Emergencies

What is an emergency
• emergency as being a situation involving danger or potential danger
to persons,
• the ship or
• the environment

• Dictionary
• a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation
requiring immediate action.
Emergencies on ships
• fire
• collision
• grounding
• foundering ( fills with water )
• person overboard
• oil or chemical spill
• and others
Contingency plans on board
• For all these emergencies there is a contingency plan with checklist

• There will be an alarm signal with announcement on public address

• There is equipment on board meant for use in each emergency

• There are actions to be taken by officers and crew , these are shown on a
muster list.

• There are periodic drills carried out on board practicing all of the above
Emergency signals
• The emergency alarm usually is 7 or more short and one long blast on
the general alarm

• There will be an announcement on the public address system

indicating the type of emergency

• There are also individual call points all over the ship which can be
pressed in the event of an emergency

• Heat and smoke sensors are also fitted in compartments to give off
alarms
• On ships code words are also used to inform of distress
Muster Lists
• muster lists are placed
• in the ship's alleyways on the bulkhead,
• on the bridge,
• mess room and
• engine room control room
• specific duties are allocated to crew members for different
emergencies
• division of crew in various squads and teams for different
emergencies
• There are designated places to go to called Muster stations
The ships crew are usually divided into
squads
• Fire squad 1, deck officer, engineer, seaman, motorman, usually
would don firemans outfit and attack the fire with charged hoses

• Fire squad 2 , deck officer engineer , seaman, motorman usually

support squad 1, relieve them, provide boundary cooling

• Support squad includes electrician , cook, stewards, to bring cylinders

for scba and extinguishers, they also have first aid box and stretcher

• Bridge control team includes Master, Chief engineer, third officer,

seaman, for control and communications
In case of fire
• Wear safety gear, take required equipment
• Proceed to muster station for head count
• Join your respective squad
• Obey orders

• Things you should know

• Location and use of FFA
• Local call points and switches for lights and ventilation
• location of Fire station with FFA
• How to don and use SCBA
• How to operate galley exhaust fire fighting system
Boat station and Abandonship
• Dress up in warm clothing
• Drink and carry water
• Proceed with designated LSA to muster station
• Do duties as per muster list

• Things I should know

• Where are the spare life jackets
• How to operate LSA
• What’s my alternate life boat
• How to survive in lifeboat
Man overboard
• On the spot
• Throw a lifebuoy
• Inform the bridge
• Go back and keep lookout

• If in water
• Move away from ship
• Just float in huddled position
• Do not splash
Collision and Foundering
• Dress up with safety gear and life jacket

• Go to muster station with designated gear

• Close all water tight doors

• Where is the damage control locker

• What in the damage control locker

Oil spill
• Proceed in safety gear to muster station

• You must know where is the SOPEP locker

• What’s in the SOPEP locker

• How to use SOPEP gear

Internal communication
• In any emergency good communication becomes a key factor

• On ship we have the General alarm located on the bridge

• There is a public address system to make anouncements

• There are telephones located in every cabin and in key areas every
deck
• There are emergency call points located on every deck

• Walkie talkies and messengers can also be used

Lay out of the vessel and escape routes
• Familiarisation is required with the layout of the vessel

• All exits from every location to be known

• Escape routes which become critical in an emergency to be known

• For security , the location of safe muster point and citadel to be

known
Value of regular drills and training
• Training is usually done separate from drills, this includes classroom
training with videos and practical demonstrations

• Drills are done at regular intervals to ensure

• 1) we are upholding the law

• 2) the crew are trained to respond in an emergency

• 3) the required safety gear is tried out during drills