Tarawa Excels at Damage Control Readiness
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS071118-07
Release Date: 11/18/2007 6:40:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist Byran Niegel, USS Tarawa Public Affairs
USS TARAWA, At Sea (NNS) -- Afloat Training Group (ATG) inspectors from San Diego assessed amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA-1) for its biannual Unit Level Training Assessment Sustainment (ULTRA-S), Nov. 11.
ULTRA-S inspections must be completed every six months in order for Navy ships to keep their damage control certifications. Tarawa passed its previous ULTRA-S inspection in June with flying colors and ATG anticipated the same stellar result during this testing period.
"When we stepped foot on Tarawa, we expected the best and we weren't disappointed," said Chief Damage Controlman Joshua Theisen, ATG inspector. "The Tarawa team stepped up and completed the drills and effectively completed every drill and scenario."
From a main space fire drill to a toxic gas leak and class alpha fires to a helicopter crash on the flight deck, Sailors on board were trained and ready for the scenarios ATG assessed during the ULTRA-S inspection.
"All these drills really paid off," said Quartermaster Seaman Michael Hughes, fire hose team member. "We've been training, running different scenarios, and we've improved a lot in the past couple of weeks."
Shipwide drills involved most of the crew and all seven repair lockers while other scenarios were designed to inspect specific facets like particular duty sections and the flying squad, which consists of firemen from different parts of the engineering divisions.
ULTRA-S lasted two days but the real-life scenarios played out by the Tarawa crew during the inspection will keep them ready for any casualty the ship may encounter during its regularly scheduled Western Pacific deployment.
"Tarawa has once again set the standard for damage control for amphibious assault ships," added Theisen.
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