Tips for a shipboard emergency while on a cruise.

[DCLSecondChance]

What are you going to do when they enforce women and children first and your family gets separated?

[chudson98]

Does anyone know what the plan is for the kids in the kid's clubs in case of an emergency? Do parents go get their kids or do the CM's evacuate them to their own life boat? I would hate to have all the parents running to the clubs in case of an emergency only to find it empty.

[dizcrazy]

Originally Posted by Yokelridesagain

One can make appropriate preparations without being "concerned". Every time I get on an airplane I count the number of rows between my seat and the nearest exit in case I had to make my way there in the darkness. I have no anxiety about flying and understand that my odds of being in a plane crash are less than my odds of being struck by lightning. Next time I get on a ship I will probably think about how to get from my cabin to the lifeboat deck by feel. It costs me nothing to be prepared.

This is an excellent thread, and an excellent post. i also have no fear of flying, and never thought about simply counting the rows to the exit BUT I WILL NOW!

[develizweb]

Originally Posted by chudson98

Does anyone know what the plan is for the kids in the kid's clubs in case of an emergency? Do parents go get their kids or do the CM's evacuate them to their own life boat? I would hate to have all the parents running to the clubs in case of an emergency only to find it empty.

CMs take you child to your muster station where you meet them although in an emergency the first thing I would do is run to get my kids sorry to say

[insureman]

Originally Posted by DCLSecondChance

What are you going to do when they enforce women and children first and your family gets separated?

As long as my wife and 2 daughters got in a life boat and deployed safely I would be at peace.

[Tonka's Skipper]

Originally Posted by DCLSecondChance

What are you going to do when they enforce women and children first and your family gets separated?

I don't see the issue if my wife and kids are going on the lifeboat and it is being safely launched!


Your in a emergency....its dangerous at best and you have to give and take, you can't have everything your own way!

AKK

[mellers]

Originally Posted by insureman

Since this tragedy with the Costa Concordia I thought it would be helpful to have thread with tips on what to do in an emergency situation while on board. As a former Navy/insurance/Red Cross volunteer guy, I am hardwired as a "hope for the best, prepare for the worse" sort. I have seen tips spread out through various threads but not in one concise location. Looking for help from Truck1, Tonka's Skipper, Extechie and any other people trained in emergency procedures. Also looking for opinions as to whether or not this even concerns some people.

My tips are as follows.

Check your stateroom life preservers for amount and sizes.
Keep cell phone handy for a source of light.

I am very concerned! People need to be aware that those with disabilities and small children are not always considered in safety preparedness plans (although Disney has high ratings, and from what I've seen does do a good job of this.)

If you have somebody in a wheelchair, he or she needs to know:

* What to do if he or she is not in their stateroom, or are on a different floor. (No elevators!)

* If he or she can't put on his or her life jacket independently, where to go for help, if he or she can be separate from a caregiver for periods of time.

* I always carry my enhanced ID (it's not a passport, and won't work from an international destination other than Mexico or Canada, but it will confirm my identity), a credit card, medical insurance card, travel insurance information, and KTTW card in a lanyard around my neck. Unless this will cause problems for the wheelchair bound person, I'd recommend it.

[Tonka's Skipper]

Originally Posted by chudson98

Does anyone know what the plan is for the kids in the kid's clubs in case of an emergency? Do parents go get their kids or do the CM's evacuate them to their own life boat? I would hate to have all the parents running to the clubs in case of an emergency only to find it empty.

It is my understanding the the CM's in the clubs will bring the little kids to their muster stations and hand themover to the parents!

This has to be one of the srarest parts of a emergency like that!

AKK

[roxy84]

Originally Posted by chudson98

Does anyone know what the plan is for the kids in the kid's clubs in case of an emergency? Do parents go get their kids or do the CM's evacuate them to their own life boat? I would hate to have all the parents running to the clubs in case of an emergency only to find it empty.

Crew members are not on lifeboats - they are on life rafts.

It really depends on how far along they are in emergency and what type. They will page all parents to pick up children from the clubs. If it's to the point where children have not been picked up and they need to evacuate, the children will be brought to the families assembly station (which is actually written on the child's club wristband).

If you need more information on that, ask a youth CM when you board. They will be able to tell you their exact up to date policies on emergency evacuations.

[Yokelridesagain]

Originally Posted by develizweb

CMs take you child to your muster station where you meet them although in an emergency the first thing I would do is run to get my kids sorry to say

I probably would too. Unfortunately, in a real emergency people (including crew) often don't behave as they should. Look up the MTS Oceanos on wiki...the crew absconded from the sinking ship before anyone else got off! (The on-board entertainment ended up supervising the rescue.)

[Tonka's Skipper]

Originally Posted by roxy84

Crew members are not on lifeboats - they are on life rafts.

It really depends on how far along they are in emergency and what type. They will page all parents to pick up children from the clubs. If it's to the point where children have not been picked up and they need to evacuate, the children will be brought to the families assembly station (which is actually written on the child's club wristband).

If you need more information on that, ask a youth CM when you board. They will be able to tell you their exact up to date policies on emergency evacuations.

I can't help but wonder where you got the idea crew member are not on lifeboats...........there are always a number of crew mwmbers located both for and aft and at the least run the boats....unless you think the average passinger has the ability to run a 80' lifeboat in heavy seas or at night?......handle it to bring people in the water along side and take them out of the water?


Yes all passingers are set to go in lifeboats and crew members as well as space permits.


To be very frank..theres advantages to being in a liferaft.

AKK



AKK

[DVCMomofThree]

What would happen if you didn't go to you assigned muster station? Assuming a true emergency...my baby is booked in the room with my dad. I'm sure as heck not going to run all over the boat trying to find him or his muster station to drop off the baby and then go back to my own muster station.

Am I to correctly assume they'd let him in my lifeboat? are there infant vests at every station?

[extechie rbd/wdt]

Ok here's my thoughts.

In the unlikely event of an emergency, IMO unless the vessel was involved in a direct head on collision with another vessel or dock and in obvious danger of sinking immediately, the general alarm would not be sounded straight away.
Emergency teams would be sent to assess or deal with what ever emergency it was.
Do not panic and respond to any emergency pages made for crew.
Guest's would be instructed (most likely via the emergency paging system, speaker's in all Stateroom's, venues, general area's and deck's) to either return to their Stateroom or just stay put where ever they are.
Once whatever situation has been assessed and only then if necessary would the general alarm be sounded. In addition I would expect several message's instructing you to do certain thing's, walk don't run, go immediately to your assigned lifeboat station and the like.
Try to keep as calm as possible and even stop and listen to the announcements if necessary. They maybe telling you NOT to go to a certain area!
Do not go in search of other family members or people within your party. Go to the assigned lifeboat station and meet there.
If you are instructed to return to your Stateroom or are already in there, bring flat soled shoes, any medication and warm clothing along with your lifejacket.

Once at your lifeboat station, keep as quiet as possible and listen to the CM's instructions.
You may not ever actually need to board the lifeboat as the situation may change and be brought under control.
If instructed to board the lifeboat, do so in an orderly manor. The boat need's to be loaded evenly, Stateroom number checked off so listen to the CM's and do as they say.

Unless you are on a TA crossing, you are only a few hours away from other ship's and vessels.
The lifeboats are emergency equipment and rations onboard, water and energy food bar's along with flashlight's, flares, mirrors for signalling etc.

As someone else mentioned about knowing how many seats between your's and the emergency exit on a plane, know where the nearest staircase is to your Stateroom.


In regard's to jumping.....
It really should be a last last resort. If you do decide to jump in the water, as posted above slide as much as possible.
DO NOT wear you lifejacket if jumping more than 12 feet or so. It could break your neck as the bottom of the jacket hit's the water. Instead have it done up, and put one arm thru the head hole and on your shoulder. Cross your arms across your chest and pinch your nose with one hand, and cross your leg's whilst jumping.
Once in the water, then put your life jack on and try to find anything to help you float. The light on the lifejacket will come on once exposed to salt water. Use your whistle to attract attention if necessary.

Having a flashlight in the cabin is a good idea. I wouldn't carry one around the ship personally unless it was on a keyring.
The ship has emergency lighting that run's on batteries (locally and remotely) in the event of power failure. As I mentioned in a previous thread, there is low level led lighting on all Guest staircases, emergency exits along with the exit signs. Fluorescent strip's will be found in some of the crew area's you may be directed to use in an emergency.

The most important advice I can offer is that although it would be very very scary, try to keep calm, and listen to announcements over the P.A, loudhailer and from the CM's.

Ex Techie

[DCLSecondChance]

I don't care how high Disney's ratings are. Human nature being what it is trumps a PLAN each and every time. Had their been a fire, the loss of life would have been far worse.

The amount of ignorant speculation by the media is embarrassing, but it is the same way with any mass event such as this!

[roxy84]

Originally Posted by Tonka's Skipper

I can't help but wonder where you got the idea crew member are not on lifeboats...........there are always a number of crew mwmbers located both for and aft and at the least run the boats....unless you think the average passinger has the ability to run a 80' lifeboat in heavy seas or at night?......handle it to bring people in the water along side and take them out of the water?


Yes all passingers are set to go in lifeboats and crew members as well as space permits.


To be very frank..theres advantages to being in a liferaft.

AKK



AKK

Oh I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough in my post. The MAJORITY of crew are on liferafts (including most of the Youth CM's - as the previous poster was asking if the Youth CM's would take children on the CM lifeboats). There are crew and officers on life boats to perform the emergency functions as you described.