Oh dear.
When it comes to marine firefighting, most schools teach a review of the introduction to the basics of the bottom level of the most elementary level Class 101. [Cue sarcasm emoji.]
Most MFF schools don’t have the time to give thorough training. Few trainees have a burning desire to become experts. Most companies are reluctant to drop money and effort on a better MFF program. You end up with mediocre competency. A compromise between the parties involved. Which works, because many ships are well designed to be fire-safe. But the compromise shouldn’t be equated with competency.
For firefighting training to be thorough, the trainee needs to be expert at SCBA operation. Most mariners think they are. From my observation, they aren’t. Many have just enough training to get someone killed. Easy and cheap way to increase competency? Use live air from SCBA bottles during shipboard drills. How many crews do?
Hose handling: professional fire fighters have this down to a science. For example, before going through a doorway with a long length of charged hose they first coil the hose, then toss the coils through the doorway, then advance. A specific technique, done rapidly and precisely. Many MFF schools don’t teach the technique.
A key lesson: What do you do after the fire hands your ass to you? Usually after the first fire team makes a direct attack. The fire fights back. Smoke and heat overrun the hot-zone boundary. Someone gets hurt or panics. Then everything goes to hell. Confusion, injury, screaming, and recrimination, instead of orderly withdrawal, re-staging and counterattack. Has to be expected. If you can’t take a punch in the nose you have no business boxing.
I wonder if your company knows how lucky they are to have you. I hope so.
Thanks for the kind words. But I’m lucky to be working with a fleet of topnotch/demanding officers who make me look good.
I agree 100% , the last two ships I was on had compressors to refill the SCBA bottles and we went on air every time. We timed the drill from alarm to dressed and on air , then time to fire.
We learned quickly that not all crew members are capable of breathing with an SCBA, let alone fighting a fire.