Question 30 LB01 - Lifeboat Operator

The Correct Answer is A **Explanation for Option A (Correct):** A handheld smoke signal produces a large volume of dense, colored smoke, which is essential for attracting attention. However, this smoke can quickly obscure the liferaft, making it difficult for rescuers to spot or potentially causing distress and coughing for those inside. Activating the signal **on the downwind side of the liferaft** ensures that the wind carries the smoke immediately away from the vessel and its occupants, maximizing visibility for rescuers while keeping the liferaft and its occupants clear of the noxious fumes. **Explanation of Incorrect Options:** * **B) At the stern of the liferaft:** While aiming the signal away from the bow might seem logical, "stern" is relative and does not inherently guarantee the smoke will clear the liferaft safely. If the stern happens to be facing upwind, the smoke will blow directly back over the occupants. The determining factor for safe deployment is the wind direction (downwind), not a fixed structural point like the stern. * **C) Inside the liferaft:** This is extremely dangerous. Activating a pyrotechnic signal inside a confined space like a liferaft would immediately fill it with dense smoke and noxious fumes, causing severe distress, potential burning (as the signal gets very hot), and making breathing impossible. * **D) On the upwind side of the liferaft:** Activating the signal on the upwind side would cause the prevailing wind to immediately blow the entire plume of smoke directly over and into the liferaft, negating its use as a rescue aid and endangering the occupants.