In an abandon ship drill, after donning life jackets, what is the next step?

• A. Sign off procedure
• B. Return to ship
• C. Inspect engines
• D. Lower to lifeboats, assemble at embarkation points, and account for all crew.

Answer: (D)

This item tests the sequence of actions in an abandon ship drill. After putting on life jackets, the next step is to lower to lifeboats, assemble at embarkation points, and conduct a muster to account for all crew. Lowering the lifeboats provides a ready means of evacuation, assembling at embarkation points keeps everyone in the right places and reduces crowding, and accounting for all crew ensures no one is missing before launch. Other options aren’t part of the immediate evacuation flow: signing off is administrative, returning to the ship would defeat the purpose of abandoning ship, and inspecting engines is unrelated to the drill’s immediate actions.