Damage Controlmen (DC) were responsible for maintaining the full range of damage control systems aboard Navy vessels — fire main pressurization, portable firefighting equipment, dewatering pumps, firefighting foam systems, repair locker equipment, and ship’s stability — and for training all ship’s company personnel in damage control procedures. DC work was uniquely distributed throughout the entire ship’s hull, as damage control stations, fire stations, flooding control equipment, and repair locker locations were distributed throughout every compartment of the vessel — requiring DC maintenance access throughout all spaces of the pre-1975 vessels where asbestos was present in all interior construction.

Ship-Wide Damage Control Maintenance and Asbestos Exposure

DC maintenance rounds took Damage Controlmen throughout every space in the ship — engineering spaces, crew berthing, weapons spaces, and damage control stations — all built with asbestos-containing materials in pre-1975 vessels:

  • Fire station maintenance — portable fire extinguisher inspection and hydrostatic testing, fire hose reel maintenance, and AFFF foam system inspection took DCs through all fire station locations throughout the asbestos-containing ship interior
  • Fire main system maintenance — Damage Controlmen maintained the ship’s fire main pressurization system, including fire main pumps, fire main distribution valves, and standpipe connections throughout the hull. Fire main valve packing and gasket maintenance involved asbestos packing in fire main service valves throughout the ship
  • Engineering space access — DC Repair Lockers were located adjacent to engineering spaces, and Damage Controlmen performed casualty response training and equipment checks in boiler rooms and engine rooms where asbestos-insulated piping, boilers, and turbines were present
  • Damage control locker contents — DC repair lockers contained asbestos-containing materials used in damage control response: asbestos rope for packing stuffing tubes, asbestos mittens and protective clothing for firefighting, and asbestos patches for temporary repair of overheated surfaces

Asbestos Firefighting Equipment

Damage Controlmen used and maintained asbestos-containing personal protective equipment and damage control materials aboard pre-1975 vessels:

  • Asbestos firefighting gloves and mittens — the standard heat protection worn by firefighting teams in damage control response used asbestos as the primary heat-resistant material in the gloves
  • Asbestos rope and packing for emergency pipe repair — DC lockers maintained asbestos rope used in emergency packing of leaking pipe fittings and stuffing tubes in flooding casualty response
  • Asbestos protective clothing worn by firefighting hose team members in fire response

Shipyard Availability Damage Control Work

During shipyard overhaul availabilities, Damage Controlmen participated in damage control system testing and inspection at a time when asbestos insulation was being stripped and replaced throughout the ship’s engineering spaces. DCs present during shipyard periods were exposed to airborne asbestos fiber from insulation removal work throughout the ship.

VA Claims for DC Rating Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure for Navy veterans in ratings with documented asbestos exposure histories. Damage Controlmen who served aboard pre-1975 vessels and handled asbestos-containing damage control materials and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.