Response to Emergency Situations
This domain tests the decisions taken in the first few minutes: fire, flooding, collision, man overboard, abandon ship, and the drill and contingency-plan framework behind them.
Fire
Break the fire triangle: remove fuel, oxygen or heat. Close up the space, stop ventilation and shut down machinery, but never seal a space before every person is accounted for. Boundary cooling limits spread through steel. Fixed CO2 or foam is released only after the muster confirms the space is clear; opening it too early lets air in and can cause flashback and re-ignition.
Flooding and damage control
Sound the general alarm, close watertight doors and flaps, identify the extent by sounding tanks and holds, and use pumps, collision mats and shoring. Watch for free surface effect and progressive flooding; a small list that keeps increasing means water is still entering.
Man overboard and abandon ship
Release the lifebuoy with light and smoke, post a lookout, and manoeuvre. A Williamson turn is used when the person is lost from sight: hard over toward the casualty's side, reverse the helm after roughly 60° of turn, and steady on the reciprocal course. Abandon ship only on the master's order, with a MAYDAY or DSC alert and the EPIRB and SART activated.
Worked example: engine room fire at sea
Alarm and muster; account for all personnel; stop fuel and ventilation; close the skylights and dampers; boundary cool the surrounding bulkheads; fight with local fixed systems or hoses as the situation allows. Only after the muster confirms the engine room is empty is the CO2 released, and the space stays sealed and boundary cooled until it is cool to the touch.
Traps
- Releasing CO2 before the personnel accounting is complete.
- Opening an extinguished compartment immediately, causing reflash.
- Using water on Class D metal fires or on live electrical equipment.
- Failing to record drills and to brief the plan for the next drill.