On the evening of October 10th, 2014 the Research Vessel OR5 out in the Taiwan Strait encountered a typhoon (Vong Fong) and was unable to avoid the storm. The ship went aground and turned over. Sadly there was loss of life.

    Sunshine on the starboard side
    I spent a bit of time today out and about checking the safety equipment on board the vessel.

    I have neglected a huge component of life at sea, and that is safety. One can take nothing for granted. On a cruise like ours, far from any form of assistance, if anything were to go wrong, help would be days away -- we need to always be prepared.

    Survival gear on the outside of the vessel.
    From life rafts to life rings to life boats. The NB Palmer appears to have an excellent compliment of survival equipment.

    Safety equipment on the Palmer is divided into two categories: the equipment needed if we have to abandon ship, and the equipment needed to keep people safe as they work on board.

    Once a month the vessel conducts each: two abandoned ship drills, two fire drills, and one man overboard drill. All staff and science personnel are expected to attend, and everyone has a specific location to go, and their presence is documented. Everyone is accounted for. The crew's portion of the drill is to react as if it was a real emergency and put on all their fire gear, or prepare life boats for disembarkation. Drills are a serious concern.

    Julie Curbuchen volunteer in survival suit
    Every person on board has their own survival suit. It is vital to put on the suit if we have to abandon ship.

    Besides the abandon ship drills, fire is of great concern on any ocean going vessel. There are over 30 fire prevention stations throughout the vessel, complete with axe, even 107 fire extinguishers, and everything you could imagine to quickly put out a fire. There are also CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers in the computer spaces for electrical fires.

    Safety gear found throughout the vessel.
    There is nowhere you can go on the vessel and not see signs and evidence of safety equipment.

    Safety on an oceanic vessel is also about job safety. Two of the crew are EMTs and wilderness first responders, but there is no doctor. When working with equipment over the side of the vessel, lines, even the small boats, it is important to have the proper equipment. The water barely above freezing is a threat, even footing on stairwells as the ship pitches can be dangerous.

    Safety first, ALWAYS!

    I was impressed with how frequently gear is checked, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. It is the responsibility of the 2nd and 3rd mate to make sure all safety equipment is in great working order. I posted a few weeks ago the challenge of identifying the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Position). The EPIRB is a registered emergency signal that will send out a radio position. We also have two search and rescue transponders on board, which also send out emergency signals. The hope is to never have to use these devices, but ever so important to have them on board.

    EPIRB
    Emergency Position Indicating Radio Position, designed to give a signal should the ship go down.

    Just remember: Safety on a cruise should never be taken for "granite!"

    Leopard Seal
    Thanks to Cian from Bird Island, we have this simply marvelous leopard seal picture. Do not let the grin fool you. This species is a very effective predator.

    Comments

    Blanca Trombatore

    Wow, Safety is so important! That's why is so important that required Safety class, to be able to work on RVIB Nathaniel B Palmer. It is amazing to me the adventure that you all are going through in the middle of the sea. The proactivity and the knowledge that it required to home brains and hearts! It's just blowing my mind! And that sweet looking Leopard seal, great shot! They eat the Gentoo Penguins while they dive into the water. Dangerous cuteness! Thanks Jillian again! I really enjoy the journals!

    Kevin Vargas-Cabrera

    Tanner Wuollet

    Hi, Glad to see that your having a great time. I was just wondering if your vessel would've wrecked would there be really important lab equipment that you would want to save. Also how fast can you get into your safety suit. I hope you are having a great time and good luck.

    Laura Holt

    Hello Mrs. Worssam! It's so sad to hear that a life has been lost after the typhoon occured. It's always unfortunate to have something so terrible happen so easily. I had a few questions for you though. Is all the safety equipment easy to access in any emergency? If you've done any emergency drills, how many have done and are you prepared for a real emergency? Well it was nice to talk to you, hope you have some more fun out there.

    Sergio Pacheco

    How bad was the typhoon?

    Douglas White

    Hello Ms.Worrsam how is the trip going, also how many people were on the ship and as there any survivers, and how big was the typhoon.

    tyler sherman

    Hi miss. worssam are you having a great time

    gavinfreeman

    Wow how many leopard seals did you see? And how long did you half to practice saftey?

    Logan Anderson

    Hi, Ms.Worssam It's Logan I have a couple questions for you. Did the Typhoon hit your ship did a lot of water get on your boat? What have you figured out about the sea floor is there any movement on the floor? Is the safty gear diffuclt to put on well you have enough time to put it on? WE all miss you Mr.kacye is keeping us on trac hope to see you soon.

    Logan Anderson

    Hi, Ms.Worssam It's Logan I have a couple questions for you. Did the Typhoon hit your ship did a lot of water get on your boat? What have you figured out about the sea floor is there any movement on the floor? Is the safty gear diffuclt to put on well you have enough time to put it on? WE all miss you Mr.kacye is keeping us on trac hope to see you soon.

    Nathaniel Hert

    Hello Ms. Worsam, I'm currently a new student and personally have no clue whats going on but it seems cool that you are on a research cruise and I hope your ship doesn't get caught in as terrible of an accident as it's sister ship. I really don't know what else to say other then that I'm new and really have no clue whats happening.

    Jasmine Koppe

    Wow Ms. Worssam did you get freaked out when you heard about the boat? Did you guys hit anything or have any problems with the boat? Was their any fog down where you are? Have you seen any other animals their?

    Mackenzie Piatt

    Dear Ms. WorssamIts so amazing how many different drills there are, its also scary.
    Just think how hard it would be if we didnt know how to survive all these different things.
    Stay safe Ms. Worssam!

    Jaimee Berg

    Hi Ms. Worrsam
    I am glad the ship that sunk was not yours. I am sorry for the lives that were lost. I was wondering what caused the ship to sink and tip like that? Was the ship big?
    Have some more fun!

    Madison Peters

    Hello Ms. Worssam. I so glad you are having fun. I was wondering in what circumstances would you have to abandon ship? What if your suits were not available when they are needed?

    Carmen Phillips

    Dear Ms. Worssam, I heard about the boat accident. Hope you're doing fine. A question I wanted to ask was what do you do if something happened like that to your boat? Would you have to cancel your trip or just get on another boat?

    Anna Peterson

    Hello Ms. Worssam ,So sad to hear about the sister ship sinking and the loss of some wonderful scientists. That is sad news. How many people were on the other boat? Were their more people than on your boat?
    Stay safe and we can't wait until you come back!

    Lynn Selby

    Wow Mrs. Worssam you dodged a bullet with that typhoon I'm so glad that you or any of the crew got hurt in that also what went through your mind when you go the news that the ship was grounded? yours,Lynn

    Ashley Landis

    Hi Ms. Worssam! I'm glad I read this journal specifically, because I will be calling my parents to tell them I love them later. Safety is very important on a ship, huh? How many drills have you been through so far? Also, what is your position in these specific drills? I hope you are having a grand time!

    Shandiin Vandervere

    There are always moments in which we forget that life is extremely fragile. This scenario has put to light the importance of safety. This said, I am glad to hear that the Nathaniel B. Palmer has multiple life saving equipment. If one person did not do their job correctly, or did not do it at all during an actual safety emergency, what kind of effect would that have on the entire procedure? What is your specific job during a drill? What kinds of safety equipment have you learned how to use? Thank you, Ms. Worssam, for your input. I hope you continue working on your research on the ACC and sea-floor spreading soon.

    Shandiin Vandervere

    There are always moments in which we forget that life is extremely fragile. This scenario has put to light the importance of safety. This said, I am glad to hear that the Nathaniel B. Palmer has multiple life saving equipment. If one person did not do their job correctly, or did not do it at all during an actual safety emergency, what kind of effect would that have on the entire procedure? What is your specific job during a drill? What kinds of safety equipment have you learned how to use? Thank you, Ms. Worssam, for your input. I hope you continue working on your research on the ACC and sea-floor spreading soon.

    Ashley Landis

    Hi Ms. Worssam! I'm glad I read this journal specifically, because I will be calling my parents to tell them I love them later. Safety is very important on a ship, huh? How many drills have you been through so far? Also, what is your position in these specific drills? I hope you are having a grand time!

    Sean Girvin

    Hello Ms. Worssam. I do hope the mission is well and safety is very important. If any incident were to happen what safety precautions would the crew need to take in order to solve the issue? Thank you and have a good day or night.

    dorthy romero

    Hey Ms. Worssam how your trip going so far? Did you get scared when you heard about the other boat? i hope everything's going okay and that your having a good time. Be safe!

    Andrew Reyes

    Its sad to hear that the ship went down and that some people lost there lives. If you guys have to do a drill like a fire drill or man over board drill whats your job or position to do that, what do you have to do to keep everyone safe and for no one to get hurt. Has your ship had to run any drills that the crew let you know or is it a drill that can occur anytime of day when your sleeping or eating.

    Guest

    Hi Ms. Worssam That typhoon, how big was it? The safety class, was it fun or boring? I hope everything is all right over there and I hope you come back in one peace. Thanks for reading it would be great if you can type back thanks and bye. :)

    cort

    Im sorry its cort i forgot to put my name

    Brandon Hill

    Hello Ms. Worssam I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer. What does the leopard seal's diet consist of? Also what lab equip is most important to save or are your lives more important? Thank you and have a great time on your adventure.

    Tyler Tapia

    Dear Ms. WorsomeIts so amazing how many different drills there are, its also scary.
    Just think how hard it would be if we didn't know how to survive all these different things.
    Stay safe Ms. Worsome.

    Tyler Walters

    Hello Ms. Worssam i hope you are having a great time. I have never noticed how big safety is. There must be lots of safety hazards on the boat. One question i have is how often must you guys practice these safety drills. Another question i have is how many of the crew members can you fit on just one life raft. Hope you are having a great time!

    adriana rodriguez

    Hello Ms. Worsome! its so sad to hear that the ship is underwater.. well what was it that made the ship to sink underwater? was it because of the waves, because of the wieght of anything, how did the storm effect the ship to make it sink? and just out of curiosity how did you get the pickture of the ship sideways? well, is it possible that a ship can sink or tip over by huge waves? well how big was the ship that sank? is it bigger or smaller than yours? well stay safe Ms. Worsome and be careful!

    Tristan Johnson

    Dear Ms. Worssam,Its plain to see that there are indeed a lot of safety equipment on board and you must always be on your toes. I was wondering has anything ever happened to the ship you are on such as hurricanes or typhoons? I was wondering this because it seems rather intense safety measures if the ship has no history of using it. Thanks for the time you took to read my message.

    Tristan Johnson

    Dear Ms. Worssam,Its plain to see that there are indeed a lot of safety equipment on board and you must always be on your toes. I was wondering has anything ever happened to the ship you are on such as hurricanes or typhoons? I was wondering this because it seems rather intense safety measures if the ship has no history of using it. Thanks for the time you took to read my message.

    Elliott ness

    Hi Mrs. Worssam I hope your having a great time,i have a few questions .Do you have to take any Medications for a disease/sickness you possibly could pick up. Also is the sea Floor done any weird movements that could hurt South America or Antarctica.I hope you have a great time.

    Matthew Glaze

    Hello Ms. Worssam. As I have been reading your blog a ship encountered a terrible typhoon, couldn't avoid the storm and sadly turned over. Sorry for the loses. Also yes, it is very important to have the right gear, just in case something were to happen to the ship. Life rafts, boats and rings are very important to have on a ship with no assistance near. It is very smart to have drills also. I thought the survival suits looked pretty cool and protective. I have a question, in your 2nd photo, what do the barrels contain?Thanks,
    Matthew

    colton dana

    Dear Ms. Worssam I was just wondering if your vessel would've wrecked would there be really important lab equipment that you would want to save. Did you guys hit anything or have any problems with the boat?

    Nameci Redhouse

    Hello Ms. Worssam I now know that safety is very important and I want to ask you when doing a safety drill are you timed on how fast you do these safety procedures? Also when your doing this are you required to stay in a group or do you have to be in a two person group? When your doing a drill is there a instructor that walks you through? Thank you for reading my questions and I hope you and the crew stay safe bye.

    Richella Johnson

    Hello Ms. Worssam, I hope everything is okay after that storm (typhoon) hit your ship. Well i had a couple of questions how many Animals did you see? Was it a amazing experience to see a couple of Leopard seals? Was there any technical damage to the ship or to any of your personal items?

    Brett Garman

    OK... That Is Pretty Scary... If The Other Vessel Went Aground, Then Aren't You Worried About The Palmer?, What If It Did The Same, It Could Be An Engineering Problem, Like The Ship Wouldn't Turn Left Or Right, Or A Captain's Error, (Basically Where The Captain Of A Ship, Or Aircraft Doesn't Pay Attention, Doesn't Notice Something, Or Does Something That Endangers The Life Of Crew And Passengers, Researchers, Or Anything Or Anyone Else Aboard. Anyway, I'm Extremely Glad To See That Your Vessel Is Fitted With So Much Safety Equipment!, That's Very Good!, Only Thing Is... If You Don't Get Your Special Suit On, And Get Out Of The Ship As Quickly As Possible If Something Were To Happen (Like The Ship Suffers A Breach, And Fills With Water)... Then The Consequences Would Be Life Threatening, And It's So Scary To Think That Your Out There In The Middle Of The Ocean, On A Vessel That Could Potentially Encounter Problems At Any Moment... At Least Your OK, ^_^. Also, You Seem To Be Having Lots Of Fun! :D, I Have Two Questions By The Way, How Much More Information Do You Need?, Do You Have Enough Yet?, And Why Does It Take So Long To Map Out That Area... I Understand That The Ocean Is Extremely Hard To Map Out With Our Technology, And Not Even A Submarine Can Do That... Unless You Wanted To Be Down There Forever. Also, Where Are You At The Moment?, Or Where Will You Be By The Time You Get This Post. Anyway, I Typed Too Much Today. :-/, Sorry About That, I Hope To See You Soon!, -Brett Garman.

    Julie's Dad

    Tell Julie she make a fine model for the Gumby Suit, although it's way more fun to put on while you're swimming.
    Love your blog, keep up the great work. I hop there are lot's of students learning from it.

    Julie's Dad

    Ragan horn

    Dear Ms. Worssam,
    Safety is very important no matter what your doing! I'm really curious on how the EPIRB works like is it just a connection like a wifi server or can you send messages with it to?and when the second and the third mate checks for all the safety equipment, what do they do if some of the equipment is broken? Is there equipment they can replace it with? Finally, can you name all the equipment on the ship that's meant for safety reasons?

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Ashley, Your desire to call your parents and tell them you love them is PERFECT! We have had one drill a week since I have been on
    board, so three drills so far. My position is to go to a muster
    station, get out of the way and stay safe. All the science party has
    the same role. Thanks fore writing. Ms. Worssam

    On 2014-10-13 10:14, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Jaimee, Thanks fore writing. I have no internet on the vessel, could you check for me and find out how big the vessel was? thanks.
    Ms. Worssam
    On 2014-10-13 10:07, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Lynn, Please read the whole blog. We are no where near Taiwan, so no typhoons are in our next of the woods. We are by South Georgia
    Island closer to Antarctica. Thanks for reading. Ms. Worssam

    On 2014-10-13 10:12, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Jasmine, Thanks for writing. Our weather has been pretty good. We have had fog, but no big storms like the typhoons they have in Asia.
    Please check out some of the other blogs, I have been trying to
    highlight some of the animals I am seeing. Thanks. Ms. Worssam

    On 2014-10-13 09:12, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Madi, Thanks for writing. bad weather, fire, going aground are just a few of the dangers at sea. One never wants to have to abandon a
    ship, just too dangerous. That is why we do all the safety drills. I
    also have a suit that is just mine, so I will go and get it if there is
    a drill. Ms. Worssam

    On 2014-10-13 10:10, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Carmen, Thanks for writing. Our vessel is doing fine (and I just knocked on wood) If something like this were to happen o our vessel it
    would be very dangerous indeed. That is why safety is so important.
    And yes we would have to be rescued. Ms. Worssam

    On 2014-10-13 10:10, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Anna, The ship that sank was another research vessel from Taiwan, not our sister ship, but a very sad story indeed. There were over 25
    people on that vessel. We have over 40 people on our vessel. Thanks
    for writing and caring. Ms. Worssam

    On 2014-10-13 10:11, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

    Jillian Worssam

    Hi Logan, Please re-read the blog. The typhoon was nowhere near us. We are in the Southern Ocean, and the typhoon was up by Taiwan. We work
    very hard to be safe and do safety drills to be prepared for
    emergencies. thanks for writing. Ms. Worssam

    On 2014-10-13 09:10, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote: