Last Monday,the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) left the port of Gdynia, Poland with a new commander at the helm and new ships. The first days at sea are usually used for ships and crew to get acquainted with the new command and with the respective capabilities of each vessel.
The crew of SNMCMG1 also conducted a series of simulated damage control and fire fighting drills.
The exercise began with simulated fires spreading throughout the command ship, ORP ‘Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki’, while her crew was busy containing multiple simulated breaches in the hull. The scenario also included several injured crew members requiring urgent medical evacuation. The variety of the incidents is paramount to ensure that the ships can handle a wide range of tasks at the same time. The crew of ORP ‘Czajka’ and FGS ‘Weilheim’ were called upon to assist the flagship with repairs and fire fighting. The drill ended with the simulated towing of the crippled ship by the rest of the group.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, January 31, 2013; Image: NATO