- Muster drill
-
A muster drill in progress on Royal Caribbean
A muster drill (also sometimes referred to as a lifeboat drill or a boat drill) is an exercise conducted by the crew of a ship prior to embarking on a voyage. The purpose of a muster drill is to prepare passengers for safe evacuation in the event of an emergency while on board the ship and to familiarize crew and passengers with escape routes. In a muster drill, passengers are educated on the use of life vests and escape routes from the ship[1]. It is typically conducted approximately 30 minutes prior to the ship's scheduled departure time and all guests must remain silent during the drill so that everyone will be able to hear the safety announcements from the Captain. During the drill, the ship's general emergency signal (seven short blasts, followed by one long blast) is sounded to notify passengers.
By international law, a passenger muster drill must be conducted by the ship within 24 hours of departure[2], but many cruise lines choose to conduct the drill before the ship departs port for the first time. It is the responsibility of the crew to ensure that a muster drill is held, and that every passenger and crew member is aware that it is being held. If a muster drill cannot be held, a report in the log book must be made stating the circumstances[3].
Laws in some places hold crew members liable to face civil charges if they voluntarily do not attend the muster drill. For example, in some U.S. states, those who do not attend are fined varying amounts, depending on their rank[4][5].
Muster drills are typically not conducted and are not usually required on short trips on the water, including ferries, dinner cruises, or riverboats.
Contents
Announcements
An announcement is normally made to passengers, informing them that a mandatory muster drill will begin shortly.
After this, another announcement is made, informing crew and passengers, that the "General Emergency Alarm" is about to be sounded, for exercise purposes only.
After the alarm has been sounded, passengers are told to retrieve their life jackets if they are near their cabins, then make their way to their Muster Station.
Alarm Signal
The "General Emergency Alarm" is 7 short and 1 long beep or whistle, which is sounded by the ship's horn and, in most cases, by the ship's internal alarm (such as bells or Klaxxons; accompanied with flashing strobe lights in corridors and public areas for hearing impaired) and PA systems with a tone.
Signal: Seven short and One long:
[---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----------------------]Time
The muster drill must take place within 24 hours of passengers boarding the ship. Its length will vary depending on the size of the ship and cooperation of passengers.
References
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=U-Jb8kFj1yoC&pg=PA135&dq=%22muster+drill%22&as_brr=3&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html
- ^ MGN 71 retrieved from http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mgn71.pdf
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=N6mUSOblJbUC&pg=PA134&dq=%22muster+drill%22&as_brr=3&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=3UI4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA111&dq=%22muster+drill%22&as_brr=3&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=Tk4ZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA118&dq=%22muster+drill%22&as_brr=3&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html
External links
Categories:- Nautical terms
- Maritime safety
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