ENGINE FIRE WARNING RESULTS IN INFLT ENGINE SHUTDOWN.

Narrative

DURING CLIMBOUT FROM LGA TO BOS; #2 ENG FIRE WARNING ACTIVATED. NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS WERE NOTED; BUT A PRECAUTIONARY SHUT DOWN WAS INITIATED; AND ABNORMAL PROCEDURES ACCOMPLISHED. NEARING THE HALFWAY POINT TO OUR BOSTON DEST; I ELECTED TO CONTINUE SINCE IT WAS THE MOST SUITABLE ARPT. FLT ATTENDANT BRIEFING AND REQUEST FOR FIRE CREWS WAS MADE. FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT.ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH THE PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN; I FEEL I MAY NOT HAVE APPRECIATED THE SITUATION WITH ENOUGH INTENSITY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: AN EARLIER FIRE WARNING AND PRECAUTIONARY SHUT DOWN WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY ANOTHER CREW; WITH NO FINDING BY MAINT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL; SUNNY; CLEAR DAY. THE F/O WAS FLYING AT THE TIME OF WARNING AND DURING SHUTDOWN; LEAVING ME AS AN OBSERVER CO-ORDINATOR. NOT ALL BAD; SINCE I COULD OVERSEE THE OPERATION. HOWEVER; I MAY HAVE HAD A SENSE OF DISBELIEF WHEN THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO GO OUT. IN FACT IT DID NOT EVEN DRAW MY ATTN WHEN THE LIGHT WENT OUT. I HAD JUST COMPLETED A SIMULATOR CHECK PLUS A LINE CHECK THE PRIOR WEEK. MAYBE I WAS NUMB. SIMULATING DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS; WITH FLASHING FIRE HANDLES MIGHT GO A LONG WAY IN GETTING MY ATTN. P.S. THIS WAS MY FIRST ACTUAL SHUTDOWN DUE TO FIRE WARNING IN 22 YEARS. 1-1/2 YEARS AS CAPT!