Study for the Connecticut Safe Boating Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, with hints and detailed explanations. Prepare thoroughly!

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What should you do first if there is a fire on board a boat?

  1. Close all hatches and ports

  2. Make a distress call

  3. Get everyone into life jackets

  4. Shut off the power to electrical systems

The correct answer is: Get everyone into life jackets

In the event of a fire on board a boat, the highest priority is ensuring the safety of everyone on board. Getting everyone into life jackets is a crucial step, as it prepares them for potential evacuation and ensures their safety in the water should the situation escalate and they need to abandon the vessel. While other actions, such as making a distress call or shutting off power to electrical systems, are important, they can be executed after addressing the immediate risk to people on the boat. Closing hatches and ports might help contain the fire but could also trap smoke and toxic fumes inside the boat, thereby putting everyone at higher risk. Therefore, the first action should always focus on safeguarding individuals, which is why equipping them with life jackets is the most sensible first step in this scenario.