[QUOTE=Orniphobe;71447]I’ve been the Chief Mate in a major emergency, called to the Bridge to relieve the Captain. It wasn’t fun. But more importantly, it left a leadership void on deck. Although the fire teams got things under control (this was a progressive flooding case), things would have gone smoother, safer and quicker with an on scene leader in charge of the multiple teams out there.
So when I had a chance to write a Station Bill for a new ship, we made the Chief Engineer second in command. Also, the Chief’s is already on the Bridge in an emergency and during drills so he knows the routine. And MEM is on his training matrix.
If you’re Chief Mate is second in command, be sure someone is trained to replace him or her outside and knows the ship intimately.[/QUOTE]
The C/M got pulled off the deck to relieve the captain - you say this left a void on deck. What was the capt doing after he got relieved?
He was presumably injured or incapacitated so he wasn’t doing anything. That was why the chief mate got pulled away from his station during an emergency.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;71524]He was presumably injured or incapacitated so he wasn’t doing anything. That was why the chief mate got pulled away from his station during an emergency.[/QUOTE]
Yes, that could be.
The way we are set up the capt and the 3rd mate are in the wheelhouse and the C/E and 3 A/E are in the ECR. That way the third can be sent to the scene to assist or the Capt or Chief can leave if required without leaving that stationed unmanned. The idea is to keep key people from getting stuck when they could be better used elsewhere.
It’s unusual to have the C/E in the wheelhouse but there is more then one way to skin a cat.
^ Thanks for posting that Seadog, The article by Collazo is about fires which are very challenging and near the limit of what a crew would be able to cope with. Lots of good points are made especially about the danger of a direct attack when an indirect attack is available and rotation of crew on SCBA.
With regards to emergency preparedness I lean towards sticking with the basics: good housekeeping, crew familiarization with equipment, basic fire-fighting techniques, building crew understanding and confidence in safety systems. I think that where the effort is most likely to pay off. It increases the capability of the crew regardless of how it is organized.