AN AIRBUS 300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE ENG FIRE WARNING NOT TESTED PER THE MEL REQUIREMENT.

Narrative

I WAS CALLED EARLY IN THE MORNING AND ASKED TO HELP SALVAGE A FLT FROM ZZZ FOR WHICH THE CAPT HAD CALLED IN SICK. I LIVE IN LOUISVILLE; AND HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO CATCH A COMMERCIAL FLT TO ZZZ. I ARRIVED AT THE ZZZ GATEWAY IN TIME TO GET THE FLT OUT IF I HURRIED. THE FO HAD GONE OUT TO THE AIRPLANE; SO I LOOKED OVER THE PAPERWORK AND HEADED OUT TO THE AIRPLANE TOO. THE PAPERWORK SHOWED A DEFERRAL OF ONE ENG FIRE DETECTION LOOP. I CONFIRMED THIS DEFERRAL IN THE LOGBOOK AT THE AIRPLANE. THIS DEFERRAL REQUIRES MAINT TO TEST THE REMAINING FIRE LOOP PRIOR TO EACH FLT; AND TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY. WE WERE QUITE BUSY GETTING READY TO GO; AND I FAILED TO REMIND THE MECHS TO MAKE THE LOGBOOK ENTRY. THEY NORMALLY HAVE THAT SORT OF PROCESS DONE BEFORE WE ARRIVE AT THE AIRPLANE. WE DISCOVERED THIS OMISSION UPON ARR AT OUR DEST. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS IF WE HADN'T BEEN RUSHING. ONE PROB IS THE WAY OUR MEL IS WRITTEN. IT SAYS THAT THIS DEFERRAL MAY REQUIRE A REPETITIVE INSPECTION; BUT ONLY THE MAINT DEPT KNOWS WHAT IS REALLY REQUIRED.