertight doors. Each watertight door shall be numbered in at least 2-inch letters and figures “W.T.D. 1,” 2, 3, etc. The color of the marking shall be in contrast to the background. All watertight door remote hand-closing stations shall be marked in at least 2-inch letters and figures “W. T. D. 1,” 2, 3, etc. The direction of operation of the lever or wheel provided to close or open the door at all watertight door remote hand-closing stations shall be marked. The color of the sign shall contrast with the background.

(h) Instructions for changing steering gear. Instructions in at least 1⁄2 -inch letters and figures shall be posted at each emergency steering station and in the steering engine room, relating in order, the different steps to be taken in changing to the emergency steering gear. Each clutch, gear wheel, level, valve, or switch which is used during the changeover shall be numbered or lettered on a brass plate or painted so that the markings can be recognized at a reasonable distance. The instructions shall indicate each clutch or pin to be “in” or “out” and each valve or switch which is to be “opened” or “closed” in shifting to any means of steering for which the vessel is equipped. Instructions shall be included to line up all steering wheels and rudder amidship before changing gears.

(i) Rudder orders. At all steering stations, there shall be installed a suitable notice on the wheel or device or at such other position as to be directly in the helmsman's line of vision, to indicate the direction in which the wheel or device must be turned for “right rudder” and for “left rudder.”

(j) Lifesaving appliances. Each lifesaving appliance must be marked as required under subchapter W (Lifesaving Appliances and Arrangements) of this chapter.

[CGFR 51-11, 16 FR 3218, Apr. 12, 1951, as amended by CGFR 54-46, 19 FR 8708, Dec. 18, 1954; CGFR 60-36, 25 FR 10642, Nov. 5, 1960; CGD 73-24R, 39 FR 10139, Mar. 18, 1974; CGD 75-040, 40 FR 58454, Dec. 17, 1975; CGD 84-069, 61 FR 25311, May 20, 1996; USCG-2006-24797, 77 FR 33889, June 7, 2012]