Question 1

A crew member falls overboard in the North Sea in January (sea temperature 7°C). Your rescue boat takes 12 minutes to reach and recover the casualty. As Chief Mate in charge of the rescue, what is your procedure including post-recovery care?

Accepted Answer

MAN OVERBOARD — NORTH SEA WINTER: 12-MINUTE RECOVERY — COLD WATER SURVIVAL: at 7°C water temperature — cold incapacitation occurs within 3-5 minutes (loss of swimming ability), unconsciousness within 30 minutes, death from cardiac arrest possibly within 30-90 minutes. 12 minutes in the water = likely to be conscious but cold-incapacitated and at significant risk of cold shock (cardiac arrhythmia on immersion) and hypothermia progression. RESCUE BOAT APPROACH: (1) APPROACH FROM DOWNWIND AND DOWN-SWELL: to avoid the rescue boat being blown onto the casualty; (2) CASUALTY APPROACH: approach slowly with engine prepared to stop immediately; (3) RECOVERY: do NOT allow the casualty to climb out of the water if they cannot move — use a rescue net, strop, or stretcher. Physical exertion in a hypothermic patient can cause a lethal arrhythmia ("rescue death" — afterdrop); (4) HORIZONTAL RECOVERY: if possible, recover the casualty horizontally — do not allow them to sit upright or stand. An upright position reduces central blood pressure in a hypothermic person; POST-RECOVERY CARE: (5) REMOVE WET CLOTHING: but do NOT rub the skin — friction causes vasodilation, releasing cold blood from the periphery to the core ("afterdrop"); (6) INSULATE: wrap in thermal blankets (head included — significant heat loss through head); (7) WARM SWEET DRINKS: ONLY if fully conscious and able to swallow without choking; (8) DO NOT put in a hot bath: this causes rapid vasodilation and circulatory collapse; (9) TMAS CONTACT: immediate. Monitor cardiac rhythm if ECG available; (10) MEDEVAC: hypothermia casualty with altered consciousness = immediate medevac. Cold water survival physiology: cold water immersion causes four distinct phases: (1) cold shock response (0-3 minutes) — gasping, hyperventilation, potential cardiac arrhythmia; (2) swimming failure (3-30 minutes) — loss of motor function in extremities; (3) hypothermia (>30 minutes) — core temperature falls; (4) post-rescue collapse — paradoxical cardiac arrest during rescue or immediately after. The "rescue death" phenomenon: deaths have occurred in apparent MOB survivors immediately after rescue. The cause is circulatory collapse when the person stands upright (reduced venous return to the heart) or due to cold blood from the periphery reaching the heart when the person exerts themselves climbing back on board. The horizontal recovery and horizontal transport minimises this risk. Afterdrop: when peripheral blood vessels (which were vasoconstricted to protect the core) vasodilate on rescue — cold peripheral blood returns to the core. This transiently DROPS core temperature further ("afterdrop"). Active rubbing, hot baths, and exertion all accelerate afterdrop. The correct approach is slow, passive rewarming with insulation. Hot shower (option B): a hot shower causes rapid vasodilation of peripheral blood vessels, dramatically reducing central blood pressure. In a compromised cardiovascular system (cold, stressed), this can cause collapse. Additionally, rapid external heating without raising core temperature does not help and can harm. Coffee (option D): caffeine is a diuretic (increases fluid loss) and a cardiac stimulant. Both effects are contraindicated in hypothermia. Caffeine increases cardiac workload and can precipitate arrhythmias in cold-stressed cardiac muscle. Sweet non-caffeinated warm drinks are recommended IF the patient is fully conscious.

Question 2

At sea, the engine room unmanned machinery space (UMS) fire detection alarm sounds in the wheelhouse. As Chief Mate, describe your systematic response before activating the fixed CO2 system.

Accepted Answer

ENGINE ROOM FIRE — CHIEF MATE's RESPONSE: THIS IS A HIGH-STAKES DECISION — CO2 CANNOT BE RECALLED. IMMEDIATE ACTIONS: (1) GENERAL ALARM: sound general alarm — crew to muster stations; (2) STOP ENGINE ROOM VENTILATION: close all engine room ventilation fans and dampers. This starves the fire of fresh oxygen. Localised fires that are pre-flashover can be extinguished by ventilation isolation alone. Do NOT stop ventilation too late — allow time for air cutoff before CO2 activation; (3) FUEL CUT-OFF: stop fuel supply to the main engine and all auxiliary engines (switch to emergency generator); (4) PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABILITY: confirm ALL engineering crew are out of the engine room. NO-ONE MUST BE IN THE ENGINE ROOM WHEN CO2 IS RELEASED. Activate the CO2 only when you are 100% certain the space is clear; (5) VERIFY THE FIRE: a CO2 activation on a false alarm is at minimum a serious expense and out-of-service period. If possible (without opening access), use the smoke detector display to identify which zone is activated; (6) PRE-ACTIVATION CHECKS: (a) Close all E/R ventilation; (b) Close all fuel lines; (c) Stop all rotating machinery (if possible remotely); (d) Headcount confirmed — ALL personnel clear; (e) Close all doors, hatches, skylights to the engine room; (7) ACTIVATE CO2: from the remote release station. Announce "CO2 RELEASE, DO NOT ENTER ENGINE ROOM" on PA; (8) DO NOT OPEN E/R FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES: allow CO2 to flood and smother the fire; (9) NOTIFY: master, coastguard if required, company. CO2 SOLAS requirements: SOLAS II-2 Regulation 10 requires vessels of certain sizes to have a fixed CO2 fire suppression system in the engine room. The FSS Code (Fire Safety Systems Code) specifies the CO2 quantity required (at least 40% of the gross volume of the protected space). Pre-activation headcount requirement: this is non-negotiable and is the single most important step before CO2 activation. CO2 at the concentration required for fire suppression (34%+ CO2) is immediately lethal within minutes. Several fatalities have occurred globally when CO2 was released into spaces where personnel were still present. The ISM Code, FSS Code, and SOLAS II-2/10 all implicitly require a headcount before activation. Immediate opening (option B): opening the engine room to fight a fire manually when the room is already filling with smoke and the UMS alarm has sounded — is extremely dangerous. The engine room atmosphere may contain: carbon monoxide, unburnt fuel vapour, heated air above 60°C. Personnel entering without SCBA face immediate risk. The correct response is to assess the fire severity, attempt ventilation cutoff, and if the fire is significant — activate the fixed system. Immediate CO2 without checks (option C): the danger is activating CO2 with personnel still in the engine room. Speed is important — but not at the cost of human life. The checklist (fans, fuel, headcount, doors) takes 2-3 minutes and must be completed before activation. Chief engineer authority (option D): the master, chief officer, and other senior officers are all trained to operate emergency fire suppression systems. In an emergency, the chief mate must be capable of and authorised to activate the CO2 system. The chief engineer's authority extends to engine room operations under normal circumstances — not to emergency decisions that require immediate action.

Question 3

A galley fire has been extinguished. One crew member has burns and the galley is damaged. As Chief Mate, describe the post-fire actions.

Accepted Answer

POST-FIRE ACTIONS — CHIEF MATE: IMMEDIATE CARE: (1) CASUALTY CARE: the burned crew member — burns treatment from the Ship Captain's Medical Guide: (a) cool the burn with cool running water for 20 minutes (do not use ice); (b) DO NOT burst blisters, remove clothing stuck to burn, or apply creams; (c) Cover with cling film (or clean non-fluffy material) loosely; (d) Assess burn area (Rule of Nines for body surface area); (e) Contact TMAS for guidance and assess need for medevac (burns >10% BSA, face/hands/genitals, circumferential burns — all warrant medevac); SCENE MANAGEMENT: (2) DO NOT DISTURB the scene more than necessary. If MAIB investigation may occur — preserve the scene; (3) PHOTOGRAPH: take photographs of the damage before cleanup begins; (4) IDENTIFY THE SEAT OF THE FIRE: where did the fire start? What was the fuel source? This is important for: (a) future prevention; (b) MAIB/insurance investigation; MAIB NOTIFICATION: (5) MAIB Regulations 2012 — is this reportable? A galley fire with one crew member burned = potentially a "serious injury" (definition: burns covering >10% of BSA, or burns to face/hands). If the burned crew member's burns are serious — REPORT IMMEDIATELY (023 8023 2527). Even if burns are minor — a fire causing significant vessel damage may be reportable. When in doubt — notify MAIB; (6) COMPANY NOTIFICATION: DPA immediately; (7) ISM NON-CONFORMITY: file a full non-conformity report in the SMS; (8) INSURANCE: notify H&M insurers (via owner) for vessel damage; P&I for crew injury. CORRECTIVE ACTION: (9) What caused the fire? Was the deep fat fryer thermostat faulty? Was the galley left unattended? Was there a failure of fire suppression? Address root cause before the galley recommences operation. Burns first aid — cool water only: the universally accepted first aid for burns is cool running water for at least 20 minutes. This removes heat from the tissue and reduces burn depth. Butter, cooking oil, toothpaste, and any other home remedies are specifically contraindicated — they retain heat, introduce infection risk, and interfere with medical assessment. TMAS burn assessment: TMAS will guide the chief mate on assessing burn severity and whether medevac is required. Key assessment criteria: (a) extent (percentage body surface area burned — use Wallace Rule of Nines); (b) depth (superficial/partial/full thickness); (c) location (face, hands, genitals — always warrant hospital assessment); (d) inhalation injury (hoarseness, singed nasal hairs, carbonaceous sputum — very serious). MAIB reporting — galley fire threshold: MAIB Regulations 2012 Schedule 1 defines "serious marine incidents" including: "a fire... or any other incident causing material damage to a United Kingdom ship or to a ship in United Kingdom waters." A galley fire causing significant damage to the galley structure may meet this threshold. Report and let MAIB decide whether to investigate. Scene preservation: post-fire scene preservation is critical for insurance and investigation purposes. The seat of the fire, the path of fire travel, and the damage pattern are all evidence that allows investigators to determine origin and cause. Cleaning immediately destroys this evidence. The insurance surveyor and MAIB investigator need to see the scene as it was post-fire. Galley fire common causes: the most common galley fire causes are unattended cooking (especially deep fat fryers — these should have automatic thermostatic controls and a fire blanket immediately available), and grease-clogged extract ductwork which ignites and propagates fire through the ventilation system.