cover or envelope. The preserver has cloth tapes to pull
tight for a close fit. Leg straps prevent it from riding up
while you are in the water. A body strap across the chest
helps give a snug fit and provides a hold for lifting you
out of the water. You can also use the strap to attach
yourself to a life raft or to other persons in the water.
Put on the vest type of life preserver over your
clothing. Tie the upper tapes to make it fit comfortably,
and pull the tape at the waist fairly tight to keep the
preserver from sliding up in the water. Then adjust the
chest strap and fasten the snap hook into the ring. Pull
the leg straps as tight as possible without producing
discomfort. Tie the collar tapes tightly under the chin.
The collar holds the head upright and helps prevent an
unconscious person from drowning.
INFLATABLE TYPE.—The inflatable life
preserver (fig. 15-5) is made of lightweight,
neoprene-coated nylon. It’s carried in a pouch container
held around your waist on a web belt. You blow up the
inflatable preserver either by mouth or by using a
carbon dioxide (CO2 ) cylinder. It’s equipped with a
lifting harness, a waist belt, and a wooden toggle and a
line for attaching yourself to a life raft or another
survivor. Take the following steps when using the
inflatable life preserver:
1. Pull the pouch around to the front, remove the
preserver from its pouch, and slip it over your
head.
2. Grasp the lanyard attached to the CO
2
cylinder
and jerk downward. If you need more buoy-
ancy, the life preserver can be orally inflated by
taking the following steps:
a. Turn down the knurled ring at the base of the
oral inflation tube as far as it will go.
b. Depress the mouthpiece by force of the
mouth, and blow into the tube as if you were
blowing up a balloon.
c. Release the mouthpiece when inhaling to
prevent escape of the air.
3. When the preserver is inflated, lock the oral
valve by turning the knurled ring against the
mouthpiece.
NOTE
Always wait until you have entered the water to
inflate this type of life preserver.
The automatically inflatable work-type life
preserver provides you maximum lifesaving
protection. At the same time, it doesn’t interfere with
the jobs you do, such as working over the side,
performing underway replenishment (UNREP) duties,
working as part of a boat crew, or manning selected
battle stations. The automatically inflatable work-type
life preserver will—
Inflate the life preserver if you go into the water
in an unconscious or helpless state.
Allow you to inflate the auto inflatable preserver
orally by the auto function device or by using a
combination of the two.
The auto-function device uses a water-
degradable paper to release a spring that causes two
CO2 cylinders to be punctured and inflate the
preserver.
PIN-ON LIGHTS.—Small watertight flashlights
or chemically activated light sticks have been developed
for use with life preservers to help rescuers see a person
in the water more easily at night. The flashlight consists
of a one-cell battery case to which is permanently
attached a heavy metal safety pin for fastening the light
to the preserver. The lens is dome-shaped, providing
360 visibility from above. The chemically activated
light sticks are activated by a chemical reaction in the
stick.
Wear these lights whenever you use the life
preserver. Check the battery at least once a week to
see that it works. Replace the battery at least every 6
months. Check the light stick each time you use the
preserver, and replace it if you see any indication that
the stick has been damaged or used. Remember the
following tips when using these lights:
On the vest-type preserver, pin the light near the
top of your shoulder so that the lens points
upward.
When pinning the light on the vest-type
preserver, take care not to pierce the waterproof
15-6
Student Notes:
