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.
PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES
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.
EMERGENCY SIGNALS
The following signals are used to alert crew members to an emergency:
Fire - a continuous ringing of the alarm bell.
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 - seven (or more) short soundings followed by one long sounding of the ship's whistle and/or alarm bell.
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.
RESCUE BOATS
There is one 5-person rescue boat on board to assist with life raft maneuvering and personnel recovering.
LIFE BOATS
This vessel carries two 53-person life boats for use in evacuation operations.
LIFE JACKETS
Life Jackets are stowed in clearly marked lockers throughout all interior and exterior decks.
Note: There are two types of life jacket available: one for young children up to 90 pounds (41 kg), and one for adults.
SHIP EVACUATION
The Queen of Prince Rupert has four marine evacuation stations on the boat deck, two each side, fore and aft, where valise-type life rafts are stored.
The four stations combined have an evacuation capacity of 450 people. We use a Jacobs Ladder evacuation system. (The life boats also provide evacuation capacity).
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Fire extinguishers are located in all interior and exterior passenger decks, and a heat sensitive sprinkler system is in place in crew and passenger accommodation areas.
There are also manual deluge systems on the vehicle deck, and a CO2 smothering 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.
BOW DOOR ENHANCEMENT
In accordance with the International Maritime Organization's investigations of the safety of vehicle carrying ferries, permanent safety improvements have been made to this vessel. The visor has been strengthened and stiffened and has had additional latching mechanisms installed, ramp fastening mechanisms have been improved, and a third weather-tight door has been added aft of the ramp.
The information contained here applies to the Queen of Prince Rupert only. Locations and complement of safety equipment on other vessels will vary.
This pagerevised as of Nov 24, 2003 at 3:45 PM Pacific
