Royal Australian Navy launches $18 million training facility

Someoneforyou

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
990
Likes
51
Navy launches $18 million training facility
AUSTRALIA - 22 JUNE 2011

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has officially launched a training facility which replicates the most serious of circumstances that can occur whilst ships are at sea.

Designed to assist trainees in learning to deal with toxic hazards, practise fire fighting and conduct emergency repairs afloat, the $18 million facility is the most state-of-the art of its kind in the world.

Navy's Head of Training for Maritime Warfare, Captain Jay Bannister, said the facility was a significant upgrade on the previous Damage Control Training Unit.

"Ships at sea cannot call on the Fire Department or Emergency Services in the unlikely event that things go wrong," said CAPT Bannister. "Sailors have to be prepared to deal with any number of rare but potentially hazardous situations and that's precisely why we train our people so thoroughly and provide the best facilities that are available."

The new Damage Control Training Unit differs from the old in that the simulated ships compartments are hydraulically mounted to deliver the rolling motion that ships experience at sea. Trainees now have to deal with ship movement while they fight fires or stem water flow in flooding compartments.

"We can control movement of the modules while trainees practice evacuation techniques and attend to simulated casualties. It's as close as anyone would want to get to an emergency situation, but training in realistic circumstances is the best way to mitigate risk," CAPT Bannister said.

The Royal Australian Navy School of Survivability and Ship Safety is contained within HMAS Creswell at Jervis Bay. The new Damage Control Training Unit is part of the $83.6 million Creswell redevelopment project which has also seen the refurbishment and expansion of trainees' accommodation and classrooms. The project includes a new physical fitness centre providing an indoor swimming pool, cardio fitness room, weights room and multi purpose hall.

HMAS Creswell is the home of Naval Officer training in the RAN.



Source: Royal Australian Navy
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top