Deck Safety: Survival, Firefighting, and Emergencies
Survival equipment
Deck Safety questions test practical emergency knowledge. Know PFD types: Type I offshore, Type II near-shore, Type III flotation aid, Type IV throwable, and Type V special-use. Know how to don an immersion suit, enter a life raft, and use an EPIRB. A 406 MHz EPIRB alerts the COSPAS-SARSAT system and often includes a 121.5 MHz homing signal. Distress signals include flares, smoke, dye, and lights; know which signal is used by day versus night and how long each lasts according to the equipment carried.
Firefighting
Understand the fire tetrahedron: fuel, oxygen, heat, and chemical chain reaction. Know extinguisher classes: A for ordinary combustibles, B for flammable liquids, C for energized electrical equipment, D for combustible metals, and K for cooking oils. Use the right agent: water for Class A, foam or CO2 for B, CO2 or dry chemical for C, special agents for D, and wet chemical for K. Remember that securing ventilation and shutting off fuel are often more important than the extinguisher itself.
Emergencies and communications
Know MAYDAY (grave and imminent danger), PAN-PAN (urgency), and SECURITE (safety). For man overboard, turn quickly, post a lookout, and throw flotation. For cold water, use H.E.L.P. or huddle, minimize swimming, and get out of the wind. Know muster stations, drill requirements, confined-space hazards, and the use of PPE.
Traps
Questions often confuse extinguisher classes, flare types, or the three distress prefixes. Read whether the question asks for the initial action, the signal, or the equipment class.
Rule of thumb
MAYDAY means life-threatening danger now; PAN-PAN means urgency without immediate grave danger; SECURITE means a safety message.