All Hands on Deck: a Preparedness Analysis of Municipal Fire Department Mutual Aid During Fires Aboard U.S. Navy Vessels
Abstract
Major fires aboard U.S. Navy vessels undergoing maintenance routinely require assistance from municipal fire departments for extinguishment. The spontaneous merging of these fire agencies during such incidents brings inherent operational challenges. How prepared are municipal fire departments and federal firefighting entities to perform mutual aid during a major fire aboard a U.S. Navy vessel in port for maintenance? This thesis investigates this preparedness by evaluating two case studies, major fires aboard the USS Miami (SSN-755) and USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6); analyzing the ship fire policies of three municipal fire departments; and interviewing subject-matter experts from agencies associated with mutual aid fire operations. The research findings indicate a varying degree of preparedness among municipal fire departments in conducting this mutual aid successfully. Differing levels of shipboard firefighting proficiency, equipment incompatibility, and various methods for assessing risk are three primary research findings that substantiate the conclusion that municipal fire departments are inconsistently prepared to perform mutual aid firefighting aboard U.S. Navy vessels. The preparedness inconsistencies stem from three existing gaps - capability prioritization, dedicated resourcing, and joint training participation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1224620
Entities
People
- James A. Collins
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School