PSD divers doing hull inspections?

[bdshort]

The local FD is beginning to put together a dive team. One of the ideas put forth as an activity we could do would be hull inspections on the ships that come in every summer. I was asked to research it. It seems this is an activity that would be performed by a commercial dive company, not a PSD team. Plus, the whole issue of a municipal department competing with a local business. But, does anyone know of any public fire departments that do provide this service? I've heard that San Diego FD and the FDNY do, but didn't see anything on their respective websites. What are they really looking for? Bombs? Marine stoaways? Big holes?

Brian

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

The local FD is beginning to put together a dive team. One of the ideas put forth as an activity we could do would be hull inspections on the ships that come in every summer. I was asked to research it. It seems this is an activity that would be performed by a commercial dive company, not a PSD team. Plus, the whole issue of a municipal department competing with a local business. But, does anyone know of any public fire departments that do provide this service? I've heard that San Diego FD and the FDNY do, but didn't see anything on their respective websites. What are they really looking for? Bombs? Marine stoaways? Big holes?

Brian

Better check with the Coast Guard. That falls under their purview.

 

[ReefGuy]

In our Underwater CSI class we practiced hull inspections looking for drugs/evidence.

 

[oly5050user]

NYPD does it in NY harbor..Also pier/dock inspections when President flies into town.They have found some interesting things..One I was told of was illegal aliens trying to get into country in area above ships propeller..If really in need of information perhaps you can ask Mike Carew ,retired NYPD detective assigned to scuba team.He was also profiled on tv show "Top Cops"..His email is mike@captainmikesdiving.com

 

[BladesRobinson]

There are many Public Safety Dive teams conducting hull searches but it is more often done where there are international ports and by 'law enforcement' PSD teams. There are some ports that contract this function to a contractor.

Here in Florida I know that in Tampa, Key West, Miami and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) the hull searches are conducted by the law enforcement PSD teams. Port Canaveral uses a private contractor and on occassion, the Brevard County Sheriffs Office. Possibly "murphdivers286" can tell us what they do in Fort Pierce, FL.

If your team plans to conduct hull searches, it is IMPERATIVE that they be properly trained. I am aware of two groups offering this specialized training, Florida Keys Community College and Dive Rescue International. There has been one documented PSD fatality during a hull search. I am aware of several commercial diving fatalities attributed to working around vessels and I am pretty certain that the military has also lost one of their divers working under a vessel.

Very good divers get killed under vessels and I would strongly encourage your team members to get the proper training before taking on these additional assignments. The task of conducting hull search is a common PSD function and one which teams should be familiar with. Pier search is another skill that goes hand-in-hand with hull searches.

Good luck!

Blades

 

[Poogweese]

If your team plans to conduct hull searches, it is IMPERATIVE that they be properly trained.
Very good divers get killed under vessels and I would strongly encourage your team members to get the proper training before taking on these additional assignments.
[END QUOTE]

Exactly! If this is going to be one of our tasks then the powers-that-be need to make sure we are properly trained and equipped for it. Is this task mentioned in our SOP?


Poog

 

[radinator]

I have a friend who does this as a member of a FD at a major shipping harbor. There is a Homeland Security aspect to it, but I hear they also find streamlined containers welded to the outside of the ship hulls that contain drug shipments or other no-nos.

Hull searches are a big deal. People die doing this, and there is a detailed lockout procedure so that the various pumps and motors are not engaged during the search. Do not enter into it casually. Get the proper training.

 

[bdshort]

If your team plans to conduct hull searches, it is IMPERATIVE that they be properly trained.
Very good divers get killed under vessels and I would strongly encourage your team members to get the proper training before taking on these additional assignments.
[END QUOTE]

Exactly! If this is going to be one of our tasks then the powers-that-be need to make sure we are properly trained and equipped for it. Is this task mentioned in our SOP?


Poog

I don't think we have a dive SOP yet. Jim is interested in getting us trained to do all sorts of stuff. But we need to start with baby steps, and hull searches ain't that from everything I read! Last thing I want is to be crawling around on the bottom of a cruise ship, and get sucked into a bow thruster!

 

[Gary D.]

A lot of people think that doing hull inspections is no big deal. Just jump in on one end and swim to the other end looking for anything unusual. They think it’s just a big boat.

Nothing could be further from the truth. They are a specialized very dangerous operation that can take your life so fast you wouldn’t know what hit you.

First off you have a very large overhead environment. If you don’t think it’s that far to open water go stand in the middle of a football field see how far safety is. Some of these ships are 3 times as long and some are even wider than a football field.

Then we have the intakes and discharges to deal with. It only takes a very small intake port to hold a diver fast to the hull. In some cases an overboard discharge line can be so hot it will cause serious burns to a diver.

All ships have stuff under them that is moveable. If it gets moved at the wrong time the hydraulics won’t even know it is crushing a diver. Also a lot of screws have Jacking Gear on them. It rotates the screw very slowly so the shaft doesn’t warp. Get caught between the screw and the hull and you might find out how a cheese slicer works.

Bilge Keels can cause a lot of damage to you if you’re not paying attention and run into one.

Sonar can be powerful enough to kill a diver and it doesn’t have to come from the ship your under. It can come from the other side of the harbor.

These are just a few of the many hazards associated with hull inspections. The ship needs to be secured for a starter. That is tough enough when dealing with American crews who speak English. A lot of inspections are done on foreign registered ships where no one speaks English.

The harbor needs to be secured mainly due to sonar operations and localized traffic. But you can’t count on everyone getting the word or acting properly even if the get the word. Someone doing something stupid inside the ship can cost a diver their life.

Stray electricity is another one of those unseen hazards that can creep up at any time.

Then there’s Mother Nature who does this tide thing twice a day. Some of these ships are very close to the bottom if not touching it at low tide. Trust me you don’t want to be there when the ship settles. Had it not been for a very observant buddy to pull me out I would have become a permanent fixture on my own ships bottom. I was so wrapped up in the job I was doing I didn’t notice an 18,000 ton ship closing the gap. I only had about 4’ of water to start with but when the tide started out that gap closes very fast.

No matter how many precautions you take there is no way to make hull inspections a safe operation. Without the proper training they can be killing machines and are way outside of the realm of recreational diving certifications.

Get the training and go do them. But take every safety precaution seriously. No short cuts.

Gary D.

 

[BladesRobinson]

Thank you Gary!

Your point is detailed and I hope one might ask, "Do I really want to take this training from the local dive shop" and "Do I want to do this without proper training?"

Friends, hull inspections can be dangerous! If RCMP Officer Nicholson was alive today he would tell you so. Unfortunately his life was snuffed prematurely and his body was found pinned to the underside of the vessel nearly 24 hours after he went missing.

PSDs can get this training from experienced instructors. They just need to make certain that these instructors have "good experience" and a lot of experience being lucky!

I believe the message is clear.

Safe diving,

Blades