b'wikimedia.orgFOGHORN FOCUSHow Bridge NavigationTechnologyCAN SAVE LIVESBY LAWRENCE TILL // PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST FOR FURUNO USA, INC.I ts two hours into the middle watch. As officer of the watch,If youre not familiar with Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm Systems youre settled in your chair, taking in all that is around you.(BNWAS),youshouldbe.AccordingtotheU.S.CoastGuard, Black water stretches out on all sides, broken only by glitteringthousands of preventable accidentsby far the majority are due refl ections of the moonlight. Your eyes move to the stars for just ato operator inattention. As a statistic, its cited more than twice as moment, their cold, white light shining down to meet you wherefrequentlyasthenextleadingfactor.ItswhytheInternational you are. You refl ect upon them in wonderment, just for a moment.MaritimeOrganization(IMO)hasrequiredtheinstallationof Youre fi lled with reverence, not for the fi rst time, at how fortunateBNWAS on all passenger and cargo ships over 150gt for more than you are to witness such beauty, to feel the stillness in your soul. Youseven years. BNWAS is also a highly recommended addition for non-refl ect upon how you are but one of the many thousands of marinersmandatory vessels, including many commercial fl eet ships and large before you to gaze upon this vast open horizon, to think these samerecreational vessels. thoughts,tofeelthisincredibly fi contentment.ThatstheThe system requires the watch officerlling word.ThereiscontentmentAccording to the U.S.to signal their presence on the bridge here. You close your eyes, just forCoast Guard, thousands ofinthree-to12-minuteincrementsby a moment. manually resetting a countdown timer. preventable accidentsbyOn some systems, the watch officer can Ajarringalarmsoundsonthefar the majorityare dueresetthetimerbysimplyinteracting bridge.Youreyes,closedforbutwithotherconnectednavigational amoment,openandtakeintheto operator inattention. electronics. Changing radar parameters, familiar scene. A yellow light fl ashescheckingthechart,ormakingan rapidly on a nearby panel. You riseadjustmenttootherelectronics and, with the press of a button, silence the aggravating shrill of thenetworked to the system can all serve to indicate operator attention electronic siren that just pulled you from your place of contentment.and reset the timer. The point is to ensure the operators presence The light ceases its warning. You resume your place, taking in all thatand fi tness, indicating the watch officer has not fallen asleep, left the is around you. Five minutes from now, youll do it all again. bridge for a prolonged period, or otherwise become incapacitated.It is no slight to say that being the lone watch keeper on the bridge atWhen it cannot sense an alert and active operator on the bridge, night can be hypnotic. Take the low light of a bridge at night and thetheBNWASsystemreactsinstages,beginningwithafl ashing hum of the electronics, couple them with the deep vibration frombridge alarm followed shortly by an audible bridge alarm. If the the engines below. Now add a lone human being with a tremendouswatch officer does not respond in a timely fashion, the next stage responsibility and a disrupted circadian rhythm. The result is anof the sequence is triggered with the sounding of audible alarm atmosphere eerily conducive to rest, an atmosphere that has been atpanels in the captains or fi rst officers cabins. If the alarm continues least partially responsible for lulling many an officer of the watch intowithout action on the bridge to reset the timer, further audible a false sense of complacency.alarmsaretriggeredinotherareasoftheshipwherecreware FOGHORN FOCUS: SAFETY 12 FOGHORN'