USS Abraham Lincoln Sailors Save USD 3.8 Mln To Date

To date, Sailors assigned to Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) have avoided costs of approximately $3.8 million by completing nearly 190,000 fire watch hours while the ship undergoes its Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.

The money saved by Sailors conducting fire watch since the beginning of RCOH in March 2013 will be applied later in the project to fund other needed repairs.

Capt. Ronald Ravelo, commanding officer, Abraham Lincoln, said:

Fire Watch has been a critical Ship’s Force contribution to this RCOH.

Early in the project it was determined that some significant labor cost savings needed to be found.

Fire watches also serve as a vital first line of defense against preventable casualties. These watches are manned as a safety precaution during various types of work, such as grinding, cutting and welding.

Ravelo added:

The hours of fire watch that our crew provided were arguably our biggest contribution to this effort. But it really makes sense we contribute in this manner when you take a practical and pragmatic view. Ultimately this is our way of ensuring that hot work is performed safely and correctly on our ship.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christopher Bruceross further discussed the important role the fire watch team performs aboard Abraham Lincoln.

The fire watch team assists with observing all work with potential for causing a fire at the work site. They verify there are no discrepancies at the hot-work site with potential for causing a fire and ensure they are resolved prior to commencing work.

Sailors assigned to these watches not only provide their time, but are a liaison between Sailors and the civilian contractors that work in the shipyard.

Lincoln is the fifth ship of the Nimitz class to undergo RCOH, a major life-cycle milestone. Once RCOH is complete, Lincoln will be one of the most modern and technologically advanced Nimitz-class carriers.

[mappress mapid=”14685″]

Press release, Image: US Navy