Read on Twitter
Lots of really interesting articles circulating in the immediate aftermath of the #USSBonhommeRichard fire. I’ve gathered a couple here and added some observations.
No one died. This is remarkable and could have been very different.
Thread/1
No one died. This is remarkable and could have been very different. Thread/1
Notwithstanding what caused it, the firefighting effort was clearly both heroic and well managed.
Ships in maintenance are really vulnerable. Aaron Amick writes here https://bit.ly/3fFeFfD Key takeaways:
- Reduced crew numbers (and motivation)
/2
- Loss/removal of fixed systems
- Inability to manage smoke boundaries due to wires/vents etc. This is so true and routinely made me uncomfortable in command. What did I do about it - not enough.
Excellent piece from @DavidLarter on CNOs response https://bit.ly/3jcL6o4
/3
- Inability to manage smoke boundaries due to wires/vents etc. This is so true and routinely made me uncomfortable in command. What did I do about it - not enough.
Excellent piece from @DavidLarter on CNOs response https://bit.ly/3jcL6o4 /3
Key points:
- CNO is asking COs if their ship’s harbour fire-fighting teams are up to scratch. Classically direct USN post-incident approach. Will be interesting to track the results (assuming the actual answers make it to him…)
/4
- CNO is asking COs if their ship’s harbour fire-fighting teams are up to scratch. Classically direct USN post-incident approach. Will be interesting to track the results (assuming the actual answers make it to him…)
/4
- Were lessons from the previous USS Miami fire learned?
- “Stop the trend before it becomes one”
What does this means operationally to the USN by @ConsWahoo https://bit.ly/2Bb7UDq and @pinstripedline https://bit.ly/3h2Eab0
/5
- “Stop the trend before it becomes one”
What does this means operationally to the USN by @ConsWahoo https://bit.ly/2Bb7UDq and @pinstripedline https://bit.ly/3h2Eab0 /5
Key points:
- Never underestimate how taught the USN is. Mass does not exempt them.
- Some great stuff on leadership more generally (in the USN) at the end.
From a firefighting perspective, some observations:
- The initial efforts would have been hideous and heroic
/6
- Never underestimate how taught the USN is. Mass does not exempt them.
- Some great stuff on leadership more generally (in the USN) at the end.
From a firefighting perspective, some observations:- The initial efforts would have been hideous and heroic
/6
- Great to see other ships’ teams piling in.
- Innovative(?) use of mixed Navy and Civ crews to tackle early stages worked well
- Not letting the fire reach the fuel was key
- Stability was well managed throughout (often an afterthought when alongside)
/7
- Innovative(?) use of mixed Navy and Civ crews to tackle early stages worked well
- Not letting the fire reach the fuel was key
- Stability was well managed throughout (often an afterthought when alongside)
/7
- Using helo FLIR to identify hotspots was
- The USN phot branch has played a blinder (so important)
Summary.
What of the future for this ship? Lots of speculation right now but unless you’re a salvage expert or a metallurgist and have been there, you don’t know.
/8
- The USN phot branch has played a blinder (so important)
Summary.
What of the future for this ship? Lots of speculation right now but unless you’re a salvage expert or a metallurgist and have been there, you don’t know.
/8
One thing we do know - political will has deep pockets.
Overall takeaways:
- Ships are always dangerous – there is no such thing as ‘on operations’ in the maritime.
- The @USNavy will be classically aggressive in investigating this. It needs to be.
/9
Overall takeaways:
- Ships are always dangerous – there is no such thing as ‘on operations’ in the maritime.
- The @USNavy will be classically aggressive in investigating this. It needs to be.
/9
- The @RoyalNavy and all navies should immediately table-top all findings.
- The firefighting effort was incredible.
- No one died
/F
- The firefighting effort was incredible.
- No one died
/F
