This section will introduce you to
onboard emergencies and how to handle
there is emergency situations such as
Man Overboard medical evacuation fire
groundings whole damage etc persons in
command should not delay notifying the
search and rescue system if a problem is
or maybe developing which could involve
a need for assistance
this allows the search and rescue system
to carry out preliminary and contingency
planning that could make the critical
difference if the situation worsens the
spoken emergency signals are used by
aircraft and vessels we can divide these
signals into the following groups
distress signal urgency signal safety
signal any message headed by one of
these signals has precedence over
routine messages three spoken emergency
signals are used by aircraft and vessels
the distress signal
Mayday is used to indicate that a mobile
craft is in imminent danger and request
immediate assistance
the urgency signal pan pan is used when
the safety of a mobile craft is in
jeopardy the urgency signal pan-pan
should be used when an unsafe situation
exists that may eventually involve a
need for assistance
the safety signal security is used for
messages concerning safety of navigation
or giving important meteorological
warnings the following procedural words
should be fully understood by all search
and rescue personnel affirming
if means that what a person has
transmitted is correct break is used to
separate portions of a message or one
message from another figures is spoken
just before numbers are given in a
message i spell is used just before
phonetic spelling such as a proper name
negative means no out indicates the end
of a transmission when no replies
expected or required over indicates the
end of a transmission when an immediate
reply is expected
Roger means i have received your
transmission satisfactorily sealants is
said three times and means cease all
transmissions immediately sealons Feeny
pronounced sealons Feeny means silence
is lifted and is used to signify the end
of the emergency and resumption of
normal traffic this is is said before
the station name or call sign which
immediately follows weight means I must
pause for a few seconds stand by for
further transmission use of one or more
of the following international maritime
distress frequencies to transmit a
distress alert
GM DSS 2182 kilohertz radio telephony
VHF channel 16 in the event of failure
of the ship's radio station
it may be possible to transmit a message
using portable equipment provided for
use in survival craft an aircraft in
distress may use any means at its
disposal to attract attention make known
its position and obtain help the
aircraft would normally notify Natas
unit which should notify the
Coordination Center use emergency
frequency 121 point five megahertz if
there is no response on the assigned
enroute frequency and transmit blind
squawk transponder emergency code 7704
this stress the emergency position
indicating radio beacon and emergency
locator transmitter or another means of
alerting they are intended for alerting
when other available means of alerting
are inadequate an ePub transmitted
signal that alerts search and rescue
authorities and allows rescue facilities
to home in on the distressed vessel most
civil aircraft carrier elt to alert
search and rescue authorities to a
distress situation
so let's ship requirements include the
following two-way VHF radio telephone
operators and survivalcraft radar
transponders to be placed on each side
of the vessel in a position to be taken
on board a survival craft important
components of the distress message
should include identification of the
vessel position nature of distress and
kind of assistance required whether in
immediate vicinity time of abandoning
ship number of crew remaining onboard
number and type of survival craft
launched emergency location aids in
survival craft or in the sea number of
seriously injured
cancellation should occur as soon as the
distressed craft has been recovered all
when the assistance of search-and-rescue
facilities is no longer required any
false alert including by inadvertent
human error should be cancelled so that
search and rescue authorities do not
needlessly respond medico messages are
requests for medical advice or
assistance from and two vessels see
medico messages should be prefix d.h
medico so the communication personnel
know how to handle them as Medicare
messages search and rescue services may
provide medical advice either with their
own doctors or wire arrangements with
doctors outside the search and rescue
organization a number of commercial and
government radio stations provide a free
medical message service two ships if
medical evacuations are being considered
the benefits must be weighed against the
inherent dangers of such operations to
both the person needing assistance and
to the rescue personnel the final
decision about whether it is safe to
conduct an evacuation remains ultimately
with the person in command of the rescue
facility tasked with conducting the
evacuation a person overboard situation
can be grouped into three different
scenarios immediate action
delayed-action person missing action
when the possibility exists that a
person has fallen overboard
the crew must attempt to recover the
individual as soon as possible
the person overboard is noticed from the
bridge and action is taken immediately
the initial action should be throw a
lifebuoy over the side as close to the
person as possible sound three prolonged
blast so the ship's whistle hail person
overboard
note the
mission wind speed wind direction and
time inform the master and engine room
post lookouts to keep the person in
sight set off a dye marker or smoke
flare inform the radio operator and keep
updated on the position stand by the
engines prepare a lifeboat for possible
launching distribute possible VHF radios
for communication between the bridge
deck and lifeboat Rick the pilot ladder
to assist in recovery
there are several standard manoeuvres
each with its advantages and
disadvantages depending on the ship type
speed weather conditions etc the
Williamson term is probably one of the
best known here is some parameters to
remember about the Williamson turn it
makes good the original track line good
in reduced visibility simple it takes
the ship further away from the scene of
the incident slow procedure the
Williamson turn is executed by putting
the rudder hard over after deviation
from the original course by 60 degrees
put the rather hard over to the opposite
side when the heading is 20 degrees
short of the opposite course put the
redditor midships position and steady on
opposite course
here are some parameters to remember
about the one-turn fastest recovery
method good for ships with tight turning
characteristics use mostly by ships with
considerable power very difficult for a
single screw vessel difficult because
approached person is not straight
the one turn is executed by putting the
rather hard over after deviation from
the original course by 250 degrees
rather to a midships position and
stopping maneuvering to be initiated
Sean off turn parameters to be
remembered our will take vessel back
into her wake less distance is covered
saving time cannot be carried out
effectively unless the time elapsed
between occurrence of the incident and
the commencement of the maneuver is
known Sean of turn is executed by
putting the runner hard over after
deviation from the original course x 240
degrees rather hard over to the opposite
side when the heading is 20 degrees
short of opposite course rather to meet
shift position so that ship will turn to
opposite course
here are some points to remember in case
of a fire on board activate the fire
alarm report the location of fire assess
fire determine the class of fire
determine appropriate extinguishing
equipment determine the appropriate
method of attack determine how to
prevent the spread of the fire determine
the required personnel and firefighting
assignments establish proper
communications between the bridge and
the location of fire begin procedures
for attacking the fire continued until
the fire is extinguished if assistance
is required transmitted a distress call
and message here are some points to
remember in case of grounding check the
whole damage if assistance is required
transmit a pan-pan urgency signal
determine which way deep water lies
determine if wind and sea are carrying
the vessel harder a ground lesson the
draft of the vessel with engines are
stern to back away if extrication is
impossible until assistance arrives or
change of tide
minimize whole damage and water intake
in case of whole damage the following
points should be remembered identified
the location of incoming water cut off
all electrical power running through the
area shore up the area to stem water
flow check bilge pump for operation
check auxiliary pumps for backup
operation if needed
if necessary abandoned the vessel as a
last resort
remember the following when abandoning
the ship abandon ship
only as a last resort transmitted a
distress call and message wear life
jackets and adequate clothing in waters
below 16 Celsius put on immersion suits
have crew members standby lifeboat a
life raft and prepare to launch make
sure see painter is attached to vessel
load crew and launch keep life raft
tethered to vessel as long as possible
in case of a medical emergency
the following points should be
remembered conduct an assessment of the
victim for primary medical treatment
attend to treatment as best as possible
with onboard facilities and medications
if medical evacuation is required
alert the proper authorities prepare the
patient for evacuation gather
appropriate paperwork and attached to
the patient attacks on merchant ships by
pirates and armed robbers are an
increasing problem in today's shipping
and not as many people believe an action
from the past the following points
should be taken into account in case of
piracy comply with orders from the
Pirates if possible try to activate the
Inmarsat see special message provided
for use when attacked by pirates
leave the Pirates unaware that a message
has been transmitted when the
Coordination Center becomes aware of a
piracy situation it will advise
appropriate agencies