My Sailor in the News...Letter

After not seeing my boy since last July, I was so blessed by this picture and article about what Aaron does in the Navy. I'll never forget asking, Aaron, on him entering the 9th grade what he wanted to be when he grew up. It makes me laugh to think about his response now. He said, "Hmmmmm, let me see, what does every 8th grade boy want to be? How about a Fireman." Hey, six years later and he is now a Electrician's Mate Fireman Recruit. LOL!

Engineering’s E division maintain the spark of life
By MC3 John Suits
Electrician’s Mate Fireman Recruit Aaron Householder and Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Terry Cool, both of Engineering Department’s Electrical division, perform maintenance on a ventilation vacuum in the electrical tool issue office.

“We ensure TR’s electrical distribution is intact and all electrical loads work,” said Chief Electrician’s Mate (SW/AW) Pamela Patterson, E division leading chief petty officer. “Ninety-eight percent of E division Sailors are qualified to handle any electrical equipment on the ship. The reason we take qualifications seriously is because electricity will cause harm to Sailors and the ship. We train our Sailors to have enough knowledge to handle equipment to do their jobs safely and efficiently.”


E division Sailors play a role in ensuring every electrical aspect of the ship is in working order.


“We’re in charge of the electricity in the air conditioning ventilation systems, aircraft elevators, deck edge elevators, hangar bay doors, sound-powered phones and 1MC (ship’s general announcement system),” said Patterson.


Sailors are required to obtain numerous qualifications to become certified in repairing electrical systems and equipment.


“Once Sailors report to TR from ‘A’ School, they start working on their basic qualifications, such as load center rover,” said Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class (SW/AW) Kevin Robinson, E division lighting shop work center supervisor. “Another basic qualification Sailors have to get is electrical safety inspector to check for any potential electrical hazards and any electrical equipment not safety checked.”


E division is also responsible for operating load centers, which distribute power to several sections throughout the ship.


“Load centers are main distribution panels designed to send electricity to different sectors of the ship,” said Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Terry Cool, electrical tool issue leading petty officer. “We currently have 32 load centers located throughout the ship to power TR’s nine electrical zones.”


Cool says E division gets more requests to repair electrical equipment than any other division in Engineering Department.


“Any time an electrical casualty is called away over the 1MC, an electrician responds by securing power to the space so that nobody gets electrocuted trying to extinguish a fire,” said Cool. “When we had a fire in the incinerator, the vent fan for the incinerator broke down and the Electrician’s Mates in the motor rewind shop rewound the motor as fast as they could to get the incinerator working again.”


From primary flight control to the flight deck, the hangar bays to the reactor spaces, electricity flows all around the ship. E division Sailors play a large role in keeping electrical power up and running to support TR’s mission while on deployment.