"Basic" Safety Training = Life Skills

For this past week, I woke up at 5:50 am to catch a 7:07 am ferry across the River Elbe to the industrial area of Hamburg. Accompanied by many other AIDA-bound crew members working in reception, shops, deck, entertainment, and galley, we trudged across a small footbridge to Ma-Co, a maritime-competence training center sporting it's new, 5-week old facility. This would be our home for the next six days as we completed our safety training courses in order to board our respective ships. I made some lovely friends, we had some affable moments, but most importantly, I passed my tests, which means I am one step closer to the ship!

The Facility

Everyone completing their training this week separated into three classes, one of which was taught in English. The classroom building comprised of classrooms, a small kitchen, locker rooms, and the pool facility. Across the street was the main building, which contained the cafeteria, administration office, and doctor's office. The main building sat atop large, concrete posts so that the open parking lot could lie directly underneath. Where a normal parking lot would be, there was a huge bow of a ship, sunk solidly into the pavement. This, along with the many container units, had been transformed to physicalize training exercises that are normally theoretical. AKA: We did the theory, then went outside and climbed on the ship and put out fires and got hoisted into the air by a crane and simulated a lifeboat evacuation in an actual lifeboat. Add the freezing, blustery weather of winter in Hamburg and I am p r e p a r e d for the Baltic Sea!

Germans take their safety very seriously. I don't know of any other cruise ship company that has their crew physically perform so many safety procedures prior to embarkation.

I will not lie, the theory parts of this safety training were a bit endless and I fought sleep many times by doodling. But, I did pass all of my tests, there was free coffee and tea provided by our savior, Rob the Cook, and I feel super prepared for an emergency.

The Information

I think the best way to illustrate this week is to do some highs and lows. Otherwise, we may be here for as long as I had to sit in that classroom.

Franzbrotchen! I will definitely be dedicating an entire blog post to these.

DAY 1: INTRO TO SAFETY

Low: We sat in a lifeboat in the parking lot for far too long and I lost feeling in my feet.

High: I discovered that the cafeteria sold franzbrotchen, my favorite German pastry!

DAY 2: MEDICAL

Low: Today was not so great. I forked over $95 to a doctor who told me that I could board the ship because I didn't have a prosthetic leg, we watched a video of the Costa Concordia ship capsizing in 2012, and our practical was postponed due to weather.

High: Lunch was spinach tortellini!

DAY 3: FIRE SAFETY

Low: We watched many videos of ships on fire and learned that fire was common onboard.

High: Under the supervision of Felix the Firefighter, I used a fire extinguisher to put out two fires! Also, lunch was veggie lasagna!

DAY 4: THE POOL

Low: Standing in wet pool uniforms = wet canvas sliding on skin. It really hurts, honestly. Actually, worse was the life raft. My new hell. I do not want to ever be stuck in a life raft.

High: We learned some super cool swimming safety/ survival techniques! Also, we did a bunch of security theory, I scaled the parking-lot-ship on a rope ladder, AND got lifted into the air in a sling to simulate a helicopter rescue!

DAY 5: EVACUATION PROCEDURE

Low: We took all of our theory tests today and we all passed but I was called out by our teacher because I thought you could "shout to the Bridge" to alert them of fire. Apparently, even if you are next to the Bridge, you can't do that. Everyone thought it was funny.

High: I was the leader of the Special Needs/ Containment Team in our evacuation practical, and it was great because I basically got to stay inside the whole time (Which, if you think about it, means that you are the last team on the boat when it is going down, but we shall cross that bridge when we come to it.)!

It's totally in style when you are climbing and being lifted into the air, I promise.

DAY 6: FIRST AID WITH FELIX

Low: It was the last day that we got to see Rob, the Cook! He was the best.

High: Today was my favorite: we all practiced CPR, talked about first aid, lunch was cream of veggie soup with brownies (Thanks, Rob!), and then we were done! I realized what great friends I had made!

My biggest takeaways from this week include: you can contact the Bridge by dialing 1100, evacuation drills are tedious but super necessary, it is c o m p l e t e l y possible to over-caffeinate yourself out of boredom, many ABBA songs are 120 Hz, thus they are CPR compatible, and security is a huge deal on cruise ships. I learned a lot this week, and I am grateful for the quality of safety training I have received for this cruise gig. I am also super excited to get back to my cast; I miss them, and I miss learning shows!

Next blog post: That Rehearsal Life!