Alert Conditions

The ship has several distinct alert levels. Each one signals to the crew that there needs to be a certain level of readiness for hazardous conditions. While the precise reactions and activities may vary depending on why the alert was called, such as hostile forces or natural phenomena, the basic rules are the same.

Standard Alerts

Condition Green (Cruise Mode)

This is the standard condition of the ship while underway. The crew goes about activities according to their normal schedule. Warp and impulse drives are functional but may be partly shut down for maintenance with prior authorization. Shields are kept on two-second standby, with automatic activation criteria set.

Condition Yellow

This alert signals a heightened chance of hazardous activity. On-duty personnel report to alert stations. Primary and auxiliary power systems are brought online. Non-essential operations, such as scientific experiments, that draw on power and other necessary resources are terminated at the discretion of the operations manager. All power systems are brought to full readiness. Automatic diagnostics are run on all internal bulkhead seals, force fields, and the escape pods.

Condition Red

This alert signals an immediate threat to vehicle and crew. All personnel must report to their alert stations. Individuals whose normal duties do not directly contribute to the function of the ship, such as laboratory and maintenance staff, are assigned to damage control and emergency medical teams under supervision of personnel from those divisions. Unless specifically countermanded, shields are raised and all weapons fully charged. All operational shuttlecraft are brought to standby status.

Special Alerts

Condition Grey

At times, the ship may need to enter power conservation mode. All non-essential systems are shut down and reactors are stepped down to high-efficiency mode. Where possible, unused compartments are sealed to reduce environmental load. Most food synthesizers are shut down, with the crew relying on either field ration kits from stores or a simplified menu delivered from the central kitchen. At extremes, crew members may be placed in medical stasis. In such a state, the ship can survive on radioelectric batteries almost indefinitely.

Intruder Alert

In the event there is an intruder aboard the ship, the crew will be alerted by a general alarm, or by compartment-specific notices if it is necessary to avoid alerting the intruder. Security squads will be dispatched to the bridge and main engineering, while the remainder of the tactical department will be organized into search teams. All compartments should be sealed and crew should shelter in place, drawing locally stored sidearms where possible. A related alert, to repel boarders, is done if there is a larger organized hostile force. Crew should draw sidearms and either evacuate, shelter, or report to defensive strongpoints as directed by the bridge or security control room.

Abandon Ship

If the ship must be evacuated, an alert will sound, followed by more specific instructions if necessary. This may direct crew members to the escape craft or transporters depending on which is most appropriate given the time available and condition of the ship. When evacuating by escape craft, most of the crew will proceed to escape pods, while medical staff and the injured will move to the shuttle bay. The bridge crew will remain behind until all crew are accounted for, then eject the bridge module.

Examples

Lt. T'Lar is a nurse assigned to Beta shift in sickbay. If a yellow alert takes place during Alpha or Gamma shift, she is not required to respond. If it happens during Beta shift, she is already at her assigned alert station. She will verify that sickbay is ready to receive casualties by running equipment readiness checks, drawing medicine stocks, and postponing any non-essential treatments or checkups. If the ship goes to Red alert, she will assist with medical treatment of injured crew.

Ens. Johnson and Lab Tech 1 ch'Veras are members of the Biology Division. In a yellow alert, they will secure and make safe any ongoing experiments before reporting to alert stations. During a red alert, Johnson is assigned to a damage control party on Deck 06, while ch'Veras reports to the emergency medical station on Deck 07 to join a stretcher team. If the emergency requires their scientific expertise, these assignments will be overridden by the Chief Science Officer or the bridge.

Astrogator's Mate Garm is assigned as Gamma shift helmsman. If the ship goes to Red alert, he awaits the arrival of the Chief Helmsman to relieve him, and then reports to the hangar deck as a shuttle pilot. He will assist with making his assigned shuttle ready for launch in the event of a rescue mission or evacuation.

Lt. Skon is in the mess hall when an intruder alert is sounded. As senior officer present, he directs that the doors be sealed, and draws a Phaser-1 from the small arms locker located beside the food slots, distributing the remaining weapons to qualified personnel. He then contacts security for further instructions.