CHAPTER 2
DAMAGE CONTROL ORGANIZATION,
COMMUNICATION, AND INFORMATION
designation of a divisional damage control petty
Learning Objectives: Recall the duties and
officer (DCPO) and an alternate. The corrective aspect
responsibilities of members of repair parties; identify
of damage control requires the damage control battle
damage control communication system; and recall
organization to be able to restore the offensive and
information pertaining to damage control diagrams and
defensive capabilities of the ship promptly.
blueprints.
The damage control organization consists of two
Damage control is vital to all ships in the Navy. If a
e l e m e n t s -- t h e d a m a g e c o n t r o l a d m i n i s t r a t ive
ship is damaged in battle or by a fire or storm, the
organization and the damage control battle
damage has to be repaired quickly. Every ship must be
organization.
organized to accomplish these critical operations. This
organization is accomplished through assigned jobs,
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
training, instructions, use of diagrams, and efficient
communications. In this chapter, we will discuss the
The damage control administrative organization is
damage control organization, the various means of
part of the engineering department organization.
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , a n d t h e s h i p 's d i a g r a m s a n d
However, each department has major administrative
blueprints.
and preventive maintenance responsibilities. These
responsibilities include the planned maintenance for
DAMAGE CONTROL ORGANIZATION
damage control equipment, systems, and fixtures
within the departmental spaces. Each department head
Learning Objective: Recall the elements of damage
ensures that damage control PMS assignments are
control organization and the duties and responsibilities
completed and that discrepancies are documented and
of members of repair parties.
corrected.
Organization is the key to successful damage
BATTLE ORGANIZATION
control. The damage control organization establishes
standard procedures for handling various types of
The damage control battle organization includes
damage. It sets up training for these procedures so that
damage control central (DCC), various repair parties,
every person will know immediately what to do in each
and battle dressing stations. The organization varies
emergency situation.
somewhat from one ship to another. The difference
Damage control has various vital objectives, both
depends upon the size, type, and mission of the ship.
preventive and corrective. All personnel must adhere to
However, basic principles apply to all damage control
these objectives. Some of these actions are as follows:
battle organizations. These basic principles are as
follows:
1. Maintain the established material conditions of
readiness.
1. E n s u r e t h a t a l l p e r s o n n e l w i t h i n t h e
organization are highly trained in all phases of damage
2. Train all personnel in all aspects of shipboard
control. They should also be trained in the technical
damage control.
aspects of their ratings to assist in the control of damage.
3. M a i n t a i n d a m a g e c o n t r o l s y s t e m s a n d
2. D e c e n t r a l i z e t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n i n t o
equipment in the best condition possible to
s e l f - s u ffi c i e n t u n i t s . T h e s e u n i t s m u s t h ave
ensure survivability.
communication with each other. They must be able to
The ship's damage control organization must be
take corrective action to control the various types of
c o o r d i n a t e d w i t h o t h e r e l e m e n t s o f t h e s h i p 's
damage.
organization to achieve these goals. Therefore, each
3. Have one central station, the DCC, receive
department must assign specific damage control duties
reports from all damage control units. The DCC
to individuals in each division. This includes the
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