Which equipment is essential for controlling flooding on a vessel?

Controlling flooding on a vessel is a critical function in damage control, and portable pumps are essential for this purpose. These pumps are specifically designed to remove water that has breached the ship's compartments, helping to maintain buoyancy and stability. They can be deployed quickly and can adapt to a variety of flooding scenarios, whether it's a small leak or significant ingress of water. The ability to effectively manage water removal is crucial to ensuring the safety of the crew and the integrity of the vessel during an emergency.

While other equipment like water strainers, fire extinguishers, and thermal imaging cameras can serve important roles in overall safety and damage control, they do not have the primary function of directly managing flooding. Water strainers are used to filter debris from the water being pumped but do not pump water themselves. Fire extinguishers are vital for combating fires, not flooding. Thermal imaging cameras assist in locating hot spots and monitoring for heat sources but do not address water removal. Therefore, portable pumps are the key piece of equipment specifically aimed at controlling flooding situations on a vessel.