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Kennedy Studies Up for Big Exam

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030717-17

Release Date: 7/18/2003 9:49:00 AM

By Journalist 3rd Tyce Velde, USS John F. Kennedy Public Affairs

ABOARD USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (NNS) -- The crew and contractors working aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) are rapidly approaching the first big test of the maintenance they've been doing since January. The light-off assessment (LOA) is scheduled for the beginning of August, and Kennedy Sailors are working hard to make sure they're prepared.

"Sailors need to be at the top of their games," said Cmdr. Joe Yusician, Kennedy's chief engineer. "It's not just an engineering inspection. This is about the whole ship and the Sailors on the fire party."

LOA ensures Kennedy Sailors are ready to combat a main space fire during the lighting of the ship's eight boilers. The main spaces, located seven decks below the hangar bay, are the home of vital equipment, such as propulsion, fresh water evaporators and air conditioning units. Passing this test the first step toward getting underway for Kennedy's deployment.

"What we're doing here to rebuild and recapitalize this ship is absolutely critical," said Rear Adm. Donald Bullard, John F. Kennedy strike group commander. "And it's hard, but we've got to do it so we can get back to fighting the global war on terror."

Kennedy Sailors hone firefighting skills necessary to make this step during the five main space fire drills conducted each week at 5 a.m., while many Americans are still asleep. These drills involve two primary attack teams, four secondary attack teams and additional support personnel composed of nearly one quarter of Kennedy's crew.

After the drill, the damage control training team (DCTT) offers training in shipboard firefighting, such as donning the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) worn while fighting fires.

This LOA is different from previous LOAs, because it involves the in-port fire parties, rather than the at-sea fire party (ASFP). The in port fire party is made up of Sailors throughout the crew, who spend their time doing other jobs from building bombs to forecasting the weather. Sailors from engineering department make up the majority of the ASFP.

"The in-port fire party has less experience in main space firefighting," said Damage Controlman 1st Class (SW) Londel Jamison, DCTT member.

"Before we light off the boilers, we need a capable fire party to fight a main space fire during a light off," said Jamison. "We need to prepare the duty sections' in port fire parties to fight those fires. We're exposing personnel shipwide to the importance of damage control training." This means Sailors put down their sextants, binoculars and signal flags to pick up firefighting hoses and SCBAs to fight main space fires.

Although the working conditions caused by extended selected restricted availability or ESRA and everyday shipboard responsibilities can make it difficult to conduct daily drills, even long before the ship's working hours begin, Kennedy Sailors are doing well, said Chief Warrant Officer John Shortall, Kennedy's fire marshal.

"Shipboard training can present huge obstacles, but we're progressing," said Shortall. "The DCTT team and fire parties are adapting very well."