An emergency situation on the ship must be handled with confidence and calmness, for haste decisions and “jumping to conclusions” can make matters even worse.
Efficient tackling of emergency situations can be achieved by continuous training and by practical drills onboard vessels. However, it has been seen that in spite of adequate training, people get panic attacks and eventually do not do what they should in an emergency situation.
As far as the seafarer is concerned, first and foremost, he or she must be aware of the different types of emergency situations that can arise onboard a ship. This would help in understanding the real scenario in a better way, and would also lead to taking corrective actions to save life, property, and environment.
We have prepared a brief instruction guide that must be given to all the seafarers onboard to tackle different emergency situations.
Emergency Situation Guide
Officers and crew should familiarize themselves thoroughly with the Fire Training Manual and the training manual on Life Saving Appliances of the ship.
General Alarm
In case of a general alarm:
- Rush to muster station with a life jacket, immersion suit, and act according to the vessel’s Muster Lists.
- Act as per the emergency explained by the in-charge officer.
Fire alarm
In case of a fire alarm:
- Inform Officer On Watch.
- Check if it is a false or true alarm.
- Report back of findings.
- In case of fire, raise the Fire/General alarm as soon as possible. Try to stop fire and if it is not possible, muster according to the Fire Muster List.
Man Overboardsignal
In case of Man Overboard Signal:
- Rush to the deck and try to locate the crew member fallen in the water
- Throw lifebuoy and inform deck. Read more here.
Abandon Ship Signal
In case of Abandon Ship Signal:
- Rush to the muster station
- Carry as much ration, water, and warm clothing as you can carry
- Act according to the vessel’s Muster Lists.
Engineers Call
In case of engineers call:
- All Ship Engineers Should assemble in the Engine Control Room
CO2 alarm
- In case of CO2 alarm, leave the Engine Room immediately.
Engine Room Flooding
- In case of engine room flooding, Chief Engineer should be called immediately and a general alarm should be raised.
- Immediate action should be taken in preventing more seawater to enter the engine room and Emergency bilging from the Engine Room should be established in accordance with the Chief Engineer.
Cargo Hold Flooding
- In case of cargo hold flooding, the Master must be informed immediately.
- All precautions must be taken to contain the flooding to that hold.
- The general alarm must be raised.
Pollution prevention
- In case of any oil spill/pollution, immediate action should be taken according to the vessel’s “Shipboard Oil Pollution Prevention Plan”.
- Emergency Plan (SOPEP) and Onboard SOPEP Equipment located in Deck Stores should be used in case of Oil Spill.
In case of any other emergency situations, call for help either by using the phone or by activating the EMERGENCY CALL. Whatever might be the situation, keep the Master, Chief Engineer and Officer on Watch informed of the situation all the time.
You may also like to read-Risk Assessment for Ships: A General Overview
About Author
An ardent sailor and a techie, Anish Wankhede has voyaged on a number of ships as a marine engineer officer. He loves multitasking, networking, and troubleshooting. He is the one behind the unique creativity and aesthetics at Marine Insight.
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FAQs
How should you deal with an emergency situation on board? ›
Guide To Tackle Emergency Situations Onboard
Inform the officer on watch, try to stop the fire, and if it is not possible, muster according to the Fire Muster List. When there's a man overboard signal, rush to the deck and try to locate the crew member fallen in the water, throw a lifebuoy and inform the deck.
Fire on board is one of the many emergency situations that can occur onboard a ship. In any case, a confident and calm crew will handle them effectively, putting the situation under control.
What would you do if you discovering an emergency situation onboard? ›- General alarm should be sounded.
- Bridge team should be informed.
- Fire party should muster.
- The fire should be isolated, by closing ventilation system, skylights, doors, boundary cooling, etc.
- Prevention. Actions taken to avoid an incident. ...
- Mitigation. ...
- Preparedness. ...
- Response. ...
- Recovery.
- Stay calm. ...
- Access the scenario for danger. ...
- Once safely evacuated or sheltered-in-place, call for help using 911 and clearly explain what you know about the situation.
- Provide first aid for any injured people.
To take appropriate actions in any emergency, follow the three basic emergency action steps — Check-Call-Care. Check the scene and the victim. Call the local emergency number to activate the EMS system. Ask a conscious victim's permission to provide care.
What is an emergency response plan on ships? ›The Emergency Response Service (ERS) is aimed at providing a speedy assessment of the stability and longitudinal strength of a damaged ship in an emergency event. All salient data of the vessels relating to the main hull and its components is stored in computer system along with the loading guidance and strength data.
How do you respond to emergency situations in the environment? ›- Assess the Situation. Consider the nature of the emergency. ...
- Determine A Course Of Action. Once you understand the nature of the emergency, it's time to act. ...
- Get To Safety. ...
- See Who Needs Help. ...
- Notify Rescue Personnel. ...
- Practice Daily Calm.
Some of the essential duties specified in the list are: Closing of the watertight doors, skylights, portholes and other openings. Carriage of equipment and readying the survival craft and other life-saving appliances. Muster of the crew (and passengers, if applicable)
What are the 4 main steps of an emergency action plan? ›Emergency managers think of disasters as recurring events with four phases: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. The following diagram illustrates the relationship of the four phases of emergency management.
How would you handle an emergency situation interview question? ›
Interview Answer
Depending on the situation, I will have to be kind and caring of people's fears but also assertive as it could be important for the guests to follow the rules. Overall, I would try my best to stay calm and collected while putting the guests safety first.
In case of any other emergency situations, call for help either by using the phone or by activating the EMERGENCY CALL. Whatever might be the situation, keep the Master, Chief Engineer and Officer on Watch informed of the situation all the time.
What are the 4 basic principle need to follow in an emergency situation? ›First Aid Principles
The four principles of first aid management are: Stay calm. Do not take risks for yourself, the injured person or any witnesses. Manage the situation to give safe access to the person.
- Consider the situations. ...
- Determine the correct actions. ...
- Create rally points. ...
- Verify safe routes. ...
- Account for everyone. ...
- Drill (or not). ...
- Keep reviewing.
- Stop to assess the situation – watch out for danger. ...
- Make sure it is safe to approach the scene. ...
- Make the area safe. ...
- Assess the victim. ...
- Call for help.
- Resuscitate and treat injuries as necessary.
- Remain calm.
- Call the emergency services number.
- Tell the operator who you are and where you are.
- Explain the situation and if there are people who are hurt, tell them how many.
- Listen to the operator's instructions and follow them carefully.
Try to isolate the fire by closing ventilation system, skylights, doors, etc. • Before entering the fire space, crew should wear the appropriate PPE and use the proper fire extinguishing system, regarding the type of fire. • Interested parties have to be notified.
When dealing with an emergency situation what is the first thing you need to do in regards to your own safety? ›Remove yourself from danger.
If you, or others, are at risk of being harmed, leave the situation immediately. If you have an evacuation plan, follow it. Go to an area where you will be safe. In a situation where you cannot leave, find the safest possible location within your given area.