At BC Ferries, passenger safety is our highest priority. In every way, the Corporation either meets or exceeds the safety standards established by Transport Canada. From vessel design and operation, to crew training and rescue equipment, you can rest assured that BC Ferries puts safety first. 

Download our Accessibility, Evacuation & Safety Brochure for Northern Adventure >>
 

Officers and crew, from the people on the bridge and in the engine room to those who work in the catering areas, are Transport Canada Marine Safety certified to deal effectively with emergency situations.

As part of our ongoing commitment to safety, operational guidelines call for a boat and fire drill by each watch, twice during every "duty cycle" - every 14 days, depending on the watch rotation aboard individual ships.

Over one thousand drills will be conducted this year to ensure the highest safety standards for BC Ferries' vessels and crews.

In the event of an emergency, please move a way from the areas of concern and always follow the instructions of ship's personnel. You are also asked to avoid using elevators or going to the vehicle decks unless otherwise instructed. 

The following signals are used to alert crew members to an emergency:

• Fire - a continuous ringing of the alarm bells followed by a Public Address announcement.
• Person Overboard - three long soundings of the whistle and general alarm bell. In Person Overboard situations, never crowd outer decks where rescue operations are underway.
• Boat/Raft Stations - a continuous ringing of the alarm bells followed by a Public Address announcement.

Signals will be followed by an announcement explaining the nature of the emergency. If you hear a signal, don't panic. Our crew will take immediate charge of the situation, and let you know exactly what to do. 

There are two 6-person rescue boats on board to assist with life raft manoeuvring and personnel recovering.

This vessel carries four 60-person life boats for use in evacuation operations. They are located on Deck 7 (Port and Starboard sides).

Life Jackets are stowed in clearly marked lockers on Deck 6 & 7. Adult lifejackets are also found in all passenger cabins. 

Note: There are three types of life jacket available: one for infants, one for young children up to 90 pounds (41 kg), and one for adults. 

In addition to the lifeboats (see above), Northern Expedition has two Viking Chute stations, one on each side of Deck 7.

The two chute stations have six 101-person and six 51-person liferafts, equally distributed on the Port and Starboard sides. 

Total evacuation capacity of this vessel is 1,044 people.

Fire extinguishers are located in all interior and exterior passenger decks, and a heat sensitive Hi-Fog sprinkler suppression system is in place in crew and passenger accommodation areas.

There are also manual deluge systems on the vehicle deck, and a Hi-Fog fire suppression system in the engine room.

Fire alarms are activated from pull stations throughout the ship. A panel on the bridge helps us quickly pinpoint the zone of a pull station or heat sprinkler alarm.

The stern vehicle and foot passenger ramps are water tight when closed. Water tight integrity is monitored continuously by the bridge. All water tight openings are inspected, serviced, tested and certified annually. 

The information above applies to the Northern Adventure only. Locations and complement of safety equipment on other vessels will vary.