How should the time of the alarm be documented during a response?

Documenting the time of an alarm during a response is essential for maintaining an accurate record of events for accountability and analysis purposes. Using a written log is the most reliable method, as it creates a permanent record that can be referenced later. This documentation is critical for post-incident reviews, legal inquiries, and ensuring that all actions taken during the alarm are clearly recorded and can be evaluated.

Written logs provide a precise and verifiable time stamp of when the alarm was sounded and when actions were initiated, which is crucial for understanding the sequence of events. Additionally, it minimizes the possibility of errors that can occur with mental notes or verbal communications, which may be subjective or forgotten over time.

Other methods lack the reliability and permanence of written logs. Communicating with the Command Duty Officer (CDO) may be informative, but it doesn’t ensure that a formal record is created. Keeping a mental note is highly unreliable as it depends on human memory, which can fail, especially in high-stress situations. Alerting the ship's crew is essential for response but doesn’t serve the purpose of documenting the timing of the alarm in a formalized manner. Therefore, utilizing a written log is the most effective means of ensuring accurate and accountable documentation during such scenarios.