Question 1

A crew member at the mess table suddenly cannot speak, cough, or breathe, and is clutching their throat. What is the correct response?

Accepted Answer

Encourage them to cough if they still can; if they cannot cough, speak, or breathe, give up to 5 sharp back blows between the shoulder blades, then up to 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich manoeuvre), repeating and alternating until the obstruction clears or they become unresponsive A person who can cough effectively should be encouraged to keep coughing — this is the body's own clearing mechanism. Back blows and abdominal thrusts are reserved for severe obstruction (cannot speak, cough, or breathe). Blind finger sweeps risk pushing the obstruction further down and are not recommended unless the object is clearly visible. Giving fluids to a choking casualty is dangerous and ineffective.

Question 2

You find a colleague collapsed on deck. Before anything else, what should you check, in order?

Accepted Answer

Danger (is the scene safe for you to approach?), Response (are they conscious — talk and gently shake), Airway, Breathing, Circulation — the standard DRABC primary survey DRABC is the universally taught primary survey sequence in STCW Elementary First Aid. Checking for danger first protects you from becoming a second casualty — a very real risk in machinery spaces, near live electrics, or in a confined space with bad air. Only after danger and response are checked do you move to airway, breathing, and circulation.

Question 3

A crew member has a deep laceration to the forearm that is bleeding heavily. What is the correct immediate action?

Accepted Answer

Apply firm, direct pressure to the wound with a clean dressing or cloth, and maintain it continuously — elevate the limb above heart level if possible and there is no suspected fracture Direct, continuous pressure stops the vast majority of severe external bleeding. A tourniquet is reserved for catastrophic, life-threatening limb bleeding that direct pressure cannot control — it is a last resort, not a first response, because of the risk to the limb if left on too long. Washing a heavily bleeding wound before controlling the bleeding wastes critical time.