Flare training

Shipboard safety training for science crew covers subjects that fall into “hope-you-never-need” categories. The Basics include procedures for abandoning ship, fire alarms (2 “incidents” already this trip), and mustering when boarded by pirates (no “incidents” yet). Helpful hints include do not shower with your cabin-bathroom door open, or the steam will activate the fire alarm in your room (idea of fire team breaking down door while I am still in a towel = scary). The 2 fire alarm incidents so far were fortunately related to faulty sensors. My record per cruise for false fire alarms is 3, so we’ll see if we catch up.

The other day Mark, our C.S. (chief scientist), proved that occasionally safety training, in this case flare training, is pretty exciting stuff. Flare training involves explaining a bit of not-so-common sense:
-do not light your flare unless you can see a rescue vehicle, a handheld flare can only be seen for a radius of 10 miles or so
- keep flares dry
- do not fire your signal flare at the rescue helicopter

Flare use is normally demonstrated with unlit dummy flares. The Thompson had some older flares that by regulation must be disposed of, so for this round of training any crew that had never used handheld or signal flares were invited to fire them off. Check out Mark holding a handheld flare with gloves and safety goggles. However, his next attempt at firing off a signal flare was far more entertaining. Instead of heading up and away from the vessel, part of the flare ricocheted off the A-frame on the back of the vessel, landed near the hot tub and flopped around on deck. The smoke and confusion are pretty funny on the video taken by a science tech, which I may be able to post later.

I do forgive Mark for attempting to destroy our hot tub. However, while he can be our C.S., perhaps he is not the person to be team leader in a life raft situation…

Not dead yet at Station PAPA