Lesson Five. General Drills

Exercise 1. Read and learn the following words and expressions:

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text, paying attention to the words in italics.

General Drills

General drills aboard ship are designed to prepare the crew to handle emergencies. By using a standard system of drills it is possible for a sailor to move from one ship to another and know what to do in an emergency. Any crewmember should know where his station is and what his duty is for each drill or emergency. This information is stated on the Muster List.

No one is excused from any drill unless permission has been granted by the department head. All crewmembers must familiarize themselves with the location and duties of their emergency stations upon reporting on board. Each crewmember is provided with an individual muster list card, which shows in detail the special duties to perform. Watchkeepers will remain on watch on signal to Emergency Drill.

Depending on the ship’s type and company’s safety policy fire drills are held once a week or once a month. The main function of each drill is to check the state of fire-fighting equipment and to improve the skills of the crewmembers during such an emergency. Fire drills are normally held in conjunction with boat drills.

During boat drills the special attention should be paid to the location of all lifeboats, life rafts, lifebuoys and lifejackets on board. Each boat drill must be entered in the logbook.

Any crewmembers must consult the Muster List immediately upon joining the ship.

It should be mentioned that all crewmembers must be instructed in the performance of their special duties. So, drills are held to train seaman to cope with real emergencies.

Exercise 3. Give brief answers to the following questions:

1. What is the function of general drills? 2. Where can any crewmember find any information about emergencies and his behaviour during them? 3. Who can leave a crewmember from participating in the drills? 4. Should you find out the particularities of new ship and its organization, if you join the ship? 5. Does crew on watch take part in the drills? 6. How many types of drills do you know? 7. What is the function of fire drills? 8. How often is fire drill carried out? 9. What is the equipment that is used during boat drills? 10. What is the main thing that should be mentioned about boat drills? 11. What is the logbook? 12. How often are boat drills carried out? 13. What is the difference between lifeboats and life rafts, if any? 14. Where are the lifejackets stored? 15. What do you know about the fire-fighting equipment?

Exercise 4. Give equivalents:

· in Russian: life rafts, to be on watch, joining the ship, general announcing system, oiler, rank, officer in charge of, to familiarize oneself, wiper, muster list, to be instructed, to grant permission, department head, boat station, ordinary seaman, to ensure, fire extinguisher, to lead out, helmsman, to keep the watch, boat drills, to give the alarm, emergency station;

· in English: шлюпочные учения, спустить шлюпку, пожаротушения, карточка со сведениями из аварийного расписания, общесудовая система оповещения, тревога, спасательный плот, разнести пожарный шланг, принимать участие в общесудовых учениях, получить разрешение, вахтенный, каюта, аварийный трап, иллюминатор, одеть спасательный жилет, поднять шлюпку, сделать запись в судовой журнал, покидать судно, спасательный буй, аварийный пост, ознакомиться с, освобождать от.

Exercise 6. Read the dialogue and then make up your own one.

A: You joined our ship only two days ago. A crewmember should be ready for general drills.

B: Thanks for your help. I have already got and learned my muster list card. But…

A: First of all, the locations of lifejackets and lifeboats should be known. Check the best way to get muster station and be ready to use fire extinguisher.

B: I see. By the way, how often are boat drills carried out?

A: They should be held with fire drills, but in practice we’ll take part in fire drills once a week, in boat drills and the exercise of man overboard one time in four months or when more than 5 crewmembers join the ship.

B: It means that next Sunday as far as I know next fire drill will be held together with boat drill.

A: yes, you are right.

Exercise 5. Match the term with its definition.

Exercise 7. Choose the right variant.

Exercise 8. Choose one of the texts and translate it, then answer the questions. Be ready to make a brief report about the main sense of the text.

· What is the main function of the drills?

· What equipment is used during the drills?

· Who is responsible for the equipment?

· How often are the drills carried out?

· What is the signal to the beginning of the drills?

Text A. Fire Drills

Alarm for a real fire may be given at any time and it will be rapid ringing of the General Alarm Bells for a period of at least 10 seconds. An announcement is made twice over general announcing system.

For drill purposes, a fire may be in a specific place. The person who discovers an actual fire must give the alarm. Once the alarm has sounded personnel nearby should act to check or extinguish the fire. All other crewmembers respond to the alarm in accordance with the Muster List.

Emergency squad or party will assemble with equipment immediately upon the Emergency Signal. Fire pumps must be started, all watertight doors, ports and air shafts must be closed, and all fans and blowers stopped. Fire hose must be led out in the affected area.

All fire-fighting equipment must be kept in good operating condition ready for immediate use. The deck department is responsible for the maintenance and care, inspection and refilling of all portable fire-fighting equipment: fire extinguishers, fire hoses, fire nozzles, etc. The engine department is responsible for the maintenance and care of all fixed fire-fighting systems, fire pumps, fire mains and fire hydrants and sand boxes in the boiler rooms. This equipment includes piping, valves, bottles, controls and alarms.

Fire drills are held weekly or monthly depending on the ship’s safety and company’s safety policy. At each drill, the crew is instructed in the proper use of the various types of fire-fighting equipment.

Text B. Boat Drills

According the regulations boat drills should be held just before the departure of the ship, especially if new crewmembers have embarked, and at sea at least once a week.

During boat drills new crewmembers are familiarized with the working of the life-saving equipment and each seaman has an opportunity to improve his skills. The Third Officer is in charge of the life-saving equipment. From time to time some drills should be held with the life saving equipment, such as lowering a lifeboat in the water. Crewmembers test the engines in the lifeboatsand check the emergency radio equipment in the lifeboat. Also they are shown video’s about the use of the life rafts and demonstrated the use of marine pyrotechnics.

Upon emergency signal the crewmembers should go to the muster station, where the tasks and instructions are made by the officer in charge. He determines the order in which seamen embark.

Drills are to be carried out under the best possible conditions for supervision in still water. Boat drills are if possible to be held when the ship is loaded to its deepest draft. That above all reduces the danger form the propeller. Everyone in the boat wears an immersion suit or lifejacket. RT communication using VHF radiotelephones is established between the bridge and the officer in charge of the drill and is maintained throughout the drill.

* the translation of the words in italics can be found in the exercise 1.

Exercise 9. Study the abstracts of muster list with the help of the dictionary. Lean by heart the name of the emergency stations and duties of the crewmembers.

Muster List (extract)

life line – спасательный леер

length of hose – кусок/отрезок пожарного рукава

fire hydrant – пожарный кран

spanner – гаечный ключ

messenger - посыльный

foam extinguisher – пенный огнетушитель