Page 12: of Marine News Magazine (May 2025)

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Insights

Training Tips for Ships

The Drill Dilemma:

Turning Routine Safety Drills into Lasting Lessons

By Heather Combs, CEO, Ripple Operations

Every mariner knows the routine: tional value. For instance, if a ? re drill always occurs at the alarms sound, crew muster, checklists are followed, and same location and at roughly the same time, crew members will anticipate and mentally prepare for it, reducing their then everyone returns to work. But the question remains— are these mandatory safety drills truly improving onboard readiness for unexpected events. Introducing variability, such as changing the location, timing, or even the type of safety, or have they simply become boxes to check? The re- ality is, drills often suffer from predictability and repetition, incident simulated, helps keep mariners alert and prepared. causing crews to disengage and limiting their effectiveness. Realistic scenarios also encourage critical thinking and im-

This month, we explore how to transform these routine prove practical problem-solving abilities under pressure.

drills into impactful and fresh learning experiences by com- bining them with microlearning techniques that reinforce Microlearning: Small Lessons, Big Impact

Microlearning refers to delivering training in short, tar- skills, enhance recall, and foster genuine safety awareness.

geted lessons designed for quick understanding and easy recall. In maritime contexts, microlearning can mean ? ve-

Realism Matters

Safety drills should mimic real-life scenarios as closely as minute safety talks, brief videos shown during shift chang- es, or interactive ? ashcards distributed through mobile possible. When drills are predictable, they lose their educa- © Mariusz/AdobeStock 12 | MN May 2025