Classes Have Begun

Hello everyone! I see I have two followers now. This is very exciting! Well tomorrow is Wednesday, and the week will be over before I know it. I have already learned so very much! I am also begining to acquire a bit of a British accent from my sweet room mate, Steph. I find myself wanting to say "Brilliant!", "Thats rubbish", trousers, and all sorts of cute Brittish sounding things like, "Well I've just been from dinna, but in a bit I think I'll...", and so on. I can hardly imagine what the ship will be like, with up to 30 different cultures on board or whatever the number is. But the point is, there will be so many different people with different customs and accents. How exciting.

In case you're wondering what I have been learning in class, I'm going to fill you in! Its not all too boring, in fact some of its quite fun and interesting.

Yesterday:

1. Ship's Structure - Hull, Decks, Bulkheads, Main Vertical Zones, Watertight subdivisions, and Compartment Numbering Systems.
2. Types of possible emergencies on board - medical, fire/explosion, man overboard, collision, stranding or grounding, hull failure, then of course, foundering/sinking.
3. Seven Steps to Survival!
4. Your Initial Actions - Recognize, Report, and Respond
5. Emergency Response Plans
6. Muster List
7. Emergency Signals - What does the General Alarm sound like, what does the Abandon Ship alarm sound like
8. 24 hour Clock - what ship goes by. dang!
9. Shipboard Hazards - Slips trips and falls, head injuries, falls through openings, eye injuries, burns, chemicals (Looking forward to living in such a hazardous place! ;-) )
10. PPE (personal protective equipment)
11. Enclosed Spaces - many of these on board (tanks, chain lockers, cofferdams, ballast tanks, duct keel)... very dangerous, people die in them. lack of oxygen, hazardous chemicals present
12. Interpersonal Relationships on Board, Team Building, Communication
13. Pollution - sources of marine pollution (oil, chemicals, garbage,sewage, plastics)
14. MARPOL Convention and Pollution Prevention
15. Crew Rights and Responsibilities

Today!

1. Adult CPR and AED -Using the Check, Call, and Care system in all medical emergencies. How to care for conscious and unconscious victims, or choking, or blocked airway, and cardiac emergencies.
2. First Aid - Soft tissue injuries (closed wounds internalbleeding, open wounds, lacerations, avulsions, puncture, burns of all types, severed body parts), injuries to muscles, bones and joints (learned how to make anatomic, soft, and rigid splints!), sudden illnesses (strokes, seizures, fainting, diabetic emergency, poisoning), and heat/cold related emergencies.

Wednesday/Tomorrow

FIRE FIGHTING!