An Cosantóir

36 | Shane Hackett Leading Hand/Engine Room Artificer (L/ERA) LÉ Ciara A fter completing a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cork IT, I applied for the engine room artificer (ERA) direct-entry competition and joined the Naval Service in January this year. We completed an initial 17-weeks of basic training including seamanship, damage control, fire-fighting, and sea survival. Since we will be leading hands we also underwent leadership training. After a leave bloc we then went to the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) for an introductory ERA course, which gave us an understanding of all the ship's mechanical equipment. There's a lot to learn: engines, the pitch propeller, sewage plant, oil purifiers, sea water pumps, fresh water pumps, and water treatment plant. Then you have the emergency equipment such as the backup generators. The next stage, which I'm currently on, involves going to sea for 18 weeks. As part of this training block we act as understudies to the ship's ERA and Mech as we are still learning how the machinery works and how guys do their job at sea. As part of this training we have to complete an ERA task book and a watchkeeping task book. These are checked and signed off by the ship's CPO/ERA and the Marine Engineering Officer. CPO/ERA Mick Laffen in the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) will go through everything with us when we have all completed. We also do the Mech and ERA watches. The ERA watch is carried out in the Machine Control Room (MCR) where all the control panels for the ship's mechanical equipment are located. If anything is wrong it will be indicated on the screen. When the ship is alongside we get any maintenance done on the ship's mechanical equipment, so we are busy both at sea and alongside. The L/ERA is in charge of fire-fighting and damage control and as part of our training we are carrying out Duty Petty Officer (DPO) duties so we can learn the ropes. If a fire alarm goes off when you are DPO you are the first responder. Even though we already have a qualification we are constantly learning, especially how a ship actually functions. When we are finished our 18-weeks at sea we then have to go back to the NMCI for an eight-week professional ERA course. Hopefully by November I will be fully qualified. It's a great job although I'm still finding my sea legs! The career prospects with the Naval Service are endless. "It's a great job although I'm still finding my sea legs!" An Cosantóir October 2013 www.dfmagazine.ie

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