First responders in seaborne damage control drills

HMAS Canberra crew became their own first responders in damage control exercises off the coast of NSW, en route to Wellington, New Zealand.

CAPTION: Members of HMAS Canberra’s Standing Sea Fire and Emergency Party conduct damage control training with Chief Petty Officer Andrew Gibson from Sea Training Group during a transit to Wellington, New Zealand. Story by Lieutenant Michael Wilson. Photos by Petty Officer Jarrod Mulvihill.

Rigorous damage control drills simulate various scenarios, including fires and flooding, because when a real case scenario arises, there is no dialling 000 at sea.

Crew tested skills and built on special bonds and camaraderie as they worked to overcome potential challenges on board, using specialised equipment including portable fire pumps, breathing or air compressors, and repair tools.

Sea Training Group was embarked on the ship for several days to assess the crew, ensuring they had the vital skills required at sea, particularly in relation to damage control exercises conducted in a ship’s environment.

Petty Officer Jason Herrmann, the standing sea fire and emergency incident controller, led the team and explained the essential differences between carrying out these drills at sea as opposed to ashore.

“We can do these training exercises all day at shore-based establishments, but there is nothing like actually responding to, and dealing with, incidents as they occur on board Canberra, with the rolling sea and a working ship’s environment,” Petty Officer Herrmann said.

“It heightens the realism of drills, and everyone can actually appreciate the importance of what they are tasked with in real time, in a realistic setting.”

The importance of teamwork and the experience gained by the crew in Canberra was crucial for the development and building of skills, as well as team bonding, for these sailors and officers.

“Damage control training allows crew members to instinctively respond to emergencies with confidence and efficiency,” Petty Officer Herrmann said.

CAPTION: HMAS Canberra’s Standing Sea Fire and Emergency Party conduct damage control training with Sea Training Group during a transit to Wellington, New Zealand.

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