You can control flooding by jettisoning equip- ment, using submersible pumps, and forming a bucket brigade (if other methods fail). Methods Used to Control Flooding Several readily available methods that do not call for elaborate tools or training can be used to plug or patch holes to control flooding. These repairs are temporary and will not be watertight. If the inflow of water can be reduced by as little as 50 percent, flooding may be controllable with portable pumps. The simplest method of repairing a fairly small hole is to insert some kind of plug. Each repair locker has a large assortment of conical, square- ended, and wedge-shaped wooden plugs. Never paint these plugs because unpainted wood absorbs water and grips better than painted wood. If possible, wrap plugs with lightweight cloth to help them grip better. Roll up pillows and mattresses and shove them into holes but this action should be backed up with some type of patch or shoring. Plate patches are commonly used types of patches. They are made from tables; doors; deck plates; or any relatively strong, flat material. Ordinary galvanized buckets can be used in a variety of ways to stop leaks; for example, you can push them into a hole to form a metal plug and held in place by shores. We have mentioned just a few of the things you can use to control flooding. When all thumb rules and experience have been exhausted, your task is to use your own ingenuity to find something that works. Holes in Hull Above the Waterline Holes in the hull at or just above the waterline may not appear to be very dangerous, but they are. They destroy reserve buoyancy; and if your ship rolls in a heavy sea or loses buoyancy, those holes become submerged and admit water at a very dangerous level—above the center of gravity. That reduces stability; and because the water almost invariably presents a large, free surface (it shifts with ship movement), it becomes doubly dangerous. Therefore, plug those holes at once. Give high priority to holes near the waterline. Above-water holes present another hazard: they permit light to leak out at night. This light may disclose your position to the enemy. Sources of Damage Control Information Much information of utmost importance to the effective operation of a damage control organization exists in other publications and is, of necessity, omitted from this chapter. These publications are of particular interest to those in charge of the damage control efforts and are available for study on board each ship. In addition to studying the publications listed in table 7-6, key members of the damage control organization should attend damage control schools. These schools teach both theoretical and practical aspects of damage control problems. The DCA should maintain a damage control library con- taining, as a minimum, the publications listed in table 7-6. It should be available to all divisions. DAMAGE  CONTROL COMMUNICATIONS Communications are a vital part of the damage control system. Without proper com- munications between the various repair parties and DCC, the entire damage control system could break down and cause the loss of the ship. As a scene leader, you are responsible for ensuring that personnel are able to follow correct procedures for using damage control circuits. Phone talkers must be knowledgeable about the stations with which they communicate. Inexperienced person- nel should not use the phones. Repair party phone talkers and messengers should complete the applicable section of Repair Party PQS for phone talkers. The normal means of communications aboard ship are as follows: Battle telephone circuits (sound powered) Interstation  two-way  systems  (intercoms) Ship’s loud speaker system (general an- nouncing) Ship’s service telephones Voice tubes (where installed) Messengers Sound-powered telephones are the primary means of communications during battle or while combating damage. The 2JZ circuit is the main 7-16