22 NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2009
Just time for another
collision…
… then we’ll
stop for lunch
FIVE fires and four collisions to deal with peacetime
for an 0800 start.
another minor fire. After lunch the tempo increases
in one day – not a record
incidents safely.
Time on the
FOST staff use a smoke with a multiple damage scenario
of which a submarine
During the day,
transfer boat is used
generator to add a sense of realism starting with a collision, fire, air
commander would be
staff change from
to brief FOST
and urgency; the CPO(SSM), away bursts and a hydraulic burst, plus an
seariders on the
particularly proud.
mentors and from his duties as Sonar Chief, electrical failure for good measure,
advisors to become
day’s programme
is the support party leader and testing men to the full and allowing
But sometimes the officer could
assessors – this is
and safety directs his team loudly over the FOST staff to see different faces
be very pleased indeed, depending
an exam.
implications, noise of the emergency breathing after the watch change.
on how his men handled the
The assessment
including how system everyone is wearing. The The final evolution involves
problems.
process involves
to revert to a safe fire is doused. a major incident; a galley fire
Because this mayhem is
FOST Director
line-up of valves The rest of the crew continues with casualties, with some lead
manufactured, and the gremlins
North (DN), his
and systems should with damage control checks to characters ‘removed’ to gauge
come in the shape of Flag Officer
FOST(SM) Heads
they be required in ensure no other incidents have onboard organisation.
Sea Training (FOST) seariders. of Department (HoDs) emergency. emerged unnoticed while the After the final ‘multi’ the FOST
Since 2007, all Naval training, and safety team spending a The Casing Officer submarine returns to periscope team muster for a debrief of events
with the exception of aviation, has day on board after a week of safety arrives on the boat to give his safety depth to vent smoke. As ventilation
along with the FOST HoDs and
come under FOST, and falls into training to assess every aspect
brief and check lifejackets and gets under way the FOST team the Director to finalise the grading
one of four streams; core, surface, of the firefighting and damage
steaming boots, after which the compares notes and discusses the and crew’s performance.
Royal Marine and submarines. control organisation.
team move on to the submarine, crew’s actions, and recharges the The Director then briefs the
A valuable part of the One such recent FOST(SM)
where they are met by the CO. smoke generator. CO on how his boat fared. FOST
Operational Sea Training (OST) assessment was recorded
The ‘Safeguard Rule’ is now With the boat ventilating, the training reports will be written up so
process carried out by the exclusively for Navy News…
in force – for realism, exercise Director finds the time to put on an sections can address shortcomings
FOST(SM) team is the Sea Safety 0600, and FOSTies breakfast
announcements are not preceded ‘Emergency Go Deep’ and a second and learn for the future.
phase which culminates with a in the hotel near embarkation
by “For exercise, for exercise, for minor collision before lunch. After what seems an age to
safety assessment day to see if point, ready for an 0700 boat
exercise!” but real emergencies FOST staff and HoDs discuss the the now quite exhausted crew,
the boat has proved itself ready transfer. With the weather looking
will be preceded by the mantra morning’s progress over lunch and the transfer vessel approaches the
to continue with OST. It also better than the previous night had
“Safeguard”. brief the forthcoming evolutions submarine and the FOST staff
checks that the crew has the ability suggested, the go-ahead is given
Halfway through the submarine in detail, while the Director asks start their long journey home.
visitor health and safety brief the individual staff members their But be assured
general alarm is raised – “Fire, fire, views on where the boat stands – sooner or
fire – fire in the Coxswain’s Office!” before forming his own opinion, later they
The assessment has started. chatting with the boat’s CO about will be
On dealing with the ‘fire’, how it has been going. back.
the boat gives a Material State
Brief (with breakfast rolls) and a
relatively calm surface transit to
the dive position follows, closely
observed by FOST staff in the
Control Room.
But, this being assessment day,
nothing stays quiet for too long.
The FOST Warfare Commander
makes a break for the bridge –
“Shut bulkhead doors, shut all
hatches, brace, brace, brace!” – a
surface collision happens forward;
electrical failures, air and hydraulic
bursts test the crew’s reactions.
FOST staff are positioned in key
areas at the scene of the incidents,
and FOST HoDs monitor their
submarine equivalents while the
Director prowls the boat taking in
the overall picture from all angles,
watching and questioning the crew
– it will be his decision whether
the submarine crew have sufficient
skills to continue with OST.
Incidents are taken from a
vast library of FOST serials, kept
current by the staff and briefed
and checked and then approved by
the various authorities they might
● Clockwise from top: the FOSTies’
transfer boat approaches the submarine;
impact on before any valve or
a smoke machine is activated for extra
electrical breaker is even touched.
authenticity; an Attack Breathing
Assessments tend to differ, not
Apparatus team tackle a fi re in the galley;
only to ensure all procedures are
the Executive Offi cer and Navigating
checked but also to vary it for the
Offi cer look on from the bridge of the
FOST team, who do this day in,
submarine; damage control HQ
day out throughout the year.
Navigation, comms, medical,
logistical and engineering checks
continue between incidents;
logistical checks, for example, may
look at planesman duties, medical
assistance, supply of mission-
critical incident repair store items
– and galley operations; even
hardened FOSTies have to eat.
The bad times keep on rolling.
Just after the submarine dives,
a loud bang is heard outside the
hull – they have hit a submerged
container. This being assessment
day, it causes a fire in
the weapons stowage
compartment amongst
the torpedoes, which
is quickly tackled by
the Attack Breathing
Apparatus team.
Engineers aft are busy
with a contamination
problem and
022_NN_jun.indd 1 21/5/09 14:24:21
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