In a reciprocal agreement, it was agreed that fire safety instructors employed by STC would be invited to sail with DFDS Seaways on a cruise to Amsterdam. A good example of the public and private sectors working together for mutual benefit saw MSTC provide DFDS Seaways with specialised training and they, in return, provided STC fire officers with invaluable experience of marine fire safety in an authentic marine environment.

The STC officers, who all work on secondment from Tyne & Wear Fire Brigade, learned fire safety procedures on the ship while applying their own experience to the fire fighting arrangements used on board. They were able to advise, where necessary, on ways in which emergency exercises might be improved.

To date, three groups of DFDS Seaways employees have undergone training in the MSTC smoke chamber and two firemen have sailed aboard the Queen of Scandinavia, with four more scheduled to go in the near future.

It is hoped that this mutual staff development exercise will give other STC staff members the opportunity to update their sea-going experience. The agreement may also extend to the development of more formal training courses for the crews of other vessels in the DFDS Seaways fleet.

MJ Information No: 16716