SURVIVAL GUIDEBy: Kiya Boone

EDMUND FITZGERALD!!Lake Bulk Freighter built in 1958 by the Great

Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, MI as Hull #301. Her keel was laid in August, 1957. Launched June 7, 1958 as a)

EDMUND FITZGERALD for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. (Columbia Transportation Co., Cleveland, OH, mgr.). 729'loa, 711'lbp x 75'x 39'; 13,632 GRT, 8713 NRT, 26,600 dwt.

Powered by a 7,500 shp Westinghouse Electric Co. double reduction geared, cross-compound steam turbine, and two coal-fired Combustion Engineering water tube boilers, with a total heating surface of 13,288 sq.ft.

BUILT Engine and boilers built in 1958. Rated

service speed: 14 knots (16.1 mph). Sea trials occurred on September 13th, and

she was commissioned on September 22nd. The FITZGERALD's first cargo of taconite

pellets was loaded September 24, 1958 at Silver Bay, MN. for Toledo, OH.

A Bird-Johnson diesel powered bow thruster was installed in 1969 resulting in a decrease in net registered tonnage to 8686.

INSTALLING AND REPAIRING!! The FITZ collided with the Canadian steamer

HOCHELAGA at the mouth of the Detroit River, May 1, 1970, suffering slight damage at hatches 18 and 19.

During the 1971-72 winter lay up at Duluth, MN., she was converted from coal to oil-fired boilers which were automated at that time, and the fuel tanks were installed in the space that was occupied by the coal bunkers.

Also a fire fighting system and a sewage holding tank were installed at that time.

Minor cracking at the keelson to shell connection was repaired by installing additional stiffening on the keelson in 1970 and additional welding was required in 1973-74.

S.T.O.P

S STANDS FOR?"S" is for Stop. Take a deep

breath, sit down if possible, calm yourself and recognize that whatever has happened to get you here is past and cannot be undone. You are now in a survival situation and that means . . .

T STANDS FOR?"T" is for Think. Your most important

asset is your brain. Use it! Don't Panic! Move with deliberate care. Think first, so you have no regrets later. Take no action, even a foot step, until you have thought it through. Unrecoverable mistakes and injuries, potentially serious in a survival situation, occur when we act before we engage our brain. Then . . .

O STANDS FOR?"O" is for Observe. Take a look

around you. Assess your situation and options. Consider the terrain, weather and resources. Take stock of your supplies, equipment, surroundings, your personal capabilities and, if there are any, the abilities of your fellow survivors.

P STANDS FOR?"P" is for Plan. Prioritize your

immediate needs and develop a plan to systematically deal with the emergency and contingencies while conserving your energy. Then, follow your plan. Adjust your plan only as necessary to deal with changing circumstances.

S.T.O.P

YOU WILL SURVIVE!