Maritime Safety and Emergency Procedures (STCW Chapter VI)
What the exam tests
STCW Chapter VI safety and emergency procedures test the ability to respond to fire, abandon-ship and other emergencies as part of an organized team, not merely to list equipment.
Core rules
- Basic safety training under VI/1 covers personal survival, fire prevention and fire fighting, elementary first aid and personal safety.
- Advanced fire fighting under VI/3 and survival craft and rescue boat handling under VI/2 are separate endorsements.
- SOLAS requires a muster list, emergency instructions, onboard training and drills; fire and abandon-ship drills must be recorded.
- Fire response follows alarm, information, confinement, extinguishing, boundary cooling, ventilation control and controlled re-entry.
- Life-saving appliances must be ready for immediate use; launching checks include painter, plug, bowsing tackles and sea state.
- The abandon-ship decision belongs to the master; the sequence is distress notification, muster, lifejackets, survival craft and accounting for all persons.
Worked example
A deep-fat fryer ignites in the galley. Raise the alarm, stop power and fuel, close the galley boundary, muster the fire team and use the fixed wet chemical system or a fire blanket. Do not use a water jet: it can spread burning oil and cause a steam explosion. Boundary-cool adjacent spaces, keep ventilation closed, and re-enter only after the space is cooled and gas readings are safe.
Traps
Using water on oil or electrical fires; opening a closed door without checking temperature; launching a lifeboat without plug and painter checks; failing to account for visitors or shore workers; treating a drill as a paperwork exercise.