24.99
Figure 7-4.—Flight deck fire, USS Enterprise (CVN-65).
devote their entire time to investigative work. The
remaining people in the repair party are able to
start remedial action immediately.
Benefits of Investigation
The first two steps in handling a casualty are
to put out fires and control flooding. However,
without adequate investigation, no one knows
what types and quantities of material must be
provided at the scene, which electric circuits or
pipelines must be isolated, and which partially
flooded compartments can be made watertight and
pumped dry. For example, as the result of a proper
investigation, a repair locker or unit could stop
progressive
flooding
in
six
compartments
containing holes that could be plugged in
several minutes. Without an investigation, the
unit might waste the same amount of time
attempting an impossible repair on one leak.
FIRE FIGHTING
Whether a battle casualty is caused by a bomb,
torpedo, or projectile hit, fire is a common result
(fig. 7-4). Unless the fire is quickly extinguished,
more serious damage than that caused by the
initial explosion may develop. The process of fire is
a three-component chemical reaction requiring
fuel, heat, and oxygen. You control and extinguish
fires by eliminating one of these components. Fires
are classified by type of fuel, as shown in table 7-3.
Methods of extinguishing a fire are shown in table
7-4.
7-10
