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Guardian Becomes Fire-ready with Drills

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050822-09
Release Date: 8/22/2005 11:26:00 AM

By Journalist Seaman Adam R. Cole, Commander, Amphibious Force, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Two Sailors on USS Guardian (MCM 5), fresh to the Navy and to their first ship, pushed themselves to successfully contain a simulated class “bravo” fire Aug. 11 in the ship’s Auxiliary Machinery Room (AMR) during a General Quarters (GQ) fire drill.

The drill was only the second for Engineman Fireman Bob P. Sewell and Engineman Fireman Ken M. Freudenvoll. Both were excited to take part in the shipwide GQ operation. These Sailors and their ship are now one step closer to achieving deployment readiness.

“It’s just a matter of doing it a few times,” said Sewell. “I know what to do. It now comes down to executing.”

Early that morning, the engineering officer of the watch (EOOW) passed word on the shipboard speaker system ‘1MC’ of an engineering casualty.

It was up to Sewell, on watch as equipment monitor, to respond and investigate the casualty. Engineman 3rd Class Daniel A. Mercado, a member of the Engineering Training Team, guided and instructed Sewell on how to respond appropriately and investigate safely. The cause of the simulated fire was soon found to be a leak.

“Deflect. Isolate. Report,” said Mercado, calling out instructions. Sewell responded by taking immediate action so the simulated fire wouldn’t spread. He deflected the leaking fuel spray with a spray shield and turned off the fuel supply cutout valve and return valve, steps necessary to stop the leak and ensure the fuel did not spray onto electrical equipment and possibly flash into a fire. Then Sewell made the proper reports to the EOOW.

Freudenvoll, serving as sounding security in the engine room, was there on the scene to assist in containing the simulated class “bravo” fire. He applied Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) on the fuel to prevent the fuel from flashing into a fire.

“I’m starting to act with a little more confidence now,” said Freudenvoll, who responded to the drill by charging the ship’s fire hose and putting down a blanket of AFFF on the fuel leak.

While in port, the ship will continue to conduct shipboard fire and emergency damage control drills to ensure the crew’s readiness and long-term sustainability.

“We want to have a high level of proficiency, especially as new personnel come aboard the ship," said Lt. Steve Ilteris, Guardian’s executive officer.

Sailors aboard Guardian understand how important containing a fire is to the safety of the ship, especially since a mine countermeasures ship is a wooden-hulled vessel.

Damage Controlman 1st Class (SW) Joseph E. Clark is the primary damage control supervisor on the ship. He works closely with new Sailors to make sure they know exactly how to put out a fire. His job is to assertively point out all execution discrepancies during the drill. His goal is for them to be the best, he says.

“The only way to get it right is practice,” said Clark. “I see improvement in these Sailors every time.”

If it were a real fire, the class “bravo” fire would have been contained almost immediately, but Guardian’s training team reflashed the fire in order to give the ship’s firefighting teams practice.

As soon as Sewell and Freudenvoll were clear of the space, a primary team and then a secondary fire team, both donning full Fire Fighting Ensembles (FFE), worked to put out the simulated fire.

Mineman Seaman Andrew P. Fillebrown and Mineman Seaman Apprentice Thomas J. Garrick, members of the primary fire team, were a little hot under the FFEs, but carried out the drill quickly.

Clark had some pointers for the experienced Sailors, but the team showed its experience and managed the drill with expertise.

“When you’ve done it a lot, you know you can do it,” said Fillebrown. “We know how to work with each other and just go down there and get the job done.”

USS Guardian (MCM 5) is a mine countermeasures ship forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan. Guardian and USS Patriot (MCM 7) serve under Task Force 76, which serves as the 7th Fleet’s mine countermeasures arm in forward-deployed operations.