Evaluation of Modern Navies‘ Damage Control & Firefighting Training Using Simulator Platforms

1. Evaluation of Modern Navies‘ Damage Control & Firefighting Training Using Simulator Platforms Georgios Varelas (LCDR / Hellenic Navy) gvarelas@nps.edu

2. Agenda • Topic Definition – Why it is important? • Simulator Platforms • Motivation • Research Objectives • Methodology • Results • Summary

3. Thesis Topic Goal • To investigate if the U.S Navy Damage Control & Firefighting Training currently provided, is effective, meets its objectives, and consequently if it is beneficial to ships crews and U.S Navy

4. Why this is important ? • Because history has shown that damage control and firefighting are diachronically critical, vital and the cornerstone of ships’ survivability • Pearl Harbor, WWII (1941) - 2,403 U.S men killed • USS Forrestal (1967) - 134 men killed • USS Enterprise (1969) - 27 men killed • USS Stark (1987) – 37 men killed • USS COLE (2000) – 17 men killed

5. Why this is important ?

6. Why this is important ? • These representative examples with human losses, and billions of $ spent, happened over time because of uncontrolled damages and fires aboard navy ships • So, a permanent, continuous, and advanced damage control and firefighting training is imperative

7. Simulator Platforms • Hopefully, this training can be achieved safely, efficiently and economically by using simulation and training simulator platforms, which have dominated the training field in the last few decades

8. Motivation • As MOVES student I was motivated on how Simulation and Simulator Platforms can be applied and used in Training • Damage Control & Firefighting is an issue very important as navy ship’s Officer • We are interested to create a “Training Evaluating Model” which could be applied as “Training Evaluating Doctrine” in any similar Training Program

9. Research Objectives • Evaluating the Damage Control and Firefighting training programs provided in the Center for Naval Engineering, Learning Site, San Diego, using simulator platforms, as they are currently used at that San Diego location • Identifying whether this training meets its goals and objectives • Identifying whether trainees and the U.S Navy benefit from this training

10. Methodology • Field Observation and researcher’s personal and active participation in Damage Control & Firefighting courses, as student • Examining the training system components (Syllabus, Learning Objectives, Instructor Qualification Standards and Instructor Training, Training System Resources, training evaluation criteria, performance measurement methods, and trainee’s simulation performance scores)

11. Methodology • Survey Administration by obtaining instructor and student subjective ratings and opinions about the training system

12. Results • The U.S Navy Damage Control & Firefighting Training at San Diego location, is very professionally conducted, very effective, high-level and beneficial to ships crews and U.S Navy • This training program can be used as a model and “Training Evaluating Doctrine” for any similar program

13. Summary • Topic Definition – Why it is important? • Simulator Platforms • Motivation • Research Objectives • Methodology • Results

14. Questions?