RESPOND TO

EMERGENCIES
 Emergency drill
 The purpose of the emergency drill:--

Musters and drills are to:

• train seafarers to respond in an organized way to dangerous

Situations
• allow seafarers to practice in conditions as similar as possible to a
real emergency while ensuring that they are safe
• prevent loss of life and property at sea
• protect the marine environment.
 Emergency drill
 Musters and drills must take place in line with the statutory
requirements that apply to the size and type of vessel.
 Keep the muster arrangements up to date with any changes in the
ship’s seafarers with designated safety and pollution prevention
duties and any changes in the ship’s function.
 Varying the timing of drills within the required frequency means
that anyone who misses a drill can take part in the next one.
 Correct any problems or areas for improvement identified during
drills as soon as possible and keep a record of what has been done.
 When a ship enters service for the first time, after a major character
of the ship has been modified or when a new crew is engaged,
undertake the drills in this chapter before sailing.
 Emergency drill
 Emergency may happen at any time. It has no date or time to occur.
Persons should always be prepared at all times to meet such types
of contingencies through their own initiative and skill they are:-
• Fire
• Collision
• Gas explosion
• Flooding
• Shifting of cargo (ship list)
• Gas leak
• Stranding
• Engine failure
• Unforeseen mishap such as an accident
serious illness.
• Foundering
 Emergency drill
 Each crew member should take part in at least one abandon ship
and one fire drill every month.
 If more than 25% of the crew have not taken part in drills on board
the ship in the previous month the master must hold an abandon
ship drill and a fire drill within 24 hours of leaving port. On
passenger vessels of class I, do this drill before or immediately on
departure.
 On passenger ships of class I, II, II(A) and III, an abandon ship drill
and fire drill must be held weekly with as many crew as practicable
taking part. In any case, each crew member must take part in at
least one abandon ship drill and one fire drill each month.
 Musters of newly embarked passengers who are scheduled to be on
board for more than 24 hours must take place before or immediately
upon departure.
 Training
 Seafarers should have the following onboard training as soon as
possible after joining a ship:
● how to use the ship’s life-saving appliances, including survival craft,
evacuation systems and firefighting equipment
● their emergency duties and what the various alarm
systems mean
● where their lifeboat station is
● where their life-saving and firefighting equipment is.
All the ship’s personnel should wear properly secured lifejackets
during the drill. They should keep them on during lifeboat drills and
launchings. However, the master may ask them to remove lifejackets
if they affect the next drill, as long as they keep them to hand.
 GENERAL EMERGENCY ALARM SIGNAL
 It is an only signal for summoning crew and passengers when ever any
emergency occur, to their muster station. It consists of seven and more
short blast followed by one long blast on the ship’s whistle or siren and
additionally on an electrically operated bell or klaxon or other equivalent
warning system emergency signal, which shall be powered by the ship”
main power supply or the emergency source of electrical power in case the
ship’s power supply fail.
 The system shall be capable of operating from the navigating bridge except
for the ship’s whistle, also from other strategic points. It shall be audible
throughout all the working places engine room and all the accommodation
 On hearing the emergency signal, all persons must go to their muster
stations as per the muster list. They must put on their warm clothing or
water proof clothing or extra cloth including head cover cap, pullover and
collect their life jacket or donning their life jackets and have a good drink
of water, and swing into action to save the ship, by way of controlling the
situation and preparation of all life saving appliances.
 THE MUSTER LIST
 The muster list shall be prepared by the master of the vessel before
the ship proceeds to sea, and format of the muster list for a
passenger ship must be approved by the government and it must be
kept revised at all times as necessary.
 Display the muster list in a visible place before the ship sails. On
international voyages and for passenger ships of classes IIA and III,
the muster list should also provide emergency instructions for each
seafarer. Instructions could be handed out on a card or posted on all
berths and bunks. They should explain:
● the allocated assembly station
● the survival craft station and emergency duty
● all emergency signals and what to do on hearing them.
 THE MUSTER LIST SHALL SPECIFY
 1. The muster list shall show all the special duties assigned to the
different members of the crew against their name and rank to ensure that:
• Closing of water tight doors, fire doors, valves, scuppers vent pipes, side
scuttles, sky lights, port holes, ventilator cowls and other similar opening.
• Closing of water tight doors, fire doors, valves, scuppers vent pipes, side
scuttles, sky lights, port holes, ventilator cowls and other similar opening.
• Equipping survival craft by way of such as extra food, biscuits, sugar
cubes, tinned milk, fresh fruits, milk products, extra water, extra fuel and
blankets etc.
• Name of key persons and
• Substitutes of key persons, in case any one of the key persons who may
become disabled, taking into account different types of emergencies may
call for personnel with a variety of skills.
• Mustering of passengers and donning of life jackets correctly and that they
are suitable clad.
• The general preparation of life saving appliances such as lifeboats and life
rafts to their embarkation deck.
 THE MUSTER LIST SHALL SPECIFY
2. The muster list shall show all the special duties for fighting the fire,
having regard to the ship’s fire control plans, such managing
of fire parties, fire fighting equipment etc.

3. Carrying of emergency radio, EPIRB SART as detection equipment.

4. Ship’s pyrotechnics (12 numbers from the bridge)

5. Sounding of an emergency signal.

6. The order of abandon ship by the master of the vessel, copies of the
muster list must be posted in conspicuous places, including the
navigating bridge, crew accommodation and engine room
 THE MUSTER LIST SHALL SPECIFY
And in passenger ships the list shall show the location of
passenger muster stations. Usually these will be the public rooms, so
as to protect passengers from the weather.
In such place illustrations and instructions are to be posted
including passenger cabins, at muster stations and other passenger
spaces, informing them of their muster stations, and how to don life
jackets and life raft station, abandon ship signal and essential action to
be taken in an emergency.
They may be issued with a card and cards are also poster at
individual cabin or berth.
 ABANDON SHIP -- SIGNAL
It is likely to be given verbally and through a public address
system by the Master of the vessel only.

Before giving abandonment order, fire fighting, damage control

party, wheel house, engine room, radio room, must be called off and
final report made by each lifeboat, to the bridge.

Then the Master of the vessel give the order, to man the boats
and clear the ship’s side and danger area to a safer distance about
0.25 nautical miles.
 ABANDON SHIP
 When all our efforts to save the stricken vessel prove to be unsuccessful, the
ship will be abandoned. But never leave your vessel until it leaves you.
 Your ship is the safest lifeboat.
 Never jump in panic.
 Good organization and training will help to ensure that available time is used
to its best effect and that abandoning the vessel is carried out in as safe
manner as possible and without panic. Maintaining complete discipline, strict
adherence to orders and immediately controlling any evidence of panic, using
force if necessary. All members of the crew and passengers will be required
to exercise self control, courage and usefulness.
 Failure to observe all these facts may result in unnecessary loss of life. Public
address system should be fully utilized.
 The last person to abandon the vessel will be the master and those who
engage in controlling the fire, radio officer, chief engineer and that no one
left on board.
 Before leaving the vessel all machinery should be stopped and water tight
doors and hatches should be tightly closed.
 ABANDON SHIP
 When ordered to man the boats and life rafts, should be lowered with as
many people abroad as possible and try to lower all life boat and life
raft and should then quickly clear the ship side and lie off ready to
embark the remaining complement from the water if any.
 This will avoid a dangerous waiting period alongside the vessel. Except
in rough weather the life boats and life rafts should be secure together
and towed well clear of the wreck area by a motor lifeboat, and rescue
boat should go around the wreck area to pick up any survivors if any in
the water, swimmers should group them selves together and support
each other till the rescue boat come to pickup.
 Swimmers must move away from the ship as quickly as possible since
when it founders to avoid violent local suction.
 ABANDON SHIP
 REMEMBER

• NO SHIP IS TO BE ABANDONED, EXCEPT BY ORDER OF THE

MASTER.

• As apart from the general emergency alarm signal, the master of the
vessel will designate a special signal for ‘ABANDON SHIP’

• There is to be separate signal for the practices of boat and fire drills. The
letter ‘B’ is commonly used.

• There is to be a special signal for ‘Fire Station’ and the rapid ringing of a
gong or electric bell is commonly used.
 Fire Plan
What is the fire control plan?

 These plans are to show the structural fire prevention measures, the
location of the firefighting equipment and the means of access to
different compartments. Description in such plans will be in the
language, or languages required by the Administration

 relume_fire_safety.pdf
 ----- Questions -----
 What is the purpose of emergency drill?