BSSC

Can someone enlighten me to the expiry dates for the BSSC. I have heard so many different versions, that I have no idea if i'm in date, out of date, need to do an ISSC, BSSC, One day course etc. Help!!! :lol:

 

BSSC lasts for 2 years, ISSC lasts for 4 years

 

I have been reliably informed by my PSI that BSSC is 3 years. ISSC is 4 years but was my understanding that ISSC was no longer available to RNR and that RNR was BSSC only

 

Look at the latest RNTM (annual) or Phone Phoenix booking office.

 

Correct - BSSC 3 years. RNR no longer do ISSC because we can never remember the basics let alone the intermediate aspects of fire fighting.

 

you may find one or two members on here that disagree with your sweeping statement trehorn, or are you just refering to members of ceres :lol: :wink: 8O

 

Applologies for the sweeping statement - i just dont think that firefighting training once every three years prepares you properly. I know weekends are arranged in unit but a pair of overalls and anti flash is hardly the same as Fearnought and BA etc.

 

Perhaps they have the equipment in sherwood, i know the only thing we dont have at our unit for fire fighting is a ship to do it in! if the equipment needed is not there perhaps you should speak to your nbcdq (if you have one) and try and obtain it through naval stores. ours did.
Best of luck in your (potential) quest, to obtain the afrementioned NBCD equipment.

 

Perhaps they have the equipment in sherwood, i know the only thing we dont have at our unit for fire fighting is a ship to do it in! if the equipment needed is not there perhaps you should speak to your nbcdq (if you have one) and try and obtain it through naval stores. ours did.
Best of luck in your (potential) quest, to obtain the afrementioned NBCD equipment.[/quote]

Sherwood borrow it from forward, Ceres borrow it from Sherwood. i still dont see what the problem is with opening the damage control school up for one weekend a year to give us a refresher. One weekend there would be better than ten in unit weekends. Not critisism of the units but it just isnt realistic enough.

 

Allegedly RNR being excluded from ISSC was a reaction to a number of RNR attending the ISSC and making complete twats of themselves...I can vouch for this on the basis that the particular twats in question were unfortunately oppos of mine at the time....thankfully these particular idiots no longer grace out midst.

Speak for yourself I have sailed through the ISSC on two seperate occasions. As per usual the minority of numpties in the RNR spoil it for those of us who can step up to the plate when required and give the RN another excuse to exclude us from valuable and challenging training opportunities.!!

 

I agree but it may take a little bit longer than one weekend to get everyone through, but the idea is great, but i still think that there is less value in the 'new' environmentally friendly units than there ever was in the old real fire ones we used to use. Another example of health and safety/enviromental interferences i guess

 

Speak for yourself I have sailed through the ISSC on two seperate occasions. As per usual the minority of numpties in the RNR spoil it for those of us who can step up to the plate when required and give the RN another excuse to exclude us from valuable and challenging training opportunities.!![/quote]

Like i said - Apologies for the asweeping statement. It was actually intended to come accross tongue in cheek - but i guess it didnt.

I personally feel reasonably confident with firefighting to the extent where i am comfortable with a BSSC, but having talked to people who are somewhat longer in the tooth than myself i am informed that they did struggle with the ISSC a little. And this bloke has been in twenty years, been to see many times and is what i would call a very competant RNR member.
Not casting aspersions at all i have spoken to many a salty RNR sea dog who claims to be profficient in their branch - only then to sea them make complete twats of themselves by completely ******* something up.

Just out of interest how long have you been in and are you an ex-matlow?

I tend to keep my head down, listen show a keen interest in whats going on and volunteer for things that arise - but rarely claim that i am proficient. it saves you looking a prick when it goes wrong.

PLEASE NOTE: BEFORE ANYONE STARTS RIPPING MY HEAD OFF, THIS IS HOW I FEEL - NOT ANYONE ELSE. I KNOW THERE ARE PERFECTLY CAPABLE RNR'S OUT THERE WHO WILL CRINGE AT THIS. BUT I HAVE CHANGED BRANCH IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND DESPITE BEING IN NEARLY SIX YEARS I STILL DONT FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO SAY I COULD DO THE JOB AS WELL AS THE RN.

Stand by - incomming.

 

My recollection is that the last RNRTM dealing with Fire-Fighting has BSSC currency now 4 years for the RNR; it also defines what specialisations are classed as a regular sea-goers.

 

I wont give away too much but not an ex matelot and 14 years.!!

I do not claim to be proficient either thats a dangerous statement to make unless you been gased, drowned and set alight on a regular basis. However I took a different approach during my time to some of my colleagues as described before (thankfully these particular idiots no longer grace out midst) and chose my ORT based on ships on COST rather than BBQing and RFA's in the West Indies.

To quote from the Cruel Sea..."Lots of Practice lovely lovely practice"

 

I was on the course that had the said twats on it, and spelt the end of ISSC for RNR. I hasten to add that I was not one of them - honest!! It was a very painful week. The instructor in question virtually exploded and had to be sent off the fire school to cool down. I was on the very next run (with another instructor) and we all breezed it.

However, have to agree that we don't do it enough. What we all sometimes forget is that the RN are doing drills on a regular basis, whereas RNR are only obliged to do an annual refresher. But it's like everything we do from SPO to firefighting and damage control, even tying knots - they're all degradable skills. Apart from doing training every weekend, I'm not sure what the answer is.

 

I would agree with you there. Too many PSI's think they're doing you a favour and offer you jollies rather than good training opertunities. Not really their fault, i suppose in the RN you look forward to the good run ashore.
In five years in i've done Vigo, Antwerp and a JMC. Out of all them the JMC was tops. In both Vigo and Antwerp i spent more than i earned. three days at sea and the rest in the pub. Damn good Jollies but sad as it may be, i prefered the JMC. The guys on the Oakleaf were tops and spent the three days from Portland to the Minches training me up on proceedures so that by the time we joined the exercise i was watch keeping both on the bridge and MCO.

Alas i have since forgotten all i learnt.

 

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My recollection is that the last RNRTM dealing with Fire-Fighting has BSSC currency now 4 years for the RNR; it also defines what specialisations are classed as a regular sea-goers.[/quote]

I heard the same, but that we also were expected to an NBCD weekend which are supposed to be held regionally, at least once a year to stay current.

 

I think you will find that the main reason that RNR no longer undertake a ISSC is because there is no way a CO on board ship will allow an RNR rating to take charge of a FFP whilst on their annual 2 weekly jaunt.

 

One of the reasons that ISSC was stopped for RNR's was due a number of RNR's that tried doing their ISSC and let them selves down badly...making the RNR look lik a monkey f**king a football...I personally knew at least two RNR ratings that were ditched off the course due to their ineptitude....nothing to do with CO's of ships...I for one have been fully integrated within shipboard NBCD incl firefighting...during both exercises and for real....at the end of the day it all comes down to experience and being able to show that you can do the job!!

I do feel agreived that I am now limited to BSSC as a result when I could gain more training value from an ISSC course...two of which I have completed without any snags..!!

Hey ho but thats the RN when it comes to training TAR us all based on a minority of halfwits!!

 

Whether any RNRs made arses of themselves at an ISSC or not has absolutley the square root of stuff all to do with ISSC being stopped for RNRs - it was all based on a business case related to the cost-value benefit and the difficulty (given all the other training demands on RNRs plus limited (in most cases) time to undertake training) in staying current.