• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Frank Cable Conducts Fire Drills At Sea

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS120120-14
1/20/2012

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (AW) Jeremy Starr, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

USS FRANK CABLE, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) conducted flight deck fire drills while underway Jan. 14.

Flight deck fire drills were scheduled for all duty section Sailors to improve their firefighting tactics, teamwork, and knowledge of firefighting procedures.

"You need to be prepared at all times," said Chief Hull Maintenance Technician David Devoe. "A lot of people usually think a general quarter's situation is what will lead to a casualty, but most of the casualties you are going to have to face are in port at two in the morning when there is a flooding in a storeroom."

Sailors learned to don a self-contained breathing apparatus as well as proper hose-handling techniques.

Devoe said Sailors sometimes become lackadaisical, having a mindset that since they're not going to the Gulf they don't need to train. He highlighted that at anytime and moment the ship could have a casualty and the crew needs to prepare for that both physically and mentally.

Safety was paramount for the damage control training team and Frank Cable chief petty officers during the drills.

"We are always looking for the safety of the crew during these drills," said Chief Electrician's Mate Charlie Duque. "If somebody get hurts, we can direct them to the person in charge and keep the firefighting team combating the casualty."

This was Yeoman 1st Class Patrice Fant's first firefighting drill. Fant is a Reservist temporarily assigned to the Frank Cable from Navy Operations Support Center, Cincinnati.

"The training was a good learning experience that made me think, if a real fire happened how I would anticipate and handle the real thing," she said. "I believe that every Sailor should have to go through this training."

During Frank Cable's underway period, Sailors will undergo multiple firefighting drills, as well as flooding drills before they reach Portland, Ore.

Frank Cable is temporarily relieved from conducting maintenance of submarines and service vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility by sister tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and is in the Pacific Ocean en route to Portland for a regular overhaul and dry-docking.