Ships are a dangerous place to be, even in peace time or in
port. When at sea there is no external fire or police department
to call, the ships crew must do everything. During emergencies,
to save the ship, every sailor about ship has a specific job to
do. Abandon Ship: Used when the ship is in such a condition that
it may sink or it is an extreme danger to the crew, and the crew
must leave the ship. It may only be ordered by the Commanding
Officer. Word passed is "Prepare to abandon ship, nearest land
is ___ degrees (magnetic), friendly/unfriendly(whether the local
people are friend or foe), distance to land, temperature of the
water, and deep or shallow water destruction instruction (in
water less than 100 fathoms, important documents must be burned.
In water greater than 100 fathoms, they may go down with the
ship. " All headings are given in magnetic bearings so a compass
can be used to navigate life rafts. When ordered, the crew will
grab their life jackets and report to their abandon ship
stations. Man