Which statement about life-saving devices is true?

• A. They are decorative items on the bridge.
• B. They provide means of escape, flotation, and rescue during emergencies.
• C. They monitor ocean currents.
• D. They control communications with shore facilities.

Answer: (B)

Life-saving devices exist to preserve life in emergencies by helping people escape, stay afloat, and be found and rescued. The statement that they provide means of escape, flotation, and rescue captures their purpose: life jackets and immersion gear give you buoyancy to stay afloat; lifeboats or liferafts offer a way to abandon ship and survive in the water; distress signals and rescue equipment aid responders in locating and reaching those in danger. The other options miss this essential safety role: decorative items serve no safety function; monitoring currents is a navigation/meteorology task, not a life-saving device function; and controlling communications with shore facilities is about contact, not saving lives.