A shipboard nuclear weapon accident differs from land-based scenarios in several aspects. A fire or explosion associated with the accident has the potential to cause loss of the ship. Results of shipboard fires are well known and documented in repair party training and procedures manuals. The ship may be directed to another location for weapon recovery operations and DECON depending on the damage sustained. In a nuclear weapon accident, the Commanding Officer will focus attention on protecting the public from health hazards and keeping the chain-of-command informed of the situation. This chapter provides guidance concerning aspects of a nuclear weapon accident response unique to the shipboard environment. A ship's damage control organization will provide the initial response to a shipboard nuclear weapon accident and will be augmented by the following. The team of the members of the ship's crew performs emergency weapon safing procedures in the absence of an EOD team. The team will utilize procedures outlined in the Type Commander Nuclear Weapons Manual. The radiation monitoring team consists of the ship's crew. the team is trained to operate radioactivity detection, indication, and computation instuments and the team is trained to man contamination control stations or DECON stations. The AN/PDR-73 is used to detect tritium. The AN/PDR-56 alpha survey instrument is the ship's primary instrument which the team uses when there is a nuclear weapons accident. The functions of these instruments are discussed in the Appendix. The availability of air monitoring equipment to a ship depends on the ship's weapons maintenance capability for airborne radioactive material detection equipment. EOD teams have equipment for detection of gaseous radioactivity. The key to responding to a nuclear weapon accident is planning, training, and adhering to precautionary measures during critical stages. In addition to possessinga well exercised shipboard Nuclear Weapon Accident Bill, ships should take the following preventive measures during weapons movements when the chance for a nuclear weapon accident is at its peak. Have Damage Control parties alerted with protective equipment, calibrated RADIAC, and firefighting equipment. Station security forces in the immediate area of the movement. Ensure that the medical department and EOD detachment are ready if they are needed. If the ship or submarine is moored when the accident occurs, the IRF will be derived from the ship or submarine. The nearest shore installation with nuclear accident response capability will provide assistance to the ship/submarine IRF and augmentation will be provided by an RTF. The shore installation support will be contingent upon the location of the accident and the ability to continue with the primary mission of the shore installation. These procedures have been established in previous chapters. The major differences in port lay in the flexibility provided by the ship. At sea, the possibility of augmentation by an RTF will be diminished and the action by the ship's forces in effecting the response will be critical. Ships in the vicinity may provide some additional assistance. Also, EOD detachments may be deployed into the area by several transportation methods. These procedures are the most crucial in gaining control of a nuclear accident or incident. All ship force personnel who may become directly or indirectly involved in a nuclear accident or incident are trained to perform the following procedures. When a nuclear accident or incident occurs the senior person present shall take charge at the scene and the senior person present shall direct available personnel to do the following. Establish a security perimeter surrounding the accident scene, limiting access to authorized personnel only. Secure hatches to a compartment in order to define the security perimeter aboard ship. In all cases, once the hatches have been secured, only personnel authorized by the senior person present shall be allowed at the accident scene. Direct all personnel at the scene to take emergency breathing precautions. As a minimum personnel shall cover their noses and mouths with a handkerchief to minimize inhalation of HAZMAT and smoke. Notify the Office of the Deck (OOD) or Command Duty Officer (CDO), via the most expedient means, that an accident has occurred in a compartment. Upon notification of an accident or incident, the OOD or CDO shall. Near shore releases should be done as a last resort action. Attempt to save the lives of personnel. Prepare to initiate DECON station procedures. Initiate initial Operations Report (OPREP)-3. If there is an in-port status, the OOD or CDO shall make preparations for assisting the IRF or RTF Commander. Follow-On Response procedures are an extension of the initial response procedures. however, they include more detailed procedures for providing positive control of an accident scene. The responsibility of executing these procedures rests with the senior person on board or, in the case of an in-port accident, the shore establishment's designated IRF. As soon as practicable after notification of an accident or incident, damage control radiological control (RADCON) should conduct beta/gamma detection operations. RADCON AN/PDR-27 monitors should then proceed to the extremities of the accident scene, maintaining constant surveillance of the instrument to detect increases in gamma radiation. Any radiation reads more than the normal background shall be reported immediately. If the EOD personnel are absent, the ship or submarine's emergency weapon surfing team may perform emergency procedures that are outlined in the nuclear weapons manual if the weapons are not too severly damaged. Enter the compartment where the accident occurred and render the weapons/materials safe using approved procedures and equipment. At sea, PA will be the responsibility of the Fleet Commander. The CO is responsible for informing the ship's crew regarding PA releases. When the ship is in port, PA will be coordinated by the Fleet Commander or his designated area coordinator. Additional security will be needed only if the accident damage to the ship and/or weapons has not destroyed the normal security provisions for the weapons. Additional security is provided, if required, to ensure continued weapon protection and to prevent unauthorized access. Weather and sea conditions will all affect the specific follow-on response actions that the CO might direct while at sea. Resources will be limited to those on board. The most important thing is to perform operations to minimize hazards to the ship's personnel and damage to critical equipment. Simple cleaning techniques are frequently effective in reducing or removing contamination from many of the surfaces on a ship. DECON techniques are described in the Appendix. The follow-on response in port will be the responsibility of the shore establishment, and will follow procedures described in Chapter 2. Replacement of personal property that cannot be decontaminated shall be processed in accordance with applicable claims regulations. Normal shipboard firefighting and damage control procedures will apply to fires involving nuclear weapons with the following provisions. Extinguishing the fire has priority. Cooling of any weapons involved in the fire or in close proximity should be performed to the maximum extent that fire hoses permit. Cooling should be continued after the fire is extinguished until the weapon is at ambient temperature. The primary suppressant for a fire involving a nuclear weapon is narrow angle fog (wide angle fog for submarines). The propellants used in any weapon, conventional or nuclear, produce oxygen once ignited. They cannot be extinguished with smothering agents, and some may cause the retention of heat within the weapon. All response personnel going below decks will wear a self-contained breathing apparatus. Top side personnel will wear gas masks. Any firefighters responding initially without respiratory protection should be relieved as soon as possible. Repair party personnel will wear protective Clothing. Involvement of a nuclear weapon does not require additional protective clothing for firefighting personnel. A backup firefighting team will be prepared to relieve or rescue teams at the scene. During firefighting actions, the flow of potentially contaminated water should be noted and the wetted surfaces considered contaminated until monitoring can be performed. The flow of potentially contaminated water should be controlled to the extent possible, and dewatering operations should not be performed in port until testing determines if the water is contaminated. The best method of controlling the contaminated water will depend on the specific situation. When venting shipboard spaces, care should be taken to minimize the possible contamination of the exterior of the ship. In all cases, the exhaust vent should be on the leeward side of the ship. Upon extinguishing a fire involving a nuclear weapon, a reflash watch will be set to provide an immediate response to any recurrence of the fire. Potentially contaminated equipment used to fight the fire should be placed in a designated area until monitoring and necessary DECON can be performed. Monitoring for radioactivity is performed initially to identify radioactive material. If radioactivity is found, monitoring continues to determine the extent of the contaminated area. Standard damage control procedures should be used to limit damage and the spread of contamination. Fire boundaries shall be set and maintained to prevent the spread of fire. At the outset of an accident the ship should be maneuvered so the wind is carrying any contamination away from the ship. If contamination was released during the accident, it should be confirmed that portions of the ship thought to be uncontaminated are in fact "clean". Monitors should be directed initially to check passageways at hatches, doors, ladders, and other locations where most personnel would place their hands or feet. The location of contamination should be marked for remonitoring. Contamination tracked onto hard surfaces can be usually removed with soap and water, or by wiping with a clean, damp cloth. Then monitors should be directed toward the expected contaminated area. The boundaries of the contaminated area should be defined. Then personnel should be advised of these boundaries and the procedures for crossing them, if required, for essential ship operations. Airborne radiological monitoring shall be conducted to the extent instrumentation will allow. however, many ships are not equipped with air samplers. Monitoring surfaces for loose surface contamination will be the most reliable indicator of airborne contamination. The DECON Station will be normally located at a compartment entrance.