What do you do during an indirect attack?

• A. Secure ventilation
• B. Open vents
• C. Increase water flow
• D. Close doors

Answer: (A)

The main idea is to stop the spread of smoke or toxic air by cutting off the air distribution path. During an indirect attack, contaminants travel through the ship’s ventilation system, so the most effective step is to secure ventilation—close vents and dampers and seal openings to prevent air from carrying smoke to other spaces. Opening vents would just push the contamination into other areas, making things worse. Increasing water flow is a direct-fire tactic and doesn’t address airborne spread, while closing doors helps isolate spaces but doesn’t halt the movement of air through the ventilation system. Securing ventilation directly limits cross-contamination and buys time to control the situation.