The U.S. Military Sealift Command has issued the following news release concerning the hospital ship USNS Comfort, which is crewed by members of the SIU Government Services Division. The release is available on MSC’s web site hereComfort's Civilian Mariners Complete Readiness Testing
By Journalist 3rd Class Heather Weaver,
Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic
ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in her homeport of Baltimore Harbor May 14, after successfully completing a three-week international medical exercise and sea trials.
While in Norfolk, Va., Comfort's civilian mariners participated in substance material assessment and readiness testing. According to Richard Cicchetti, the ship's master, the test is mandated by Congress to ensure top-notch operability.
"[The test] is mandated by Congress and is conducted every five years," Cicchetti said. "It provides an objective outside authority to accurately assess the ship's readiness to perform its assigned duties."
"If the ship is found to be in good condition, then this national asset will be fully prepared for any mission it's called upon to serve," said David Lieberman, the ship's second mate.
The inspectors tested the ship to verify equipment was working properly and as efficiently as possible, according to Cicchetti. Every operating system on the ship was tested and ran to full capacity.
"[This test] provides verification that equipment is working properly under actual operating parameters, such as full electrical load and design pressures with the ship working in a seaway," Cicchetti said. "These are conditions that a pierside dock trial cannot fully replicate. Additionally, many components of the ship are being tested under worst-case scenario parameters, such as generator feedback, emergency startup from dead ship conditions, as well as equipment shutdowns."
Lieberman said that although extra work was done to ready the ship for testing, the engineers and the rest of the Military Sealift Command crew ensure the ship is always in top shape in case of a deployment. And according to Cicchetti, the ship also runs a proven regimen of shipboard testing in quarterly dock trials and exercises.
"The engineers and the rest of the crew are always working hard to keep the ship operational," Lieberman said. "The main systems are always kept at full status. There are just always small items to deal with just as if you were at home, such as light bulbs going out and small leaks."
"We are seeing the synergy between the civilian mariner crew and the medical treatment facility crews, and this is positive," said Capt. Albert Shimkus, commanding officer of the Medical Treatment Facility embarked aboard Comfort.
"People forget this is a military sealift command ship, crewed by dedicated civilian mariners," Shimkus said. "Those civilian mariners are a vital part of the Comfort team, and this ship cannot meet success without them. They had this ship ready to go in approximately 60 hours following activation for Katrina relief operations."
In addition to the testing that took place in Norfolk, Comfort teamed up with USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) for a teleconference discussing the interoperability and roles of the hospital ship programs and the integration of services May 12.
Comfort's current mission began as a training exercise in Halifax with an international medical mass casualty drill that included the Canadian forces, British Royal navy, U.S. Navy and a representative from the Japanese navy. The ship had a short stop in Boston, as well.
In previous missions, Comfort assisted in relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. At her height, the hospital ship had more than 700 medical and support personnel aboard to assist in the Federal Emergency Management Agency-led initiative to provide disaster relief to the Gulf region. The ship also took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom and provided services for rescue workers after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Comfort has unique capabilities for humanitarian relief missions and casualty care, including helicopter lift, advanced medical equipment, a wide range of medical skills, berthing and personnel support, as well as supplies to support medical operations ashore.
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