Often accompanied with This Is Not a Drill. See Red Alert right away, the Wiki's gone on Self-Demonstrating Article mode. On modern ships, lights flash, klaxons sound and all watertight doors are closed, thus if the ship is holed the leak is contained. Off-duty sailors report to their stations, cannon are loaded, and the decks are cleared of non-essential items. The alert is sounded by a drum or over an intercom. Whatever the wording used, most of the procedures are the same. The phrase 'Red Alert' comes from the naval tradition of 'General Quarters' (also known as 'Battle Stations', or 'Action Stations' if you're British), an announcement made when a ship prepares for battle.
