A friend recently asked me to write a supplemental to his book Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life. Specifically he was interested in how to escape a big city when disaster hits. The following article, which first appeared on the author’s website, won’t tell you how to survive disasters, for that you are going to have to read the book, but it will will give you an idea how to escape disaster via the sea:

Click To Read More About Emergency

It was early 2002 when the telefax on the bridge of my 564’ exploratory drillship started spitting out an urgent broadcast to all Americans living in India: The US embassy was being evacuated of all civilian contractors and non-essential personnel. I was very young the last time these warnings proved deadly. The Iran Hostage Crisis happened in 1979, but years later, when I learned about it in school, I was shocked by one simple question our teacher asked: How could 74 Americans be so stupid? The embassy had been taken over once before, earlier that year, and the State Department had issued plenty of warnings urging Americans to get out of the country. So why did the 74 risk their lives and stay? Is any job worth the risk of torture and death?

Just over 20 years later, my embassy was urging me to evacuate the country while a voice in the back of my head attempted to put my brain in high alert by flashing the pictures of those hostages in my brain.

But I didn’t run.

The threat that year was aimed at India, a nuclear standoff between the country and it’s bitter rival Pakistan. Some experts predicted the tension between the two countries had passed the point of no return and nuclear war was imminent. On July 4th 2009, while building a ship in South Korea, I found myself in the same situation again when North Korea began launching missiles in our general direction. The embassy was not evacuated this time but many civilian contractors left the country.

And again I stayed.

The reason for standing my ground was not self denial, rather it was that my feet were not affixed to the ground; I was floating on a ship.

The key factors to surviving an nuclear attack, as taught in Chemical Biological Radiological Defense (CBRD) training taken by most US mariners, are time, distance and shielding. You want to maximize the distance and the amount of heavy material between you and the impact zone while minimizing the amount of time you spend in the area. And for this, a ship is your best option.

Modern ships are constructed of heavy steel which provides a strong physical barrier between you and fallout contaminates. Ships can also be sealed shut by heavy watertight doors which prevent not only water from entering, but also air. To let workers breathe and prevent mold from growing within the hull, ships force air through ventilation ducts and down into large cargo compartments. But in the event of a nuclear attack, the ventilation can be secured which makes the internal rooms essentially large air tanks.

The amount of oxygen in these “tanks” is limited to a few days, so it’s still important to get far away from the center of an attack. During 9/11, authorities immediately shut down all trains and bridges then secured the air space making it impossible for most residents to leave. There was only one way off Manhattan–by boat. And in just 9 hours that day, over 500,000 people were evacuated from the island by an armada of ferries, boats and small ships. To date it remains the second largest evacuation of history, surpassing another maritime success: the World War II evacuation of Dunkirk.

Leaving on a ship is both fast and effective so it should be considered a primary means of escape for all who live near the water.

This method has a few other advantages. Even if you don’t live on a populated island like Manhattan, when Shit Hits The Fan, the roads will quickly become congested in one direction, away from the city, but should be clear for those heading towards the water. Ports also contain a high degree of trained professionals, equipment and resources for handling disasters. They are self-contained, meaning, if all emergency personnel are called into a disaster zone, the port authorities will always stay behind to keep the port open for incoming military relief vessels. With police occupied elsewhere, city streets will be open to looters, but behind the high fences of a secured port, the police will likely have little to do beyond manning the perimeter.

Prior to 9/11 the perimeters of a port that were open to visitors, most had fences. But a simple lie could get you past private security guards. Today the fences have an extra layer of razor wire and gates are manned by heavily armed police and military guards. You can still enter though, if you have a Transportation Workers Identification Card (TWIC) and seamen credentials. Both are available to every American Citizen.

The process of obtaining these credentials start at a Coast Guard Regional Exam Center (REC). Located throughout the country, these offices are government help desks for people looking to begin a career at sea. The process is not for everyone. The Coast Guard is a military organization and will take your fingerprints to conduct an FBI background check, but if privacy is not your primary concern, then getting seamen’s papers is a simple process of filling out a few forms and waiting for your documents to arrive. The seaman’s papers look like a passport and are accepted as such in many maritime countries. The TWIC card is issued by the TSA and looks like a drivers licenses, allowing you into any port in the country. It also provides special privileges in airport security lines and at small airports nationwide.

Once inside a port you will need to know which ships are departing soon and which may be detained by Coast Guard units. It’s important to have a handheld VHF radio. Available for around $100, a good VHF will give you access to channel 16, the communications frequency of the Coast Guard, and the port’s working channel. It will also pick up NOAA weather and emergency broadcasts as well as reports from vessels already out at sea.

The remaining problem is getting aboard a ship. One option is a program provided by the US Maritime Administration, known as MARAD. The Mariner Outreach System is a government database of mariners who are willing to help in the event of a national crisis. Registering for the program is simple and comes with no obligation. And there is one major advantage: If a crisis happens, you will be called to help move ships out of the port. MARAD also has programs for volunteers interested in emergency management but your best option is the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The auxiliary is best known for providing boaters awareness classes and assisting yachts within the confines of a harbor, but all members have access to two critical things: boats and uniforms. The uniform of the auxiliary looks very similar to that of a navy officer and will pass as such to all but the trained eye so walking up the gangway of a ship, in uniform and willing to help, is an excellent way to get a free ride out of town. And if the big ships won’t let you aboard, you can commandeer a boat to assist in the evacuation efforts.

If government cooperation isn’t an option for you, consider volunteering at the port’s seaman church. Each major port has a recreation room and kitchen sponsored by a local and national religious organization which give foreign seaman a place to relax and make phone calls home. In the event of a terror strike, these organizations will be busy getting bibles and last minute supplies to the ships departing. They are also an excellent hub of information about each ship and the people who work aboard them.

Useful Information Links:

• Navy CBRD Manual
• Getting Seaman’s Papers, FAQ
• Getting A TWIC Card
• Mariner Outreach System (MOS)
• Seaman’s Church
• Coast Guard Auxiliary

If survival is important you I highly suggest you read  “Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life“ , which was a New York Times Bestseller and includes survival tips not found in any other book….  and stay tuned for Emergency the movie which is rumored to be starring Robert Downey Jr.!

Have a tip on survival at sea or suggestion for improving this post? Then please share it in the comments section below.

Evan’s ability comes not from a gift of birth but from the gift of his father, encouragement and repetition. Because each time Evan draws a picture his father smiles broadly and suggests an improvement. He then runs back to his room to test a new method and try again. In doing so, Evan learns new methods to improve his skill.

Each of us have certain skills aboard ship and one or two areas in which we excel. And many of these traits, whether it be knot-work or ship handling, stem from the encouragement or envy of a former mentor who took the time to show us the ropes and pushed us to find incremental improvements.

As Master’s it is our responsibility to push the crew to develop skills they will carry for the remainder of their careers. In doing so we not only develop their abilities but, by joining our knowledge with their discovery, we also develop ours.

For me one passion has always been emergency response and, in particular, marine firefighting. Over the years I have challenged my crews to innovate and improve their performance at every drill then, during the debriefing, look for new ideas which we can test at the next drill. The results have been impressive.

One example of this practice is the invention of a new concept called “Safe Staging Areas”. A Safe Staging Area is simply a location close to the scene of the fire for the safe and organized staging of people and equipment. The idea was first developed when the question was asked “What really kills firefighters”? Collectively we had agreed that smoke inhalation was the number one killer, and for victims of fire this is true, but one member of our fire team was not satisfied with this answer and took my challenge to look up the actual statistics of firefighter deaths.

The number one killer of firefighters, we soon discovered, is not smoke but overexertion and stress. And the primary cause of nonfatal injuries is slips/trips/falls/etc. Since the invention of the SCBA the risk of smoke has been mitigated by the use of supplied air but no system has been developed that lowers the risk of heart attacks or basic safety related injuries. Until now.

The Safe Staging Area serves as barrier between the fire zone and the fire gear locker. It is the primary meeting place for all persons and equipment transiting to and from the incident scene. In practice, persons dispatched to the scene of the fire first checking in with the SSA supervisor. This individual accounts for their presence, looks for signs of stress and exertion, then assures that his needs are taken care of both before and after entry into a dangerous area. The SSA supervisor also makes sure the area is safe from an advancing fire, is clean/orderly and that support personnel share in the burden of physical tasks like leading out fire-hoses. The SSA also assures that critical personnel, like injured persons and the medical PIC, remain in a location of safety for, if they get injured, every crew-member assumes additional risk.

By motivating the fire team aboard my ship, thru the encouragement of innovation and the testing of new ideas during drills, we have identified a hidden risk and mitigated the potential outcome. And, like Evan, we continue to look for the next idea to give depth and character to the marine firefighter’s version of stick figures.

Safe Staging Area, Sample Procedures:

1. Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to allow for the routine for the designation and use of a Safe Staging Area during emergency response.

2. Applicability

Safe staging areas are applicable to incidents requiring emergency response. The following items apply to their use;

• Use of a Safe Staging Area is at the master’s discretion.
• Scene leader to advise master on location of SSA and is primary Person In Charge (PIC) of the location.
• Suggested Safe Staging Areas to be included in the vessel’s Fire Space Survey documents

3. Definition

Safe Staging Area (SSA) is defined as; A safe location close to the scene of the fire for the organized staging of people and equipment.

4. Description

Once the initial response has been initiated, and as soon as possible, the master will designate an SSA. In considering SSA locations he shall consult with the scene leader, fire space survey documentation and, if necessary, the supervisor of the space (eg. Deck Forman for pipe deck).

The master will also refer to Figure 1, considerations in choosing a safe staging area.

Once designated the scene leader will survey the potential SSA locations to assure that it is, in fact, safe for use. He will then notify the bridge and a PA announcement will be made stating the location of the SSA.

The scene leader will appoint an individual to supervise the SSA. This individual will normally be the Boundary Cooling leader but the position may be reassigned in the event the SSA is located far from the scene of the incident.

The SSA will serve as the primary meeting place for all persons and equipment required at the scene. No persons will go directly to the scene of the fire without first checking in with the SSA supervisor.

The SSA will be the primary location for:
• Fire teams & all persons waiting for clearance to engage the emergency
• Fire teams & all persons resting after involvement in the emergency
• Organizing, inspecting and testing equipment prior to use in the emergency.
• Primary treatment area for patients when, due to the number of patients or location of the incident, transport to the hospital is not feasible.

Safety Of The SSA

It is critical that the safety of the SSA is given primary importance. It serves as a place for critical persons (e.g. the medic) to perform their duties without risk of injury. Therefore, the area should be continuously monitored for evolving hazards and, if the nature of the incident has potential to engulf the SSA in hazard of any type, a secondary SSA should be considered.

Staging Of People

The SSA will serve as the meeting point for all persons transiting to and from the fire scene. The SSA supervisor will assure these people are accounted for and tracked. All persons moving to and from the SSA will use the buddy system and will be responsible for checking in with the SSA Supervisor.

Staging Of Equipment

If the SSA is located far from an emergency gear locker the scene leader should consider moving all equipment from the secondary locker to the SSA. Once the equipment has been relocated it must be organized, inspected and tested. No equipment should be used in the actual emergency until it has been tested for use.

The SSA should be maintained in a clean and orderly condition. Effort should be made to keep it as quite and stress free as possible. Benches, water jugs, fans and other equipment to promote the rest of fire teams between call-outs should be considered.

Temporary SSA

In the event a hazard exists in a SSA and no alternative is available the hazards should be identified and communicated to the scene leader and bridge. The hazard should then be mitigated and a new location prepared for use.

Time Distance Shielding

The following factors are to be considered in choosing an SSA:

Time: The amount of time an SSA is exposed to hazards should be reduced as far as practical. Existing hazards should be removed, if possible, or their dangers should be identified and mitigated. Otherwise an alternative SSA should be readied and put into use as soon as possible.

Distance: The SSA should be distant enough from the scene of the incident so that an advancing fire or hazard will not engulf the SSA. It should also, however, be close enough to the scene to make logistics and communication simple. Therefore it is the responsibility of the master to appoint an SSA that is as close to the incident as is practical, considering the nature of the emergency.

Shielding: Whenever possible shielding, in the form of steel bulkheads, deluge or other protective elements, should be present between the incident scene and the SSA.

Triage

In the event of a mass casualty event the SSA will serve as the triage area. The ship’s medic should assure the stretcher team is familiar with the use of triage and properly trained for such an event.

Diagram Of Use

Panbo brings us a peek inside the secret underground bunker of SPOT Messenger. They write;

My PMY March column about SPOT is now online, and you’ll see that I gave the company guff for what I thought was “hyped-up fear marketing.” But in fact they’ve toned that down quite a bit recently. The “Live to tell about it” tag line is still around, but the home page closeup of the toothy, drooling bear and the lame homilies—like the one about coming home in coach instead of in cargo—have vanished. I’d like to think I had something to do with it, but more likely is the marketing realization that Spot’s real draw is its ability to do tracking and non-distress messaging.

It’s easy to make the argument, as I did, that a PLB is a more reliable distress device, and costs about the same over time. However, there’s an interesting exception for people adventuring in the third world. That’s because Spot’s private rescue center operator, GEOS Alliance, can purportedly help you out in ways that many official third world SAR operations can not. Like helicopter extraction!  Plus it’s only another $8 on top of your annual $99 Spot subscription to get $100,000 worth of such private rescue service.

Be sure to read the rest of the article located HERE. Also be sure to check out our previous SPOT Messenger and EPIRB articles.

The SPOT Contest is now closed, but you can keep commenting as if it were open.  Thank you everyone for your participation.  We will have the winners announced shortly!

gCaptain has teamed up with the folks at SPOT to bring you this exclusive contest! The rules are simple. Each comment posted on any gCaptain blog post between now and October 1st will be entered in a random drawing to win one of 5 units and a gCaptain T-Shirt.

Rules:

• No purchase necessary, just your thoughts entered at the bottom of any blog post.
• As always, we reserve the right to pull inappropriate comments
• Comments that don’t add value to the conversation (e.g. “Love the post” or “Great Idea Guys”) will not be entered into the drawing.
• A free entry will be given to those who register and upload a photo or avatar.
• Winners will be responsible for SPOT’s annual subscription fee.
• Winners will be contacted via email by October 15th 2008.
• Limit: 3 Entries per day

What is SPOT?

We first brought you news of the SPOT Messenger in episode 26 of our weekly podcast Messing About In Ships (audio attached below) where we interviewed Derek Moore, friend of our sister site Unofficial Squaw and SPOT representative. Here’s the basic information from the product’s homepage;

SPOT is the only device of its kind, using the GPS satellite network to acquire its coordinates, and then sending its location – with a link to Google Maps™ – and a pre-programmed message via a commercial satellite network. And unlike Personal Locator Beacons, SPOT does more than just call for help. Tracking your progress, checking in with loved ones, and non-emergency assistance are also available, all at the push of a button. And because it uses 100% satellite technology, SPOT works around the world – even where cell phones don’t.

Why is gCaptain interested in SPOT?

Being mariners we can’t say enough good things about EPIRBs. The life changing technology has saved countless mariners and remains to this day the most important electronic device carried aboard ship. SPOT is not an EPIRB and should not be considered as a replacement but it does serve a similar function. They tell us;

Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to a GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until canceled. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your location and personal information – which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our country’s embassy or consulate, or other emergency response or search and rescue teams – as well as notifying your emergency contact person(s) about the receipt of a distress signal.

In addition to notifying authorities of your MAYDAY call it also has a feature that let’s friends and family track your location. All Things Digital tells us;

When activated, the $170 SPOT Satellite Messenger from SPOT Inc., the Milpitas, Calif., unit of Globalstar Inc., emits a signal to GPS satellites, which notify SPOT’s messaging service. The service then sends a message to friends, family or emergency rescue teams about your current status. Because it uses GPS technology, the SPOT will work even when you’re far from cellphone signal range and anywhere in the world.

As exciting as the technology is there are draw backs for the commercial mariner. First it doesn’t work “anywhere in the world”. The unit relies on Globalstar satellites to transmit your messages, if you are not located within this network’s footprint the service does not work. You can view the coverage map Link. Second, unlike an EPIRB, it does not contact the authorities directly. The service, including the emergency response component, is all in the hands of private entities. Our friend and RTCM member Doug Ritter shares his professional insights on differences HERE.

Redundancy!

Despite potential problems we are excited by the technology. Having spent years of my life at sea I’ve learned two important lessons;

1. Both equipment and systems fail.
2. The best safeguard to failure is redundancy

While SPOT will not replace the EPIRB or PLB (what’s the difference?) it’s independant gives us reassurance in the event of EPIRB failure. Our friend and Chief Engineer Robin Storm has made the point of not relying on EPIRBS alone and, although his points have received criticism from experts we trust, having a back-up system when trouble finds you is always a safe bet.

At the price of $150 dollars plus a subscription fee, the ability to send a quick messege saying “I’m OK” is worth the price alone. Combine this with the ability to notify authorities, send a simple help message with you coordinates to any cell phone ( or your ship’s INMARSAT-C terminal!) and the relatively low price point make this device a true winner in our books. We hope that soon every lifeboat will carry a SPOT Messenger and that every mariner who reads this soon has one attached to his belt or lifejacket.

LINKS:
Richard Rodriguez’s SPOT Tracking Page
Review from Doug Ritter’s Survived
Online vessel tracking solutions – Panbo
Pro’s and Cons of the SPOT from GPS Magazine
Audio Interview With SPOT

Can’t Wait?

Can’t wait for the contest to finish? Purchase your SPOT Messenger from Amazon TODAY!

The SPOT Contest is now closed.  Thank you everyone for your participation.  We will have the winners announced shortly!

If we only had one technology related wish for 2008 it would be that every mariner watched this video. Reminder: This is important people!

FROM WIRED:

While micro-messaging service Twitter may be one of the best tools for citizen reporting in emergencies such as the Southern California wildfires, the service’s real usefulness is its ability to get messages to users’ friends and family and provide evacuation updates — even when cell networks are overloaded, according to homeland security consultant W. David Stephenson.

As important as the updates you wrote about, they’re nowhere near as important as using Twitter to let your family know you’re ok (instead of cell calls, which every time they’re used in disasters end up crashing the network — and don’t get through, either): because they’re packet based, they’re cued up until they can route around obstacles or gaps in the network, and the 140-character limit means they take up a tiny amount of bandwidth, leaving it for those who need it most.

Even cooler, Stephenson tells THREAT LEVEL, are the Red Cross’s Twitter channels.

* The redcross channel lets them push information during a mass evacuation. Since cellphone customers can sign up for Twitter ‘on the fly,’ they will encourage evacuees to text ‘FOLLOW REDCROSS’ to 40404, and sign up for updates. The messages will include information about where the shelters are, distribution sites, and other contact info.

* The safeandwell channel is used more for inbound communication. Those who text ‘FOLLOW SAFEANDWELL’ to 40404 will automatically be followed back. That means they can send their private information as a Direct Message to the American Red Cross. (’D SAFEANDWELL Larry Melman, 205-xxx-xxxx, 1313 Mockingbird Lane, Bay Minette, is safe in a shelter.’) That maintains the privacy of the individual, and also serves to funnel the information to a centralized database.

Stephenson shows how to use Twitter in emergencies in this episode of his video series 21st Century Disaster Tips You Won’t Hear From Officials:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks to Jesse Robbins for the find.

gCaptain’s Twitter Page