From Coney Island to Times Square, scheduled events and displays will take place May 26 - June 1, giving New Yorkers and tourists the chance to tour visiting ships, take an up-close look at U.S. aircrafts and artillery pieces, and pay tribute to the men and women serving the nation.
Deployment can take U.S. service members all over the globe on combat, peacekeeping, and training missions. While they are at work protecting the nation, standards in turn help keep them safe at sea.
U.S. Navy operations can keep ships away from home port for up to six months at a time. A ship's engineering systems must therefore take into consideration the challenges posed by prolonged time at sea and the unique nature of the marine environment. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) member and accredited standards developer the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) has developed a number of standards to improve marine manufacturing, maintenance, service, and safety for recreational boating, and has also partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard in support of their national boating safety program. One American National Standard (ANS) currently under development by ABYC, BSR/ABYC H-23-200x, Installation of Potable water systems on boats, guides the design, construction, and installation of potable water supply systems on boats to ensure an adequate supply of safe drinking water for all onboard.
Another ANS under development from ANSI member and accredited standards developer the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), BSR/IEEE 45-201x, Recommended Practice for Electrical Installations on Ships, addresses the design and installation of systems and equipment on vessels that use electrical power, propulsion, steering, navigation, lighting, and communications.
Emergency preparedness safety measures are just important at sea as they are on land. A standard from ANSI member and audited designator ASTM International, ASTM F1198-92(2007), Standard Guide for Shipboard Fire Detection Systems, covers the selection, installation, maintenance, and testing of shipboard fire detection systems. Although this guide addresses vessels subject to regulations and ship classification rules, it can also be applied to unregulated commercial vessels, military vessels, pleasure craft, and similar vessels that are not required to meet regulations for fire detection and alarm systems.
In the event of an emergency, a standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) stands by to guide the use of lifesaving signs and safety markings. ISO 24409-1:2010, Ships and marine technology - Design, location and use of shipboard safety signs, safety-related signs, safety notices and safety markings - Part 1: Design principles, describes general design principles for shipboard safety signs used to communicate safety-related information to anyone on board ships. The standard was developed by ISO Technical Committee (TC) 8, Ships and marine technology, and its Subcommittee (SC) 1, Lifesaving and fire protection. ASTM administers the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to both committees.
While sailors are famous for their caps, it's up to New Yorkers this Fleet Week to tip their hats to the men and women serving the nation and the voluntary standards that help keep them safe.