prevent spread of the fire as necessary. The investigators
REPAIR PARTIES
travel prearranged routes ensuring that fire and smoke
A repair party is a part of the damage control
boundaries are set, checking for Halon effectiveness,
organization as specified in NWP 3-20.31. A damage
and making ongoing reports to their associated repair
control repair station is an area designated as a locker.
locker. When smoke is encountered, the investigators
It contains damage control equipment, including
will immediately report it and don their OBAs prior to
fire-fighting equipment, and serves as the control
further investigation. Various circuits are available for
location for a particular repair party. When at GQ,
the investigators to use to make reports, and many ships
respective repair party members will man all damage
have hand-held radios for damage control use.
control repair stations, and each repair party will be
organized to provide one fire party. During conditions
Use of EEBD
other than GQ, the fire party will typically go to the
damage control repair station nearest the fire and use
During a fire, smoke and a variety of toxic gases
the equipment located there. The number of repair
will be produced, and personnel responding to initial
parties aboard a ship depends on the size and
reports of the fire must also be aware of any hazardous
configuration of the ship. Some ships will split a repair
materials stored within the compartment. Throughout
party into multiple locations to better respond to the
t h e s h i p , e m e rg e n cy e s c a p e b r e a t h i n g d ev i c e s
ship's configuration.
(EEBDs) are stored in marked locations in most
compartments. These are used to provide a limited
TYPE OF ATTACK
amount of breathable oxygen to evacuating personnel,
and are not used to combat a fire. In manned
Many factors go into the decision-making process
engineering spaces, the watchstanders there will
to size up a fire, and information is vital. The location,
initially combat the fire. As more personnel arrive to
type, and size of the fire, available resources (including
assist, EEBDs should be passed out to all personnel
personnel), and fire growth all determine the overall
within the space. The EEBD should be carried over the
plan of attack. Reports from the scene will include
shoulder by the strap attached to the carrying case.
(1) location of fire, (2) class of fire, (3) action taken to
Some newer-style EEBDs are worn on your belt, and
isolate and combat the fire, (4) fire contained, (5) fire
have different donning procedures. These will be
out, (6) reflash watch set, (7) fire overhauled,
maintained by the damage control petty officer, and
(8) compartment ventilated (9) compartment tested for
should be inspected in accordance with the planned
oxygen, (10) compartment tested for flammable gases,
maintenance system (PMS). EEBDs are one-time use
and (11) compartment tested for toxic gases. If a
devices, and are disposed of after they have been used.
chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) threat
If a CBR threat exists, personnel evacuating the
exists, reports should include any CBR contamination
compartment will exchange their EEBD for the
and condition of CBR boundaries.
MCU-2P once they have reached a smoke-free area.
Much of the initial information about a fire will
In engineering spaces, the watchstanders carry
come from evacuating watchstanders. Space personnel
Supplementary Emergency Egress Devices, known as
will evacuate when they are endangered, or the fire
SEEDs. These pressurized cylinders are much more
goes out of control. Every attempt must be made to
limited in their air supply, and provide breathable air
account for all space personnel, since they may not all
long enough to reach an EEBD. Because smoke and
evacuate through the same exit. All evacuees will
toxic gases may have filled the passageways along
muster at a pre-arranged location outside of designated
your escape route, the EEBD is preferred for
smoke and fire boundaries. Missing personnel must be
evacuation purposes. Many ships are now receiving
reported to damage control central (DCC). Use of bilge
recharging equipment for the SEEDs; in the past, the
sprinkling and Halon activation (if installed) is
SEEDs had to be sent off the ship for recharging.
documented, including time of activation.
The newer-style compressed-oxygen EEBDs
Other information may come from boundarymen or
(Ocenco M-20.2), shown in figure 7-3, are currently
investigators. A boundaryman is responsible for
replacing the Scott EEBDs. These can be worn on your
observing a particular bulkhead or deck for signs of
belt and also can be mounted in a stationary bracket in
heat, such as smoldering or blistering paint, or smoke
any space, as shown in figure 7-4. The new EEBDs
(particularly through bulkhead or deck penetrations).
The boundaryman will attempt to cool the bulkhead to
have a service life of 15 years.
7-8
