What to do in case of an alarm.
I hope, that you will never need the following knowledge, but no matter if you travel on MIR, on another sailing ship, a cruise liner or maybe just a ferry between the shore and your holiday resort, it is good to know what to do in case of emergency. Only too often uninformed passengers or even crewmembers panic through the ship and tend to stupid behaviour that could be avoided by a simple instruction. On MIR you get such an instruction on the very first day on board either by the second mate and your liaision officer, so that everyone should know at least where to assemble if the alarm rings. Additionally test alarms are made regularly and the reaction time of the crew will be checked closely. The following instructions have been worked out by MIR's chief mate and MIR's liaision officer for a new trainees' handbook in Summer 2000 to give the trainees an idea of what to do in case of emergency. It is mainly the same for any ship, as due to the S.O.L.A.S. rule the way to the assemly places and the life rafts must be marked clearly throughout the ship.
FIRE ALARM
Always remember that fire is the greatest hazard aboard ship. If you hear the alarm bell ring seven times short and once long – repeatedly – you have to do the following things immediately:
Once on deck, put on your life jacket (pull it over your head, be sure that the lamp is outside, pull the strings around your waist and tie in front), gather with all your room-mates of the same kubrik to see if anyone is missing. If one person of your room is missing, you have to inform the liaison officer or any officer close to you. Team spirit is very important in such a situation.
There is no time to be lost, because 15 to 25 minutes after the fire started, the ship would be burned out without any fire fighting measures!
During the fire fighting manoeuver, the command center will be on the bridge. All important information has to go there. On deck, there are special units busy with controlling the fire fighting itself and rescuing people that didn’t manage to get on deck. Special units check the kubriks for lost Cadets or Trainees. If you miss one of your room mates, inform the liaison officer or any person around you wearing a radioset.
Anyone, that is closed in by smoke or fire and cannot get on upper deck by themselves, should try to reach a secure place (even if that means to go to a lower deck). As there will be no electricity anymore (lights are switched off, all connecting doors held by magnetic power will automatically close), an inexperienced person might have difficulties finding his way out. The most important thing is always, to close all doors behind you. Don’t breath smoke – use a wet towel or handkerchief against it. There are telephones in many localities (mess rooms, living rooms, engine control room, officer’s cabins) which you could use to inform the bridge (phone number 10) about your position. Rescue-units equipped with breathing apparatus will walk through the ship and rescue locked up people.
If the Captain decides to abandon the ship, the same rules as mentioned in the boat alarm will apply.
All rooms are equipped with fire-alarms or smoke-alarms. In many places you can find alarm-buttons for the case of fire. If you are the person that detects a fire or smoke of a fire, do the following things immediately:
BOAT ALARM
If you hear the alarm bell ring seven times short and once long – repeatedly – you have to do the following things immediately:
Once on deck, put on your life jacket (pull it over your head, be sure that the lamp is outside, pull the strings around your waist and tie in front), gather with all your room-mates of the same kubrik to see if anyone is missing. If one person of your room is missing, you have to inform the liaison officer or any officer close to you. Team spirit is very important in such a situation.
In cold weather conditions, the crew will distribute special immersion suits on deck, one of which you have to put on instead of the life jacket. With this immersion suit you can survive a long time even in very cold water.
The number written above your berth in red color is also the number of your life raft. Learn this number by heart. Each life raft has a commander, who is responsible to launch it into the water. As soon as your life raft is ready (put into water, blown up and secured to the ship with a rope) and your commander orders it, enter the life raft. Clear the entrance of the life raft when entering. Do not push each other and sit down in the life raft immediately. Assist those who need help. Keep your lifejackets on.
If you cannot avoid going into the water, try to climb into any life raft close to you. Our life rafts have a capacity of twenty people – we planned to fill them with only ten – so we have double space for each person!
Once in the life raft, strictly obey all instruction given by your commander. Discipline in the life raft is of vital importance. Do not remove your shirts, long trousers or head covering. If needed, bail the water from the raft.
Everybody will get the same ration of provisions and water, which will last for 48 hours at least. Warning! Do not drink sea water whatever the situation.
Keep calm. There is no reason to panic. The commander of your life raft knows exactly what to do.
If you have to stay in the water for some time, try to assemble with other survivors. Don’t move unnecessarily, because you would lose energy and that means to lose body-heat, which is to be avoided. Connect your immersion suits with those of the others to build a small fleet.
WATER FIGHTING ALARM
The same rules apply as during Boat-Alarm.
MAN OVERBOARD
Any person seeing anybody fall overboard must shout “Man overboard” ("chelovjek sa bort") and must ensure that his report reaches the bridge. As many lifebuoys as possible are thrown to the person. Crewmembers will lay to the tops as soon as possible and point to the person with outstretched arms. Similarly, any personnel on deck not otherwise engaged should point at the person to help the navigation officers in case they lose sight of the person.
If you are the person who has fallen over board, don’t move unnecessarily, because you would lose energy and that means to lose body-heat, which is to be avoided. Keep your arms and legs close to your body.
(Sergey
Timoshkov, Nicole Graf)