WEEK 3:

The third week is a week of prevention for me. I learned much from Chiefmate Abraham Togonon about the different lifesaving appliance, types of fire extinguishers and the different routes that will be taken in case a man fell overboard. He told us about the lifeboat, liferaft and other materials that are very useful in case of survival. From this, I learned that during survival, since there are about thirty persons in a liferaft, drinking of water is limited and collecting rain is needed. When there is fire, it is not proper to use any type of fire extinguisher you like because every fire extinguisher is designed based on the substances it contained. Having a proper knowledge on using it is a great help, but using it without any background could make the problem more complicated.

Another important lesson I learned from BST (basic safety training) is about the different routes that will be taken in case of “man overboard.” These routes include the Single turn, Williamson turn (which is the most common turn used) and the Scharnov turn. I learned that the main objective on having a turn is to make the propeller away from the person who fell overboard.

I thus realized the importance of brotherhood in ship; that although I came from a different place, I should make myself united with others. But the most significant lesson I learned is prevention rather than curing it at the end. Since life at sea is dangerous, working properly and dedicating your whole self to your profession are much required. The profession that I chose is not just an ordinary work for it takes a lot of preparations, knowledge and attitude and all of these requirements are now my primary aim.