Three Part Emergency Drill

[Hope to Cruise]

With this new system I read that we must be in our cabin and from there finally proceed to our lifeboat station. Since my husband cannot handle stairs and will have a walker we usually go to our station early before the drill.

 

How will we handle this with the new system? Will our room stewards direct us to an elevator when the time comes to move to the lifeboat station? Our cabin is on A deck of the Statendam so we are down pretty low.

[Kamloops50]

With this new system I read that we must be in our cabin and from there finally proceed to our lifeboat station. Since my husband cannot handle stairs and will have a walker we usually go to our station early before the drill.

 

How will we handle this with the new system? Will our room stewards direct us to an elevator when the time comes to move to the lifeboat station? Our cabin is on A deck of the Statendam so we are down pretty low.

 

The steward and crew will have a system in place to help. Let HAL know in advance of your husbands problem.

[RuthC]

You are only two decks down from the muster station area, so that's not too bad. People tend to drift up to the drill so it really isn't crowded heading out, whereas everyone is dismissed at the same time so that gets messy.

 

Every elevator bank has one elevator designated for the disabled; the traffic officer at the elevator banks will direct you. Be prepared to have to wait for an elevator to return to your cabin (or head elsewhere). There are seats in the Atrium area if you need to wait.

[take us away]

You should have no problem going early to the lifeboat drill. But HAL does have a system for people needing assistance like elevators.

[Shmoo here]

I'm sorry, I must have missed something. What's the "three part drill"?

[Lizzie68]

I'm sorry, I must have missed something. What's the "three part drill"?

 

It's the new system of doing the muster drill. From what I have read (and on Captain Albert's blog) on the first horn you go to your stateroom, and then you await instructions before proceeding to the lifeboat station. I guess that's the second part. Third part must the actual drill.

[ellieanne]

It's the new system of doing the muster drill. From what I have read (and on Captain Albert's blog) on the first horn you go to your stateroom, and then you await instructions before proceeding to the lifeboat station. I guess that's the second part. Third part must the actual drill.

 

I've always wondered why you have to come from your stateroom to the muster station. In the event of an actual emergency, you may not be in your stateroom or in a position to get back to it. I think the drill for passengers should be run as an actual emergency may be, allowing passengers to come from wherever they are to the muster station.

[rkacruiser]

I customarily arrive at my muster station slightly before the drill is due to start. I wonder now if I arrive early, am I being naughty and will be sent to my room?

[Lizzie68]

I believe it is because in a real emergency you would be instructed to go to your stateroom to put on warm clothing and life jacket, and collect valuables before proceeding to the lifeboat station. According to HAL's instructions, anyway.

[Shmoo here]

I customarily arrive at my muster station slightly before the drill is due to start. I wonder now if I arrive early, am I being naughty and will be sent to my room?

 

That's what I'm wondering, also. Generally, the first time we cruise on a different ship we try to be in our room and navigate the passageways they way we would for an emergency. But the rest of the time, we just tend to show up at our muster station early.

 

I agree, passengers may not be in their rooms when an emergency happens. Didn't they have issues with those people on the Concordia that returned to their rooms to "await instructions"? We've always been told at our drills if we're not in our rooms, not to return to them in the event an emergency is called, just go directly to the muster station.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Shmoo here

[DeckLife]

On our recent Maasdam cruise, it was explained that this new system is to more closely simulate what would happen in an emergency. You learn what horn blasts mean what. The first horn signal is to alert the crew. The second tells passengers to go to their staterooms. The third is to report to muster station. As I understood things, in an emergency, they will want people to go to their rooms and await instructions. I imagine that in some cases the emergency turns out not to require evacuation. But if it does end up requiring evacuation, then having passengers report to their known muster stations would make it far far easier for officers and crew to count not just heads but actual people by name and get passengers on their correct lifeboats. I think it makes a lot of sense.

In our muster, the lineup on deck was very quick. The crew had us stand in columns with taller people toward the rear. Again this made for easy head counting, just a matter of multiplying rows times columns. I don't recall how the wheelchair-bound were dealt with.

[Oceanwench]

Dh is in a power wheelchair, and we've always gone to the muster drill early to avoid the crowds.

To go to our cabin first, then proceed to the muster station, will put us in the middle of crowds. I realize we have the use of the elevator, but when we get out to the promenade deck, it is a hassle with people everywhere.

 

On our last cruise - Westerdam - he was unable to get out onto the Promenade Deck through the exit they directed us to, as there was a large metal threshold. We saw another passenger almost topple over on a wheelchair, so my husband refused to go out that way.

 

We had to find another doorway to get out that didn't have as high a threshold.

 

Getting back in is just as bad - and there is never anyone around to help. We have to rely on the kindness of passengers to help push the chair over the bump.

 

I remember one time - can't remember the ship - where the pax in wheelchairs had their muster drill inside.

[sail7seas]

I definitely understand your situation but imagine the answer would be along the lines of you should come from your cabin the same as everyone because in a true emergency that is what you might have to do. It does make it more difficult and even risky for you and DH. Perhaps they will modify the instructions when they see difficulties some will encounter.

 

Of course, your DH should never be asked to cross a threshold where he could be injured.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2014 by sail7seas

[Oceanwench]

During an interview I had with one of the hotel managers a few years ago, he told me that in a true emergency there is a crew member specifically assigned to each passenger with a disability.

 

So maybe if we were to go back to our cabin, our assigned crew member would meet us there - if the emergency were real.

 

But really, getting to the muster station early is about the only way for a person in a wheelchair. With all the people pushing, shoving, walking around clueless - it's better to be out of the way and in place than trying to push through the crowd.

 

People don't realize, a wheelchair can't brake! :rolleyes:

And they tend to cut in front of them.

[sail7seas]

During an interview I had with one of the hotel managers a few years ago, he told me that in a true emergency there is a crew member specifically assigned to each passenger with a disability.

 

So maybe if we were to go back to our cabin, our assigned crew member would meet us there - if the emergency were real.

 

But really, getting to the muster station early is about the only way for a person in a wheelchair. With all the people pushing, shoving, walking around clueless - it's better to be out of the way and in place than trying to push through the crowd.

 

People don't realize, a wheelchair can't brake! :rolleyes:

And they tend to cut in front of them.

 

My last cruise with my DH, he was in a wheelchair though not a power one. I and our friends did the 'pushing'. I agree it was nerve wracking and difficult to cope with the crowds while trying to keep my DH safe and reasonably comfortable.

 

It makes sense about the crew person knowing to come to your cabin to assist in the case of an emergency.

 

[rimau]

If this is now the muster drill procedure, it is one of the most asinine changes I have seen. We have just returned from a Princess cruise and their procedure calls for passengers to assemble at their muster station which is in one of the large public areas. I felt perfectly safe with this process. Holland should imitate the Princess system instead of utilizing this new procedure.

[RuthC]

If this is now the muster drill procedure, it is one of the most asinine changes I have seen. We have just returned from a Princess cruise and their procedure calls for passengers to assemble at their muster station which is in one of the large public areas. I felt perfectly safe with this process. Holland should imitate the Princess system instead of utilizing this new procedure.

The problem with that on HAL is that on the majority of the HAL ships there are no large public areas near the lifeboats.

Any large public areas are at least one, and usually more, decks away. In case of abandon ship, many people would not be able to get down to the lifeboats easily.

 

Do you want to be assigned to the Crows Nest to wait, then head down six decks to get to safety?

[Shmoo here]

On our recent Maasdam cruise, it was explained that this new system is to more closely simulate what would happen in an emergency. You learn what horn blasts mean what. The first horn signal is to alert the crew. The second tells passengers to go to their staterooms. The third is to report to muster station. As I understood things, in an emergency, they will want people to go to their rooms and await instructions. I imagine that in some cases the emergency turns out not to require evacuation. But if it does end up requiring evacuation, then having passengers report to their known muster stations would make it far far easier for officers and crew to count not just heads but actual people by name and get passengers on their correct lifeboats. I think it makes a lot of sense.

In our muster, the lineup on deck was very quick. The crew had us stand in columns with taller people toward the rear. Again this made for easy head counting, just a matter of multiplying rows times columns. I don't recall how the wheelchair-bound were dealt with.

 

So instead of the one signal that we're used to (1 long, 7 short) we're going to have to learn a whole new series of horns? Sorry, I think this is a bad idea. There's going to be horns going off all over the place? At random times? So someone is thinking "Was that the horn for the crew? Or for us? Do we go to our room? Or are we now at the signal to go to muster?" What about the people who don't speak/understand English? How is this going to be conveyed to them?

 

Please HAL, rethink!

[IndyDenise]

It's the new system of doing the muster drill. From what I have read (and on Captain Albert's blog) on the first horn you go to your stateroom, and then you await instructions before proceeding to the lifeboat station. I guess that's the second part. Third part must the actual drill.

 

Seriously? In the case of a potential emergency we are to go to our cabins? What the HAL! Two words come to mind, Costa Concordia.

 

What is the purpose of this? I guess I just do not understand, maybe I am missing something.

[IndyDenise]

The problem with that on HAL is that on the majority of the HAL ships there are no large public areas near the lifeboats.

Any large public areas are at least one, and usually more, decks away. In case of abandon ship, many people would not be able to get down to the lifeboats easily.

 

Do you want to be assigned to the Crows Nest to wait, then head down six decks to get to safety?

 

What's wrong with waiting at our muster station in the case of a potential abandon ship? Then if the lifeboats need to be deployed you are right there. If everything is honkydory the passengers can go on their merry way with a story to tell.

[Globaliser]

So instead of the one signal that we're used to (1 long, 7 short) we're going to have to learn a whole new series of horns? ... There's going to be horns going off all over the place? At random times? So someone is thinking "Was that the horn for the crew? Or for us? Do we go to our room? Or are we now at the signal to go to muster?"

There's always been a collection of different signals, and that never seems to have caused difficulty before. The only one that passengers need to react to is the one for a muster, which actually isn't quite as you describe it: 7 or more short, then one long.

 

I'd personally be surprised if any of the signals change. It's more likely to be a question of whether and when they're used, and in which order, during the drill.

[RuthC]

So instead of the one signal that we're used to (1 long, 7 short) we're going to have to learn a whole new series of horns? Sorry, I think this is a bad idea.

No, that's not how it works.

 

Just as any other alert, there is a signal to alert crew---that's stage one. Passengers don't have to do anything, so don't have to learn the signal.

Stage two has a signal to direct passengers to their cabins. There is also an announcement.

Stage three, which is report to muster station, is the same signal you already know; there is also an announcement that goes with that. Even if you somehow missed the second signal, you should recognize the third, and head to your muster station.

[Globaliser]

What's wrong with waiting at our muster station in the case of a potential abandon ship?

That's what's done on every ship.

 

The difference that rimau refers to is that on some other ships, the muster stations are indoors in the public rooms where there is seating and shelter. When a Princess ship had a fire, the passengers were at their muster stations for something like three hours. On HAL, that would be a long time to be standing on the promenade. And as it was an external fire, there would probably have been burning debris raining down onto the HAL muster station locations.

[RuthC]

Seriously? In the case of a potential emergency we are to go to our cabins? What the HAL! Two words come to mind, Costa Concordia.

 

What is the purpose of this? I guess I just do not understand, maybe I am missing something.

That's always been a part of the instructions. We have always been told to return to our cabins, dress in warm clothing, put on our life jackets, then head to the lifeboats.

We are also supposed to get a supply of meds, and our passports.

No change there.

 

What you're missing is that passengers don't report to lifeboats until the decision has been made to abandon ship. That is generally quite a while after it's been determined an emergency exists.

[rkacruiser]

Seriously? In the case of a potential emergency we are to go to our cabins? What the HAL! Two words come to mind, Costa Concordia.

 

What is the purpose of this? I guess I just do not understand, maybe I am missing something.

 

I am going to make a partial defense of the new procedure without experiencing the entire routine. On the Westerdam in January, 2014, the alarm system/mustering was somewhat different than usual, but not the full 3 step process that seems to have been started.

 

#1: Returning to the stateroom in a potential evacuation will allow for the following: obtain your passport and money from the safe, put on warm clothes and suitable shoes, find your lifejacket and put it on if need be, and obtain anything else, i.e. medicines, needed for your well-being.

 

#2: It makes it quick/easy for the Cabin Steward to determine if all of his guests are present and accounted for.

 

#3: Any PA announcements as to what to do next ought to be more easily heard as opposed to those on the open decks, which at least for me, are usually difficult to understand unless the Officer making such an announcement is an excellent English speaker.

 

#4: It will make it quicker, if the guests do need to assemble at the Muster Station, for the Cabin Steward to ascertain that their cabins have been vacacated.

 

Disadvantage: As a senior citizen who is becoming less friendly with stairs, if such an event should such occur on any cruise on which I am sailing, for those behind me, please be tolerant of my slow step-by-step progress up or down the steps in order to get to my Muster Station.