Marine Safety and Emergencies Flashcards

What is a 'search and rescue transponder' (SART) and how is it activated?

Answer: A radar transponder that, when activated, produces a distinctive line of 12 blips on a rescuer's radar screen — manually activated in distress situations to help SAR craft locate survivors

A SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) is an active radar device that, when activated, responds to any X-band (3 cm wavelength) radar sweep with a distinctive pattern of 12 equally-spaced blips extending outward from the SART's position on the radar screen. It is activated manually in an emergency.

What is 'sea sickness' (motion sickness) and how can it affect vessel operations?

Answer: Nausea and disorientation caused by conflicting sensory signals in a seaway — can severely impair watchkeeping ability, reduce decision-making capacity, and require crew to be relieved

Motion sickness results from conflict between visual and vestibular (inner ear) signals in a moving vessel. In severe cases, it causes vomiting, extreme fatigue, and inability to focus — significantly impairing watchkeeping, navigation, and emergency response capacity. Operators must have contingency plans for incapacitated crew.

What are the signs of a vessel taking on water through an uncontrolled leak, and what initial damage control steps should be taken?

Answer: Increasing bilge water, sluggish response, abnormal trim — stop and locate the leak, use soft wood plugs and underwater epoxy, activate bilge pumps, reduce water ingress, then assess evacuation need

Flooding signs: rising bilge water level, sluggish steering, abnormal trim (bow or stern low), unusual sounds. Damage control: locate source; plug with soft wood plugs/rags/epoxy; activate all bilge pumps; adjust weight distribution; reduce vessel motion; assess if afloat status can be maintained before ordering evacuation.

What are the responsibilities of a commercial vessel operator regarding passenger safety briefings before departure?

Answer: Operators must conduct a mandatory pre-departure safety briefing covering lifejacket location and donning, emergency signals, muster stations, emergency exits, and what to do if the vessel gets into difficulty

Transport Canada requires commercial passenger vessel operators to conduct a verbal pre-departure safety briefing for all passengers before every departure, regardless of voyage duration or weather conditions. The briefing covers lifejacket location, donning, emergency signals, muster points, and emergency procedures.

What is a 'joint rescue coordination centre' (JRCC) and what is its role in Canadian SAR?

Answer: A Canadian Coast Guard / Department of National Defence joint facility that coordinates all maritime and aeronautical search and rescue operations in a designated SAR region of Canada

JRCCs (Halifax, Trenton, Victoria, Esquimalt) are joint Coast Guard/DND centres that coordinate SAR responses for both maritime and aeronautical emergencies in their regions, 24/7/365. They receive MAYDAY/EPIRB alerts and dispatch Coast Guard vessels, Hercules and SAR aircraft, and auxiliary assets.

What factors affect a vessel's ability to stop quickly in an emergency, and why is this important for passenger safety?

Answer: Vessel displacement, speed, hull resistance, engine astern power, and sea state — heavier/faster vessels require significantly longer stopping distances, affecting safe operating speeds near berths and other vessels

Stopping distance depends on speed (increases as the square of speed), displacement (heavier vessel = more momentum), hull form (planing hulls lose speed faster than displacement hulls), effectiveness of reverse thrust (astern power), and sea state (head sea assists stopping).