🔍 Key Concepts

• Pyrotechnic visual distress signals (VDS) carriage and expiration requirements • How to read the expiration date stamped on the flare versus the original approval period • Minimum vs. maximum approval period the Coast Guard allows for flares

💭 Think About

• Think about how long a flare can reasonably be stored and still be considered reliable in harsh marine conditions. • Consider whether the Coast Guard sets a short period for safety or allows a longer period to reduce replacement cost and waste. • Ask yourself: is this asking how long you may legally CARRY it after manufacture, or how long it is APPROVED/VALID from the date of manufacture?

✅ Before You Answer

• Look at typical USCG-approved flare labels: what is the usual time between the manufacture date and the expiration date? • Confirm whether the period is measured from date of manufacture or date of purchase/use. • Eliminate time frames that seem unrealistically short for commercial products, and those that seem too long for a safety-critical pyrotechnic device.