Subscribe
PACIFIC OCEAN – On May 23, 2012, at 5:30 p.m., Los Angeles-class submarine USS Miami (SSN 755) was set ablaze by a civilian contractor while pierside at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PSNS), Maine. A painter set a bag of rags on fire in its forward compartment and minutes later the bells rang throughout both the ship and the PNSY fire department. The source of the fire wasn’t located until 6:50 p.m. due to heavy smoke and strong heat conditions. This resulted in over $440 million in property damage.
After the event, the Navy creating a new standard surrounding the damage control of ships in an industrial environment which drives the importance of an in-port emergency team (IET) on every ship.
Aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), the IETs continue to sharpen their damage control skills conducting drills almost daily.
“The overall importance of IET is protecting the ship,” said Master Chief Damage Controlman John Potter, from Denver, Colorado, assigned to engineering department’s damage control division. “When everyone leaves for the day and the dc men are not onboard, I’m not onboard, ship’s fire marshall is not onboard, IET must be able to fight for the ship and take care of the casuality not for someone else to come help take care of the casualities but they have to know how to protect the ship from any sort of casualty”.
Potter is leading the charge in preparing the ship’s damage control efforts.
He, along with a small group of damage control training team (DCTT) members, test the duty sections’ in-port emergency team’s (IET) readiness by designing three different scenarios. Each unique scenario is replicated from common casualties aboard Naval vessels.
“Not every scenario is going to be the same, every scenario brings on different challenges, that’s why it’s important to train in all different types in all different in all different spaces” said Potter. “Really what we are teaching is fight or flight, if we teach the same scenario every single time we drill then the minute we have a complex scenario they are going run.”
Upon returning to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka as the Navy’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS George Washington’s IET will be assessed during IET certification. IET certification must be completed in order for us to do maintenance during Ship’s Repair Availibilty (SRA.)
“It is impossible to know when a casualty wil occur, so we must be ready at all times. While underway our Flying Squad responds first, but inport the IET responds first,” said Lt. Cmdr. Paul Eklund, the ship’s damage control assistant, from Buford, South Carolina. “The IET is the initial responds to the casuality and wil depend on their actions to save the ship. Damage control basics are the difference between containing a casuality and major damage, lose of life or even losing the entire ship.”
In addition to IET certification, the ship must also complete a drill that will assess its ability to effectively integrate with Fleet Activities Yokosuka Fire Department in an event where a mass fire occurs in accordance with the Industrial Ship Safety Manual for Fire Prevention and Response, also known as the 8010 manual.
“When I was stationed the pier across from the Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), it was rough, it was like a movie and a lot of people haven’t seen anything like it. You weren’t worried about yourself any more you were worried about putting out the fire, ” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rashaney Carter, the ship’s fire marshall, from Jessup Georgia. “You can’t be a punk when you’re there, it’s real and you have to be ready.”
The 8010 drill is designed to test the integration, firefighting and damage control efforts of the crew and CFAY fire department. The key to success lies within mastering the basics.
“The biggest thing that the IETs needed were the reps and sets, we could tell the more they do it then the more comfortable they got then the more motivated they got,” said Potter. “We’re not just drilling for a certification we are preparing for an actual casuality.”
George Washington is 7th Fleet’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside Allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet.
| Date Taken: | 11.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2024 09:18 |
| Story ID: | 485487 |
| Location: | PHILIPPINE SEA |
| Hometown: | BUFORD, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | DENVER, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | JESUP, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Don’t Give Up The Ship: Sailors test their damage control abilities aboard George Washington, by PO3 Johnathan Meighan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
