PROPER METHOD OF STORING MATERIALS Take care of your gear and supplies by securing or storing them properly at the close of each business day. his is especially important at sea since your ship could encounter bad weather and rough seas at anytime. Keep your supplies in good condition, out of the way, and securely  stored. You  will  be  responsible  for  a  wide  variety  of materials, including ecclesiastical supply items that must be stored. Closed cabinets are preferable to open shelves  for  storing  supplies  because  they  protect materials from dust and damage. Store liquids or other reproduction  supplies  so  they  will  not  stain  other materials if leakage or breakage should occur. Store toxic  fluids  in  a  hazardous  gear  locker  consisting  of  a cool,  well-ventilated  place. NOTE:  In  regard  to  toxic  fluids,  only  a  small amount  normally  will  be  needed  for  each  use. Consequently,  you  should  maintain  only  a  limited amount  of  these  materials.  There  are  regulations prohibiting the storage of toxic materials in certain locations  on  Navy  ships.  Check  your  command’s regulations  and  instructions  concerning  the  storage  of these  materials.  Remember,  being  safety-conscious  is an attribute that every RP must possess. In maintaining supplies, remember how important cleanliness and order can be to safety as well as to appearance.  Accumulations  of  loose  papers  may  pose fire  hazards.  Plan  cleaning  periods  and  field  days.  Dust desks and immediate areas frequently. This not only makes for a more pleasant working environment but also protects  machinery  and  automatic  data  processing (ADP) equipment from harm. Label wrapped packages for easy identification. Open only one package of each kind of materials at any given time. his helps avoid waste and makes sure the office of the chaplain does its part in using command funds  productively  and  responsibly. USE AND MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE EQUIPMENT A  basic  responsibility  of  all  RPs  is  using  and maintaining  office  equipment,  whether  it  involves calculators,  typewriters,  Mimeographs,  spirit  process duplicators,  dry  electrical  process  machines,  or computers. Your  sophisticated  office  equipment  probably  will require  two  levels  of  care.  The  first  level  is manufacturer-suggested use and maintenance. The second level can best be described as operator care and troubleshooting. Let’s  look  at  each  of  these  levels, starting  with  troubleshooting. Troubleshooting Manufacturers’  troubleshooting  checklists  can  help you  resolve  some  of  the  problems  you  may  encounter. Manufacturers’  checklists  include  installation checklists, feature checklists, and checklists that explain normal  daily  operator  maintenance.  If,  after  following the  manufacturer’s  checklist,  you  cannot  solve  the problem,  you  may  need  to  call  a  customer  service representative. Servicing Your operator’s manual will usually list the phone numbers  for  customer  service  representatives.  Before calling your customer service representative, however, you should gather certain information. If you have this information readily available when you make the call, the customer service operators will be able to help you faster and more effectively. Specific information you will need before calling includes the manufacturer’s manual  you  are  using,  registration  number  of  the equipment, and any product information such as the brand  and  type  or  model.  If  your  equipment  is  a computer, you may also need the name and type or model of the interfacing equipment such as the monitor, version of DOS, RAM memory information, printer, or sheet  feeder. However well designed your equipment may be, it will eventually need servicing. To do this there are five generally  recognized  methods: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. A service contract with the manufacturer A service contract with an individual service person Maintenance  by  Navy-trained  service  personnel Use  of  the  manufacturer’s  service  person  on  a per call basis with no contract Use  of  independent  service  personnel  on  a  per call basis with no contract Machine servicing is clearly a matter of concern, and the Navy usually chooses among these five methods to keep its equipment serviced and in good working condition. Without a service contract, however, the tendency is to wait until something has gone wrong and then the machine may be out of commission for days. 6-3