NOAA Teacher at Sea
Lisa Kercher
Onboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
June 11 – 24, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic and Fish Habitat Survey
Geographic Area: Alaska
Date: June 13, 2006
Science and Technology Log
On a ship one of the most important aspects of daily life aboard is safety. Each day on the FAIRWEATHER work begins with a safety briefing. This meeting is held to discuss the tasks for the day and any concerns that the crew needs to be made aware of. There are also many rules to follow in order to keep oneself and others safe while aboard. There are safety drills that are done to practice what should be done in the event of an emergency at sea and plans that are followed should something go wrong. One such drill includes Man Overboard. Each person has a specific place to go and a specific duty to uphold so that the person who has gone overboard can be rescued in a timely manner. To all my students who told me to be careful not to fall in, don’t worry…they have a plan to save me if I do!
Some of the safety policies on the FAIRWEATHER include:
- Always wear a hard hat when working with things overhead
- Always wear a life vest when working over the side of the ship
- Bring a survival suit in times of emergency
- Wear long sleeves, long pants and a hat during emergency situations
- Always wear closed toed shoes when working on deck
- Stay clear of hazardous materials and radiation zones
The safety rules on the FAIRWEATHER are just like rules we, as science teachers and students, follow while working in the science laboratory. Think of some of the lab safety rules that we follow as well as some of the lab safety equipment we have throughout the lab to help us prevent emergency situations and handle them when they arise.
