Submariners from the UK Royal Navy’s submarine service have successfully completed a week-long fire-fighting exercise.
During the exercise, submariners assembled on HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, UK, for intensive instruction-theory in the classroom, with practical exercises in the adjacent fire trainer.
Personnel also went through mock-ups of a galley, bunk and mess decks, as well as engine and manoeuvring rooms.
HMS Triumph WO Pete Farrell said: "Prevention is the best cure; you don’t want a fire on a submarine.
"You’re still under water. You can’t vent smoke, you can’t get fresh air in, and you have to be clever in the way you use water to extinguish a fire [as] you don’t want water in the people tank."
Experienced coxswains, chief stokers and the executive officers have to undergo advanced fire-fighting course every five years.
The exercise ended following a six-hour assessment, proving that those involved can handle fire within a vessel and pass on their knowledge to their shipmates.
Raleigh fire-fighting training officer CPO Andy Heywood said: "This is the best job in the navy. I get to play with fire but the real satisfaction is from the crews passing through.
"These lads eat, sleep, dream and breathe fire-fighting all week long."
Image: Royal Navy personnel during the fire-fighting exercise. Photo: courtesy of the UK Royal Navy.
