damage control assistant (DCA) upon being
assigned to or released from these duties. The
executive officer is the final approving authority
for nomination, replacement, and rotation of all
DCPOs. The duty DCPO performs the normal
DCPO’s duties in his or her absence. Therefore,
the duty DCPO must be fully qualified as a
DCPO.
The normal DCPOs and duty DCPOs are
responsible for the following duties:
Acquainting themselves with all phases of
the ship’s damage control, fire-fighting,
and defense procedures
Assisting with the instruction of division
personnel in damage control, fire-fighting,
egress, and CBR defense procedures
Ensuring the preparation and maintenance
of a damage control checkoff list for all
spaces under their cognizance
Supervising the setting of specified
damage control material conditions within
division spaces and making required
reports
Weighing portable CO2 bottles, inspecting
and testing damage control and fire-
fighting equipment, and preparing required
reports for approval of the division officer
in accordance with current ship’s instruc-
tions
Ensuring all battle lanterns, dog wrenches,
spanners, and other damage control
equipment are in place and in a usable
condition in all division spaces
Ensuring all compartments, piping, cables,
and damage control and fire-fighting equip-
ment are properly stenciled or identified
by color codes
Ensuring safety precautions and operating
instructions are posted in required division
spaces
Assisting the division officer in the inspec-
tion of division spaces for cleanliness and
preservation and assisting in the prepara-
tion of required reports
Conducting daily inspections of division
spaces for the elimination of fire hazards
• Performing such other duties with reference
to damage control and maintenance of
division spaces as maybe directed by the
division leading petty officer, division
officer, fire marshal, DCA, and executive
officer
• Following the ten commandments of
damage control (See fig. 7-1.)
PHASES OF THE SHIP’S
DAMAGE CONTROL FIRE
FIGHTING AND DEFENSE
The five phases of the ship’s damage control
fire fighting and defense are the fire-main system,
communications equipment, electrical systems,
watertight closures, and ventilation systems.
Fire-Main System
The fire-main system receives water pumped
from the sea. It distributes this water to fireplugs,
Figure 7-1.-The ten commandments of damage control.
7-5
