to keep their feet on dry land.

But they are ready and willing to rush to the aid of ships off Bermuda if they are hit by fire.

And in such a situation, they could easily find themselves helping a ship's fire team which they helped to train.

This week 34 crew members of the Kloster Cruise Liner Westward , which carries passengers between New York and Bermuda, were undergoing training at Hamilton Fire Station.

They are the latest crew to be given basic training in dealing with certain fires that they could encounter on board ship.

Lt. Thompson points out that the training must enable the ship's crew to deal with the fire even though the Bermuda Fire Service do go on board ships docked in Bermuda or nearby.

"I have never been to a fire on a ship but we have been called to accidents at sea,'' he said. "The last instance was when a ship off St.

David's was hit by a tanker.

"The last ship fire I can remember is when a grain ship was brought into Bermuda. The fire was under control but the Hamilton Fire Service had to make sure it was completely out.'' Lt. Mullen explained that the 34 men had arrived from the Westward for training in groups of mainly six. In Hamilton they were taught what to expect if fire broke out.

The crew was also involved in practical situations of fighting a pile of wood on fire and working their way through the fire station's smoke logged training tower, in simulated conditions to a fire on board a ship. They were also taught about which fire extinguishers to use with fires involving flammable liquids, electrical equipment and metals.

Lt Thompson said: "Training for the fire teams would normally involve `what if' situations on board ship. Here they get involved practically.'' Staff Captain Gunstein Langset praised the fire officers, saying it was the best training his crew had experienced. "These are the best training facilities we have seen and we have been to many places in the world, including the Bahamas and the United States,'' he said.

During a presentation to Capt. Langset, Bermuda's Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mr. Vincent Hollinsid said that the training worked both ways with the Bermudian fire fighters getting a chance to study the layout of the Westward in case such information was needed in the future.

Lt. Thompson said: "I would prefer to fight fires on land because at sea you just do not know what to expect next.

"The real problem is that a ship has confined areas close to a greater concentration of people than we would normally deal with.

"It means using breathing apparatus at all times and inside corridors where you can lose the concept of distance you have travelled.

"Inside a ship there is also the intense heat which is not helped by the metal structures.

"When we go on board a ship where there is a fire we expect to find the fire teams already fighting the fire and then we help out, because on board the captain is still in charge.'' WELL TRAINED -- Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mr. Vincent Hollinsid presents a plaque to Staff Capt. Gunstein Langstet of the cruise ship Westward , after crew members finished a fire fighting course at Hamilton Fire Station yesterday. Behind Mr. Hollinsid is senior training officer Div. Off. Eugene Bell. Also pictured is Lt. Jon Thompson (left), Lt. Michael Mullen (third from right) and the ship's fire team.