Fire Drills Maintain Readiness Aboard USS Whidbey Island

USS WHIDBEY ISLAND, At Sea (NNS) -- U.S. Sailors aboard USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) conducted a flight deck fire drill while underway in the Gulf of Aden, Oct. 17.

Flight deck fire drills are scheduled at least twice a month to give Sailors the opportunity to improve their firefighting tactics, teamwork, and knowledge of firefighting procedures.

"A flight deck fire is a very dangerous fire because there are so many factors, and the drills are a very good way for Sailors to be prepared in case anything ever does go wrong," said Damage Controlman 2nd Class (SW) Jerami Rathbun.

"The drills are confidence boosters because we learn from our mistakes, and it gives us a better idea of what to do and what not to do next time," said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Collin Knickerbocker.

The damage control training team (DCTT) strives to make the drills as realistic as possible and to challenge members of the fire team by giving them multiple scenarios that test their ability to operate under stress.

Sailors are evaluated on how well they can react to situations such as unfavorable winds, ruptured hoses, and even fire party casualties during which they must evacuate a fallen shipmate to safety.

"A flight deck fire doesn't always have a textbook answer," said Knickerbocker. "Things can change in a hurry, and knowing how to respond quickly and efficiently to things can be very crucial. Every Sailor has a different job and responsibility in a fire party; the drills allow us to become familiar with that job and learn how to work together as a team to put the fire out."

Whidbey Island is deployed as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts is the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

For more news from USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), visit www.navy.mil/local/lsd41/.