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Bataan Successfully Completes Light-Off Assessment

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080428-20
Release Date: 4/28/2008 8:34:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Stephen Oleksiak, USS Bataan Public Affairs

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS) -- Long hours and hard work are the reasons why the engineering department aboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) successfully completed the ship's Light-Off Assessment (LOA), April 14-18.

When a ship's engines are not running and boilers are not producing any steam, it is called cold iron. LOA is an assessment of a ship's main spaces after a ship has been cold iron for more than 120 days, which was the case for Bataan prior to ending its dry-docked planned maintenance availability (DPMA).

"LOA was held to ensure that we can safely light-off and steam the boilers," said Chief Machinist's Mate (SW) Donald Woodard. "The events conducted were a management program review to make sure we are in accordance with the governing documents and a safety walkthrough to make sure the material readiness of main spaces can support a safe light-off and steaming of the boilers."

The crew prepared for eight months before beginning LOA.

"We put in a lot of long hours to get all of our systems ready to go," said Machinist's Mate 2nd Class (SW) Thierry Chevrier. "We disassembled all the equipment in the main spaces to be inspected, repaired and then tested to make sure they were operational before LOA started."

In addition to all the main space and boiler inspections, Bataan's repair division had their hands full helping machinery repair and maintenance, damage control and fire prevention.

"Our job was to make sure the damage control equipment in the main spaces was operational," said Chief Damage Controlman (SW) James Welch. "We brought our firefighting systems and equipment back online and made sure they were ready to use if we needed them."

Aside from the inspections and testing of equipment, the engineers spent much of their time cleaning and preserving their spaces.

"Because we were on a deadline, there was a lot of pressure to make sure everything looked as good as it performed," said Chevrier.

After the walkthroughs and maintenance checks were completed, the ship conducted a main space fire drill to ensure that Bataan's crew can properly combat a fuel oil leak and a major class bravo fire in the main machinery spaces.

"This was a chance for the engineers to show that they were ready after eight months of maintenance and training," said Bataan's chief engineer Cmdr. Donald Shortridge. "We also had tremendous support from the whole crew; if it hadn't been for them we wouldn't have done as well."

Bataan's completion of LOA not only proves her ability to get back underway, but marks a special event for her chief engineer.

"This was a bittersweet victory for me," said Shortridge. "It's bitter because this was my last LOA, it was sweet because I got to see my snipes (engineers) perform well."

For more news from USS Bataan, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd5/.