Skeleton crew

A skeleton crew is the minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency and, at the same time, to keep vital functions operating.

Uses

Some example uses of skeleton crews include:

• Shipboard: The barest minimum number of personnel to keep the ship operating after it has been damaged and awaiting tow to port.
• Hurricanes and Typhoons: The least number of personnel to remain at a business location during a major storm to monitor conditions and to make emergency repairs if possible.
• Inactivity: The least number of personnel necessary to keep an inactive facility from being vandalized such as a Texas Tower, a commercial building in transition between owners, etc.
• Temporary closings: The smallest number of employees to monitor and maintain the facility while it is otherwise shut down for a holiday, strike, etc...
• Medical attention: The least number of personnel necessary to keep an inactive facility for radioactive poisoning.
• Film crew: The least number of essential workers required on a very low-budget production to shoot some form of media.

References