🔍 Key Concepts

• General alarm signals and what a continuous sounding usually indicates on board ships • The engine room watch responsibilities during emergency alarms • Differences between immediate actions (safe, reversible) and critical systems that require officer/master orders (e.g., fixed CO₂)

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: When you first hear a continuous general alarm, what is your primary duty as engine room watch—prepare for evacuation, protect machinery, or start suppression systems? • Which of these options, if done too early or by mistake, could create a serious hazard for people still in the engine room? • Think about standard emergency procedures: what actions normally require a direct order from the bridge or chief engineer rather than being taken automatically by the watchstander?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify what a continuous general alarm signal typically represents under SOLAS/muster lists on your vessel (e.g., general emergency vs. abandon ship). • Identify which systems among the options are usually controlled only after a clear command from the bridge/chief engineer (especially fixed CO₂). • Consider which option is a preparatory safety step that can be taken quickly by the watch without endangering personnel who may still be in the space.