After donning PBE and fire gloves in the event of a cabin battery fire, what is the next step?

In the event of a cabin battery fire, donning the Portable Breathing Equipment (PBE) and fire gloves is a crucial first step to ensure personal safety from smoke and heat while mitigating the fire risks. Following this, discharging the Halon fire extinguisher is necessary because Halon is specifically designed to suppress and extinguish flammable liquids and electrical fires effectively.

Using Halon promptly can help in controlling the situation and reducing the risk of the fire spreading further. Taking immediate action with the extinguisher aligns with protocols for addressing fire emergencies, particularly in confined spaces like an aircraft cabin where fires can escalate rapidly.

While notifying the captain and calling for assistance from other crew members are important actions within the overall emergency response plan, they should occur after taking initial steps to actively combat the fire. Disconnecting the battery may also be a measured response but could be operationally complicated or dangerous without first ensuring the fire is under control. Therefore, the priority is to utilize the Halon extinguisher to suppress the fire first.