Rapid Response Team

The only effective way of training is, in my point of view, repeating it endlessly until you are completely satisfied. The same goes for training emergency scenarios. The only way to do this, is to make it attractive and real. Simulating the real thing creates impact and also show you that it is not always that easy as the books want you to believe it. Fire fighting on your own ship is probably the most difficult scenario of all, you have to respond in minutes, or otherwise you will be too late. Steel corridors on a ship work like funnels, within ten minutes your vessel may be ablaze completely. The only answer is a rapid, a very rapid, response fire fighting team. Especially on a small ship, the line between disaster and successful fire fighting is very thin. Therefore we train the crew, not only in their knowledge, but maybe more important; to improve their response time. Today, our crew managed to deliver a pressurized water hose with foam (to fight burning liquid) on the stern roller within four minutes, followed by our two trainees in fire fighting suits with breathing gear the very next minute. Within six minutes after the alarm sounded, the fire was out; a muster on the bridge, a headcount and instructions included. Very well done.