Question 1Safety & Environmental - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is A) feel the bulkhead. The reasoning for this is that in the event of a suspected fire, the proper procedure is to feel the bulkhead (the wall separating the compartments) with the back of your hand before opening any access points. This is to determine if the bulkhead is hot, which would indicate a fire on the other side. Opening the watertight door (option C) or moving a lighted candle along the seal (option D) could potentially provide oxygen to the fire and cause it to spread, which should be avoided. Tapping the bulkhead (option B) would not provide the same information as feeling it for heat. Therefore, option A, feeling the bulkhead, is the correct and safest approach to confirm the presence of a fire in the adjacent compartment.