Evaluation of Modern Navies

Damage Control & Firefighting

Training Using Simulator
Platforms
Georgios Varelas (LCDR / Hellenic Navy)
gvarelas@nps.edu

Agenda

Topic Definition Why it is important?

Simulator Platforms
Motivation
Research Objectives
Methodology
Results
Summary

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

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
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Why this is important ?

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
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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

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 ships Officer
We are interested to create a Training
Evaluating Model which could be applied as
Training Evaluating Doctrine in any similar
Training Program
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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
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Methodology
Field Observation and researchers 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 trainees simulation performance scores) 10

Methodology

Survey Administration by obtaining instructor

and student subjective ratings and opinions
about the training system

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Results
The U.S Navy Damage Control & Firefighting
Training at San Diego location, is very
professionally conducted, very effective, highlevel 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
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Summary
Topic Definition Why it is important?
Simulator Platforms
Motivation
Research Objectives
Methodology
Results
13

Questions?

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