STCW Personal Survival 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the principal danger of boarding a liferaft from a height greater than 4.5 meters without first checking below?
- The raft may capsize from the impact force
- Injury from striking the raft's inflation cylinder
- Striking debris, another survivor, or the raft itself causing serious injury (Correct answer)
- The lifejacket will be torn off by the impact
Correct answer: Striking debris, another survivor, or the raft itself causing serious injury
Jumping from height without first checking below risks landing on debris, other survivors, or the solid parts of the raft, causing severe injury.
Question 2: Under STCW, what is the minimum proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats requirement called?
- Basic Safety Training (BST)
- Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB) (Correct answer)
- Medical First Aid (MFA) Certificate
- Advanced Fire Fighting (AFF)
Correct answer: Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB)
PSCRB (Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats) is the STCW certification that covers competency in operating and commanding survival craft.
Question 3: What is the function of a sea anchor deployed from a liferaft?
- To anchor the raft to the seabed in shallow water
- To slow drift, keep the raft head-to-sea, and reduce capsize risk (Correct answer)
- To signal position by creating a visible wake
- To filter seawater for drinking
Correct answer: To slow drift, keep the raft head-to-sea, and reduce capsize risk
A sea anchor is a cone-shaped drogue that creates drag, slowing the raft's drift, keeping the entrance facing away from waves, and improving stability.
Question 4: If a survivor's clothing becomes saturated with seawater while immersed, what should they do?
- Remove all clothing immediately to reduce drag
- Keep clothing on as it still provides insulation and reduces convective heat loss (Correct answer)
- Remove outer layers only to stay lighter in the water
- Replace clothing with items from the lifejacket pocket
Correct answer: Keep clothing on as it still provides insulation and reduces convective heat loss
Even wet clothing traps a boundary layer of water that the body warms, still providing meaningful insulation compared to bare skin directly exposed to cold seawater.
Question 5: Which EPIRB type activates automatically when submerged in water?
- Category I EPIRB with hydrostatic release (Correct answer)
- Category II EPIRB requiring manual activation only
- SART (Search and Rescue Transponder)
- Class B personal locator beacon
Correct answer: Category I EPIRB with hydrostatic release
Category I EPIRBs are mounted in a float-free bracket with a hydrostatic release and activate automatically when submerged, making them the fully automatic type.
Question 6: How should survivors in a group in the water without a liferaft conserve body heat?
- Spread out to cover a larger search area
- Hold on to each other in a tight huddle (HUDDLE position) (Correct answer)
- Swim in circles to generate warmth through exercise
- Each person adopts HELP position separately and independently
Correct answer: Hold on to each other in a tight huddle (HUDDLE position)
The HUDDLE position has the group cluster together with bodies touching, sharing body warmth and collectively losing less heat than individuals in HELP alone.
Question 7: What is the maximum time a person can typically survive in 10°C (50°F) water without a survival suit?
- Less than 30 minutes
- 1 to 3 hours (Correct answer)
- 6 to 12 hours
- More than 24 hours
Correct answer: 1 to 3 hours
In 10°C water, a person without thermal protection typically has 1 to 3 hours before incapacitation from hypothermia, though this varies with body composition and conditions.
STCW Personal Survival 4
What is the principal danger of boarding a liferaft from a height greater than 4.5 meters without first checking below?