Fire Drills – Keeping it Real

Most commercial vessels, including uninspected vessels, are required to conduct fire drills. A fire drill is more than testing the general alarm and the fire pump. The purpose of a drill is to understand the best possible procedure and to have a predictable response in a real emergency.

 


The Coast Guard and the Navy take drills very seriously. Before Guantanamo was a bad word following 9/11, we knew it as the place we went for six weeks of refresher training (REFTRA). We did nothing but every kind of drill, around the clock, for weeks. It was exhausting, but excellent. When not at "Gitmo" we did drills every day in port and every week underway. Even though it was twenty five years ago, I can still recite the fire drill from memory, and often do to impress upon commercial vessel crews the intent of the regulation. While commercial vessel crews are not expected to drill to the level required by the military, it is important to strive for excellence since it could mean the difference between life and death. The following are three major issues I have observed during commercial vessel drills which deserve some attention:


Initial action - It is critical in a fire and unfortunately, it is the part most often skipped during fire drills on commercial vessels. Commercial vessel drills are usually initiated by the wheelhouse ringing the general alarm. The drill should be started by taking one crewmember and telling him he sees fire or smoke in a certain location so he can take the appropriate initial action. After all, that's what will happen in real life. Additionally, if the crew is simply trained to muster as directed upon hearing the general alarm, they may not be able to respond adequately if a Coast Guard inspector initiates a drill as I have described.


Life jackets - Common sense is also critical formulating the appropriate response. I have seen a crew respond to a fire and enter a simulated "burning engine room" with life jackets on. This is a bad idea due to the intense heat they may encounter, their inability to move freely, and the possibility of getting trapped inside the vessel.


Emergency fuel shutdown - During my Coast Guard career I was part of a ready for operations inspection team which inspected Coast Guard vessel crews. During one fire drill on a Coast Guard patrol boat, I noticed the Fireman (junior engineer) pull the emergency fuel shutdown without notifying the bridge (wheelhouse). The Captain of the patrol boat was ultimately required to change his fire drill procedures to ensure that the command to pull the emergency fuel shutdown came from the bridge.  The reason being, a small fire can be turned into a much worse situation by shutting off the fuel and rendering the vessel "dead-ship" especially in a heavy sea or a waterway where it could be run into by another vessel. The person in command of the vessel must be given the opportunity to assess all the risks prior to shutting the vessel down. If possible, the vessel must maneuver out of harm's way before the emergency fuel shutdown is pulled.