General quarters General Quarters or Battle Stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship to signal the crew to prepare for battle or imminent damage . When the call to General Quarters ( GQ ) is announced , the crew prepares the ship to join battle . Off - duty or sleeping crewmembers report to their stations and prepare for action , watertight doors and fireproof doors between bulkheads are shut and security is increased around sensitive areas , such as the bridge and engineering rooms . While the term ' General Quarters ' is used in the navies such as the surface fleet of the United States Navy , other navies , such as the Royal Navy use the term ' Action Stations ' . In French , the term is " Aux postes de combat " ( " to combat stations " ) , and was formerly " branle - bas de combat " , literally meaning that sleeping hammocks should be cleared off the gun deck , rolled , and stowed on the upper deck of the ship as protection against musket fire . The German Navy uses the term " Gefechtsstationen " , meaning literally " combat stations " . In Spanish the expression is " " Zafarrancho de combate " " ( literally , " prepare stations to combat " ) . The Dutch Koninklijke Marine uses " Gevechtswacht op post " ( " Combatants to stations " ) . The submarine fleet of the United States Navy uses the term " Battlestations " vice " General Quarters " Call to General Quarters . In modern navies , a " call to General Quarters " is made over the ship ' s intercom system . It is a time to pass news and information from higher ranking sailors to lower ranking ones . Beat to quarters . Historically , a drum pattern called the " beat to quarters " was played to signal the crew . The original ship ' s bell signal for Beating to Quarters was a rapidly rung bell 5 times , at 5 second repeats . Today , the GQ alarm is a rapidly repeating electronic klaxon bell rung in the same or a similar manner . There are different klaxon signals for different conditions . For example , a chemical - warfare signal ( requiring the crew to don respirators ) is a high - pitched solid whistle in the United States Navy , and a klaxon indicates combat stations , battle ensuing . The original " Beat to Quarters " drum signal was a three - second drum roll with two beats in between the rolls , i . e . , " tap tap roll tap tap roll " , etc . Upon signal , crew cleared the main gun deck ( s ) by taking all extraneous gear and equipment and stowing it down in the hold . All the cannon s were primed with gunpowder and loaded with the proper type of ammunition ( roundshot , chainshot , barshot , canister shot / caseshot , or grapeshot ) , depending on the situation at hand as determined by the ranking officer . It was common during times of war for all ships to " beat to quarters " shortly before dawn , as enemies might be sighted during sunrise . Drum beats were replaced in the 20th century by klaxon s or bells . General Quarters , or Beating to Quarters , is called whenever the ship or crew may face danger beyond what is necessarily expected of them during life at sea ( but the call may also be sounded when the ship is anchored , in harbor and / or tied to a dock ) . Quarters are called during storms , battles , and random sightings in the fog , because the general philosophy is that of preparedness . If a ship is to face the danger of the elements and should happen upon an enemy , it is much better to be prepared . All crew members are assigned their general quarters upon being accepted as a aboard even a modern naval vessel , with emphasis on where to go and what to do when the call is sounded ( see below ) . When GQ is called , all crewmembers must drop what they are doing , stow any non - battle related gear and / or non - emergency action gear and report to their general - quarters station . Then a roll is called and duties are assigned according to the situation requiring the GQ alarm . It is of utmost importance that each crewmember not only report immediately to their general quarters / battle station assignment , but that no one restrict the movement of any other crew member who is in the process of doing the same . The senior person at each location aboard the ship must ascertain who is present and who is not as a way to account for casualties ( wounded , missing or dead crewmembers , men overboard , etc ) . This is especially important in view of sealing off certain portions of the ship to prevent water damage , fire , smoke , enemy bombardment , etc , because a crewmember might be sealed in a part of the ship that prevents him from reporting to his station . The ships ' overall effectiveness and response time in battle or an emergency depends not only on GQ being sounded , but immediate adherence to it , accountability of personnel , and assignment of tasks based on available personnel at hand . The ship ' s mission must still be carried out in the event of missing personnel at any particular battle station , and redistribution of personnel , equipment , weapons and / or munitions is part of the decision - making process of the senior crewmen in each station , combined with collective decisions throughout the ship . Also , in the event that intruders are aboard the ship and attempt to intermix with the crew , roll - call and face - recognition is useful in weeding them out . Communication challenges . Voice communication being the first choice in transmitting orders , the noise and confusion of battle or an emergency situation may restrict its use and effectiveness . Modern - day ships have radio , electronic , light systems , telephone and computer - based technology that greatly enhance communication , but there is also the possibility that any or all of them could be damaged , disabled , out of commission , unavailable or blocked due to the exact battle condition or emergency at hand . Likewise , noise , enemy jamming , enemy interference , electronic pulses emitted by certain types of munitions , and other liabilities hamper communication . Darkness , heavy smoke , fire and lack of line - of - sight prevent it , but in situations of clear or adequate visibility , and when crewmembers can see each other , hand signals are effective , and flashlights are options , too . Whistles and Morse code ( tapping ) are other audible options , and can be used in innovative and imaginative ways . Coordination with other friendly ships in the immediate vicinity , friendly aircraft in the immediate vicinity , with higher command , and with shore - based units must be done , especially in the event of enemy attack or a devastating storm at sea . When operationally prudent , the ship ' s location at the start of GQ should be transmitted to higher headquarters , other friendly ships and aircraft , in the event that communication or visual contact is lost . Usually , if one ship in close proximity to other friendly ships goes to GQ , all of the others will do the same , for the same threat may exist for them all . Required activities . Only a few of the ship ' s normal operations continue unabated during GQ , so life aboard ship during that time can be restricted and extremely unbearable . For instance , in the event of a chemical attack or fear thereof , the crew might have to wear respirators or other breathing apparatus during GQ , making movement and exertion more difficult than normal . If sinking is imminent , life jackets and survival kits are the appropriate attire , also making movement and exertion more difficult than normal . Where enemy fire is the threat , helmets and / or anti - flak jackets augment the normal uniform , and fire - fighting teams and equipment are dispersed as necessary . Crewmembers who were off - duty when GQ was sounded have been roused from their sleeping quarters , food service and water supply is usually suspended , including water for cooking , showers and flushing toilets . In some instances , even drinking water is unavailable . Other life - support systems , such as air - circulation and air conditioning , might be scaled back or suspended completely to save energy and / or fuel for combat systems or emergency - response systems . No person must enter a battle station unless they are assigned there , so as not to interfere with the crewmembers . Additionally , during GQ , no watertight hatch , fireproof hatch or any other secured entry - point may be opened without express permission from the senior crewman responsible for that area or from the ship ' s captain / bridge . Because of that , normal movement throughout the ship is usually not allowed at all , and when it is allowed , there must be a valid reason and / or purpose for such movement . Enginemen , hull technicians , boiler technicians and nuclear - reactor units ( where applicable ) report to their workspaces . Crewmembers who are assigned to gun positions , missile systems , ammunition issue points and other weapons - related functions report directly to their posts . Command center , combat center , pilot house and communications personnel report to the bridge or other type locations from which they perform their duties . Crewmembers assigned to shipboard aviation units or duties report to either the flight deck , the hangar deck , fueling stations , observation posts , aviation workshops , etc . Pilots and flight crews report to their aircraft , if the expectation is launch them . Medical personnel report to hospital , clinic or triage spaces . Damage - control teams report to either their workshops or points of vulnerability throughout the ship . All non - essential personnel , such as those having no particular assigned battle station or duties during GQ , are expected to remain out of the way of crewmembers actively involved in the response . Those people might include passengers , media personnel , non - crew technicians , and in certain ships , embarked troops such as amphibious landing units ( marines , for example ) . The best place for non - essential personnel to stay out of the way is in their sleeping quarters , which are usually not part of active response areas . Certain lighting , especially outer lights that can give away the ship ' s position , speed , distance , displacement ( tonnage ) , class / type or silhouette , are turned off or subdued , and inner lighting systems are diminished to only those absolutely necessary for movement within the ship ' s skin . Red lights come on automatically to alert any and all personnel that GQ is in effect , and in many parts of the ship , the red lighting completely replaces normal lighting . Termination . A ship ' s crew remains under General Quarters indefinitely until the command " Stand Down From General Quarters " or " All Clear " is sounded , which may be as little as several minutes . The ship ' s captain , after receiving information from department heads , has the authority to call a stand - down from GQ . In the event that the actual captain has become incapacitated to the point of being unable to command , the second - in - command becomes the captain , and that authority switches hands also . When the intercom is intact , it is used to announce stand - down , but other systems , including word - of - mouth , may be used also . It is important to note that caution must be applied to ensure that the order to stand down is authentic , and not stemming from miscommunication or enemy subterfuge . Under normal circumstances , there is no set time - period that General Quarters will remain in effect ; it is dependent upon the reason that it was called in the first place , and whether or not that reason still threatens the ship and its crew . The entire ship may be called to stand down from general quarters all at one time , or certain sections / units / duties may be told to remain at GQ , such as engine systems , steam plants , boilers , weapons , medical , aviation , command center or watch stations . Due to having a large percentage of the crew ( sometimes 100 % ) at readiness and the suspension of life - support systems as mentioned above , it is in the interest of the ship and the crew to balance the need for GQ against the judgement for calling it off . While a ship and its crew are at GQ , its readiness is enhanced , but the longer they remain at GQ while no immediate action takes place from the threat , stress sets in and increases as time goes by . Fewer crewmembers are available to relieve posts because the majority of the crew is already on duty . Eating , sleeping , showering and toilet - use have been cut back severely , which cannot continue forever . When making the decision to release all or part of the crew from GQ , the mission , safety , security and sanctity of the ship is utmost , and takes precedence over human comforts . Once " Stand Down From General Quarters " or " All Clear " is sounded , it is usually accompanied by an announcement of which duty section ( s ) will remain on station for normal tasks and duties . If damage is probable , suspected , unknown or has occurred , damage - control parties are dispatched to either assess it or repair it . Life - support systems that were suspended or cut back are restored , aircraft , weapons , munitions , and other equipment are all restocked and prepared for future use . Casualties are attended to and their duties redistributed among able - bodied crewmembers . Coordination with other friendly ships in the immediate vicinity , friendly aircraft in the immediate vicinity , with higher command , and with shore - based units must be done again , to alert them to the ship ' s status . When operationally prudent , the ship ' s location at the end of GQ should be transmitted to higher headquarters , other friendly ships and aircraft . Usually , if one ship in close proximity to other friendly ships stands down from to GQ , all of the others may do so also , Coordination is made with other friendly vessels in the area to ensure rescue / recovery of any men overboard , to include friendlies , enemies , civilians , non - combatants , etc . After - Action Reports , Battle - Damage Assessments ( determining what damage , if any , has been inflicted upon the enemy ) , Damage - Control Reports ( damage to one ' s own vessel ) and many others are generated as soon as possible to inform the captain of the ship ' s performance during CQ and its worthiness / preparedness for normal operations and future action . In some situations , instead of sounding " Stand Down From General Quarters " or " All Clear " , a more stringent call may be sounded , based on a worsening of the situation . Examples are , " Abandon Ship " , or " Man the Lifeboats " . Training . Preparing a crew ( and passengers or embarked troops ) for GQ is just as important as carrying out a real one , and is tantamount to carrying it out successfully . It cannot be left to the imagination that anyone will know what to do , where to go , what not to do or where not to go upon hearing the klaxon sound for GQ , nor is there a such thing as " too much " preparedness . The very nature of any emergency dictates that it can happen any time , any place and with anyone present or in charge . As such , numerous drills are a normal part of a crew ' s life , and often become monotonous , but are still necessary . Timing for having the ship " at " GQ is essential , from the moment it ' s sounded until the captain is informed that the ship is secure . If one crewmember is unaccounted for at the assigned battle station , that department head cannot yet report ' all hands present and accounted for ' , thereby rendering the entire ship ' not at ' GQ . During a drill , a certain time period is pre - arranged wherein missing personnel are considered officially unaccounted for , and the department head reports readiness with X number of persons missing , reason unknown . In a real - life GQ situation , however , that would be a luxury , and the urgency to secure the ship and have it ready for action creates a different set of circumstances . During drills , certain personnel are purposefully detained from reaching their stations and / or certain GQ - essential systems are purposefully shut down to test the crew ' s ability to work around such difficulties . Training drills must be run at various times of day and night , various days of the week , and introduce various scenarios that mirror any potential threat . Following each drill , the leadership is responsible to analyze response - time , readiness factors , suitability of the crew under stress , etc , and continually perfect any discrepancies . It is equally important to communicate to the crew how well they have done in the areas where they excelled , without causing false confidence .