Emergency Response
Emergency Response tests command under pressure: fire, flooding, collision, abandon ship, pollution and SAR. The exam expects a sequence of actions that protects life first, then the ship, then the environment.
Core rules
- Emergency response follows the muster list and SMS: alarm, muster, bridge control, communication, boundary cooling, damage control and external coordination.
- Fixed CO2 or inert gas must not be released into an occupied space; seal boundaries, account for personnel and cool adjacent spaces.
- Abandon ship only on the master's order; distress alert, EPIRB, SART and survival craft preparation run in parallel.
- Pollution response uses SOPEP, booms, absorbents and notification to the harbour master and coastal authority.
Worked example
An engine-room fire is detected. The bridge sounds the general alarm, stops fuel and ventilation, musters fire teams, accounts for personnel and starts boundary cooling. Fixed CO2 is considered only after all persons are accounted for, the space is sealed and the master authorises release. The reasoning: the fire triangle is broken by fuel isolation and cooling, while CO2 removes oxygen; premature release risks trapped personnel and ineffective smothering through open openings.
Traps
Re-entering a closed compartment without BA and atmosphere checks; releasing CO2 before evacuation; launching lifeboats without orders; and using MAYDAY for a non-immediate danger. Drill records and debriefs are part of the assessment.