The Merchant Marine Express

I know it’s been sometime since I’ve written. A lot of transiting and port visits have occurred. However, I want to discuss the medical emergency that happened, aboard, last night! One of our engine room crewmembers died of a heart attack after hours of trying to revive him through CPR and other methods!

It apparently started out around the beginning of the “Oiler’s” Watch, at 1530 (3:30pm) as he was complaining of not being able to breathe. Once the Chief Engineer and then the Bridge was contacted, then a Medical Advisory Service (MAS) was contacted via telephone to help with medical needs. All ‘hands’ were called out to assist with the efforts- both with George, the oilier, and with receiving and making calls to various vessels and authority personnel. I was helping with the boats that approached our vessel- as we brought individuals, onboard; offering a ladder for the additional medical personnel to come aboard I also took over the bridge watch as we were still underway at 7-8 mph.
The whole scene was encompassed by a couple of US Coast Guard Helicopters, an auxiliary coast guard boat, a ‘41’-foot Coast Guard Boat and the efforts of four paramedics and 1st and 2nd Mates to try and resuscitate the 58 year-old man. The helicopters would alternate as they circled our huge ship and they lowered two paramedics. Once the patient was transferred to the coast guard boat and transported back to port, he apparently lost the fight- the will to survive, just as they were approaching their dock.
I was alerted by the whole ordeal as I could sense the boat was slowing down, as I relaxed in my room. I, first, thought that our boat was proceeding to an anchorage as these boats, often times find a location to ‘wait it out’ through rough seas. But, no sounds of the anchor being deployed, ever happened. We were essentially drifting upon ten foot seas and overcast skies with occasional showers, at that point. However, just as soon as I heard the swooping of an ‘aircraft’ was it apparent that there was something definitely wrong, and I quickly threw on some pants and warm shirt. This is when I ran up to the bridge to assist the Captain in ‘whatever’ I needed to help with.
George, the man who ended up dying, was a chain smoker and was over weight. I saw him as the crew finally brought him out from the aft house where they were working on him and as he layed on the Stokes Litter waiting to be transferred to the coast guard boat- he looked very ashen-grey! As much as we would have liked to believe we saved his life, most of the crew who were tasked to help with chest compressions and shocking of the body through an automatic external defibrillator (AED), they think he had given up just prior to leaving our vessel. It was a long hour-and-a-half event, but soon our boat would be underway and continuing its intended course to Gary , Indiana with a load of stone.
One final note. I have been given a tentative ‘sign off’ date of November the 3rd. This is because the company has found a bonified Mate with a pilot’s license who can resume the third mate’s position. It is known that whenever there is a spot and a Mate is available, then the ‘relief’ mate needs to relinquish the position.

I hope you have a good day, nonetheless.

-Nadir

Tags: Arthur M.Anderson