(NOTE: At this time, the formatting, photos and graphics found in the Marine Safety Update are not available here, our apologies for the lack of artistry. We'll keep working on it!)
AMSEA RECEIVES 1998 NATIONAL BOATING EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT AWARD
Alaska Marine Safety Education Association recently received the 1998 National Boating Education Advancement Award for its cold water survival training and education programs.
The award was presented in May at the International Boating and Water Safety Summit in Florida following a presentation by AMSEA and two other regional award winners. Shawn Newell, AMSEA training coordinator, made the presentation for AMSEA, winner from the Western Region. The award was sponsored by the National Safe Boating Council and Coors Brewing Company.
"We were surprised. We were delighted," commented AMSEA board member Sue Hargis, who attended the conference. She noted that this is the first time AMSEA has won the regional or national award. She added that Newell's "terrific" ten-minute presentation to the summit factored into the award.
Hargis hopes AMSEA's recognition will raise awareness of the need for cold water survival training throughout the U.S."People see the cold water issue as a northern and Alaskan issue, but in the nation 33 states qualify in that arena. About two-thirds of the states have an area where cold water is a significant issue sometime during the year," Hargis said. "Traditionally, the boating safety curriculum teaches about hypothermia, but not to a very significant extent."
"This award really puts Alaska on the map, and shows Alaska really needs a state program," she said, noting that the Alaska fatality rate is about ten times the national average. In the absence of a state-sponsored program, "AMSEA is ready to get out there and help."
AMSEA Director Dan Falvey noted that this award will help the organization move toward more recreational boating safety as promoted by the National Safe Boating Council. He also noted that the entire AMSEA office staff was excited to have won the prestigious award."It looks like we are leading the way in water safety education and training," he said. "This will help us continue in the work that we do."
AMSEA drill instructor classes are scheduled in communities as needed. Minimum class size is generally six individuals. To schedule a class in your area, call the appropriate number below or AMSEA at (907) 747-3287. DRILL INSTRUCTION COURSES IN ALASKA Bristol Bay area - BBEDC, (800) 478-4370
Homer - Ocean Safety Services, (907) 235-7908
Juneau - AMSEA, (907) 747-3287
Ketchikan - Contact: Southeast Ocean Survival, (907) 225-8985
Kodiak - Joycrafts, (907) 486-6293
Naknek - Sue Aspelund, (907) 246-6640 or Debby Robertson, University of Alaska, (907) 246-4292
Prince of Wales Island - Pete Willburn, (907) 828-3924
Seward - AVTEC, (800) 478-5389 (Also classes in license preparation, coastal and celestial navigation, commercial fishing methods, net repair, radar observer and more) OUT-OF-ALASKA AMSEA DRILL INSTRUCTION Bellingham & Seattle, WA - Fremont Maritime Services, (206) 522-5377
California - Coastwise Marine Safety, (707) 464-2934
Eastern U.S. - Mid-Atlantic Safety & Survival, Bob Alexander, (410) 631-5167
Hawaii - Life Support Systems, (808) 836-3669
New Jersey - Thompson Maritime, (908) 899-7990
Oregon - Clatsop Community College, (503) 325-0910 or, in Newport, Ginny Goblirsch (503) 265-3463
Rhode Island - Vessel Safety Corp., Paul Helland, (401) 782-2021
Seattle, WA - Washington Sea Grant, (206) 543-1224
Texas - Israel Linarte, (210) 943-7935
Westport, WA - Washington Sea Grant, (360) 875-9331 AMSEA MARINE SAFETY INSTRUCTOR COURSE Sitka, October 19-24, 1998
AMSEA's 35th US Coast Guard-approved Marine Safety Instructor Trainer Course is appropriate for anyone interested in teaching marine safety to commercial fishermen, school children, recreational boaters or government personnel. Participants receive substantial, hands-on training in the use of safety equipment as well as lesson plans for all ages and methods of instruction. For more information or to register, contact AMSEA at 907-747-3287, 907-747-3259 (fax), P.O. Box 2592, Sitka, AK 99835 or at amsea@amsea.org
Titanic has quickly become the marine disaster movie of the decade. The creators of Titanic went to great lengths to make the movie historically accurate in many ways. Take the AMSEA Titanic History Quiz and see if you know Titanic fact and from fiction. (Special thanks to AMSEA's director-on-sabbatical Jerry Dzugan, and Richard Hiscock of ERE Associates Ltd., and a member of the Commercial Fishing Vessel Advisory Committee, for research.)
Questions:
1. In real life, who was the white-clad figure standing with the hero and heroine on the stern of the Titanic as it slipped beneath the water?
2. What letters were transmitted by telegraph from the Titanic to report its emergency?
3. In the movie, what was the lookout's order to the helmsman? Complying with this order, what direction was the wheel turned in a futile attempt to evade the iceberg?
(Answers below)
The coming of summer marks a time when AMSEA staff begins developing new training materials and resources for the coming year.One of the most exciting of these projects is the publication of a cold water outdoor survival "lessons and activities manual" to compliment the AMSEA instructor manual. The new manual draws on the lessons and activities created and field-tested by AMSEA's instructor network. Each lesson has guidelines for complying with and connecting to current State of Alaska educational standards, and is arranged by age-level and topic. To help gather additional activities for the new manual, I am pleased to announce a drawing to give away prizes for those who submit a lesson or activity. For more information on the manual and the drawing, read on in the newsletter.
Working together we can continue to develop and share hands-on learning techniques for real-life emergencies. I look forward to receiving your ideas.
Dan Falvey, Director
Conference Dates and Calls for Papers Announced
Fishing Vessel Safety, an international conference on aspects of safety of fishing vessels and personnel will be held April 12-16, 1999 at the Institute of Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, England. For information on the conference or to submit a paper contact Denise Horne, Institute of Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
Fax: +44 (0) 1752 233310
E-mail: fishconf@plymouth.ac.uk
In the last issue of Marine Safety Update we published an incorrect phone number and two wrong web site addresses.
The correct phone number for Bartlett Memorial Hospital in Juneau is (907) 586-2611.
Alaska Aviation Weather Unit web site:
www.alaska.net/~aawu/
National Weather Service Marine Weather Forecast web site:
www.alaska.net/~nwsar/html/forecast/marine.html
New USCG-Approved 10 Hour Drill Class
AMSEA recently received U.S. Coast Guard approval for a 10-hour drill class that can be held on board a fishing vessel. The new class provides the training necessary for fishermen to conduct drills as set forth in 46 CFR 28.270.
This class was developed in response to requests from fishermen to conduct a drill class on their vessel with their crew or crew from similar vessels. The new class covers the same skills taught in AMSEA's traditional 18-hour class. However, by limiting class size to six and focusing on the vessel's actual equipment, the class can be completed in one long day.
AMSEA's 10-hour drill class is a great way to train your whole crew at once regarding safety equipment and emergency procedures, or to provide refresher training for everyone on board. To schedule one for your vessel, call AMSEA at 907-747-3287.
Prevent Hearing Damage:
BOATS ARE LOUDER THAN YOU THINK
On almost every boat there are places where the noise level is loud enough for long-term exposure to cause permanent hearing loss. Power tools, outboard motors, engine rooms, and, at times, deck equipment such as hydraulic winches can produce harmful noise. In general, long-term exposure to noise levels above 85 decibels (dB) is harmful. However, factors such as the age of the person exposed to the noise, the frequency of the noise (the higher the frequency the more potentially damaging the noise), the intensity of the noise, and the amount of time exposed all contribute to the risk of long-term hearing loss. Any exposure to sound levels above 115 dB is hazardous and should be avoided.
In addition to damaging hearing, excessive noise can conceal alarms or danger warnings. Normal conversation occurs at the 55 to 65 dB level. Noise levels above 70 dB can mask a warning given by someone only a short distance away.
Hearing protection should be worn when operating loud equipment, or when the average ambient noise level exceeds 85 dB. If you need to shout to be heard, you should wear hearing protectors. Most hearing protectors have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) printed on the side. Choose the hearing protection with the highest NRR rating that allows you to still work comfortably at your job.
Ear plugs are often disposable and very inexpensive. They are small foam cylinders that squeeze into the ear and effectively filter high frequency sound. Cotton wads in the ear or rubber earplugs are ineffective. They only muffle low frequency noise that does little harm. Custom-fitted earplugs are also available. They are very effective and the most comfortable since they are custom fitted.
Earmuffs can be conveniently placed near loud machinery and worn by anyone as necessary. They are effective at filtering out harmful, high frequency sounds while still allowing you to hear co-workers. Be sure to get the ones with soft rubber ear pads, not hard cuffs. Always choose ear protection that is comfortable and you will wear.
Remember, the only effective noise protection is the one you wear.
Pre-Season Checklist for Recreational Boaters
Every boat owner should begin the season with fitting-out chores that make the rest of the boating season more enjoyable. Taking care of these chores now will help avoid unpleasant and expensive surprises later.
Use the following list to help you remember just what needs to be done.
OUT OF THE WATER
‚ Inspect and lubricate seacocks. Make sure all hoses are secured with two stainless steel clamps.
‚ Inspect plastic thru-hulls and replaced any that are cracked.
‚ Inspect hull for cracks, distortion, and blisters. Consult a professional if problems are found.
‚ Replace deteriorated zincs.
‚ Make sure engine intake sea strainer is free of corrosion and properly secured.
‚ Scrub, sand, and paint hull as necessary.
OUTDRIVES & OUTBOARDS
‚ Replace outdrive rubber bellows that are cracked, dried or deteriorated.
‚ Lubricate steering controls and cables.
‚ Replace deteriorated zincs.
‚ Make sure all hoses and electrical connections are secure.
‚ Check power steering and power trim oil levels.
CONTROL CABLES
‚ Inspect outer jacket. A cracked or swollen jacket indicates corrosion. Replace the cable.
IN THE WATER
‚ Check engine shaft and rudder stuffing boxes for leaks and looseness. Tighten the nut or repack the gland as necessary.
ENGINES & FUEL SYSTEMS
‚ Inspect fuel lines, including fill and vent hoses, for softness, brittleness and cracking.
‚ Wipe flexible hoses with a clean cloth. A strong oder of gasoline indicates a hose should be replaced with a Coast Guard-approved J1527 hose.
‚ Clean or replace fuel filters.
‚ Inspect fuel tanks, fuel pumps and filters for leaks. Clamps should be snug and free of heavy rust.
‚ Exhaust manifolds should be removed every few years and inspected for corrosion.
‚ Inspect cooling hoses for stiffness, rot, leaks or cracking.
‚ Inspect bilge blower hose for leaks.
‚ Clean and tighten electrical connections, especially both ends of battery cables.
TRAILERS
‚ Replace tires with cracked sidewalls or lack of tread.
‚ Inspect bearings. Repack as necessary.
‚ Test tail and back-up lights. Replace burned-out bulbs and chafed wires. Clean terminals. Make sure white ground wire is secured to frame.
‚ Test manual or electric winch.
SAILBOATS
‚ Inspect and tighten keel bolts.
‚ Inspect standing rig's terminal fittings for cracks and excessive rust. Replace and tape missing cotter pins. Check spreader angles.
‚ Inspect chainplates annually and recaulk every two to three years.
‚ Inspect stays, shrouds, wire halyards and running backstays for broken wires, chafing and rust.
A FEW OTHER CHORES
‚ Check fire extinguishers. Fill and replace as necessary.
‚ Examine stoves for loose fittings and leaking hoses.
‚ Remove old propane canisters, solvents and rusted cans from on board.
‚ Clean bilge. Inspect bilge pumps and float switches.
‚ Replace outdated flares.
‚ Update chart inventory.
‚ Examine PFDs for tears and broken buckles or zippers. Inspect CO2 cartridges on inflatables.
EPIRB Information & Registration Available On-Line
EPIRB information and registration are now available on-line at either the NOAA web site at
http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/beacon.html
or the U.S. Coast Guard site at
http://www.navcen.uscg.mil/marcomms/gmdss/epirb.htm
Both of these sites provide extensive information on different types of EPIRBs, the satellite system, and have an on-line registration form. The NOAA site also includes information on how the EPIRB system responds to a distress call, information on recent rescues, and a side-by-side comparison of the 121.5 and 406 EPIRBs.
AMSEA is compiling Outdoor Adventures, a cold water safety and outdoor survival lessons and activities manual for grades K through 12. Each lesson will include guidelines for complying with and connection to current State of Alaska educational standards. The lessons will be arranged by topic and appropriate age level.
Here is your chance to share a favorite lesson or activity with other educators.
EACH LESSON IDEA SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 1, 1998 WILL BE ENTERED IN A DRAWING FOR THE FOLLOWING WONDERFUL PRIZES:
$The immersion suit, float coat or PFD of your choice (value not to exceed $200.)
$One $100 gift certificate redeemable at R.E.I.
$One $50 gift certificate redeemable at R.E.I.
$The video Alcohol and Boating: It's Your Choice (3 copies to be given away)
$The video Casualties At Sea (3 copies to be given away)
$Personal survival kit (3 to be given away)
Who can submit an idea? ANYONE! We are especially interested in lessons and activities already in use by teachers.
What to send? Lesson plans, student projects, educational units or any classroom or outdoor activity that addresses water safety or outdoor survival.
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
OUTDOOR EDUCATION such as cold or wet weather survival skills;
HEALTH AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES such as hypothermia or wild edibles;
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION including seamanship, boating safety, fisheries and aquatic sciences;
PHYSICAL AND EARTH SCIENCES such as cold weather studies;
LANGUAGE ARTS units involving stories of survival;
EMERGENCY SIGNALS, EMERGENCY PREPARATION, SHELTER BUILDING, . . .
See below for a sample Outdoor Adventures activity. To submit your best ideas, or for more information please contact:
AMSEA Outdoor Adventures
PO Box 2592
Sitka, AK 99835
Phone: (907) 747-3287
Fax: (907) 747-3259
E-mail: amsea@amsea.org
SAMPLE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES LESSON PLAN
Choosing the Best Clothes
Materials:
· A swath of wool, cotton, silk, and polypropylene (1 set of swaths for each lab group)
· A tub of water (temperature of the water does not matter - one tub needed for each group)
· A watch or clock with a second hand (visible to the time keeper in each group)
Procedure:
1. Place the tub of water in the center of the table.
2. Feel the difference in each of the fabric squares. Record observations below.
3. One person in the group will watch the clock and record the time while another member of the group carefully places each square in the water. (The fabric should be placed on top of the water gently, not shoved into or under the water.)
4. Wait 5 minutes and then remove the pieces.
5. While students are waiting to remove the pieces, they should discuss and complete Part A of their record sheet.
6. Compare how much water has been absorbed each piece. Record below.
Part A
Predictions:
The wettest fabric will be ________________.
The driest fabric will be _________________.
If you were going on a boat trip and it was cold outside with a chance of rain, what kind of clothes would you want to wear to stay warm and dry Why?______
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Explain your procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Part B
What happened:
Wettest:___________________________________________
Driest:_________________
Do these results surprise you? Why or why not?___________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Basing your answer on your observations, describe the best type of clothing to wear on a boat ride on a cold, rainy day._________________________________
Answers to
THE TITANIC HISTORY QUIZ
1. The white clad figure on the stern of the Titanic portrayed a real person, Charles Joughin, who was the chief baker on the Titanic and one of its survivors. Joughin's intuitive sense of how to survive a cold water immersion was described in Walter Lord's classic book about the Titanic, A Night To Remember. This passage from that book set the scene for that part of the movie:
"The deck was now listing too steeply to stand on, and Joughin slipped over the starboard rail and stood on the actual side of the ship. He worked his way up the side..until he reached the white painted steel plates of the poop deck. He now stood on the rounded stern end of the ship, (where we see them in the movie) which had swung some 150 feet above the water....(He) casually tightened his lifebelt....(and) was beginning to puzzle over his position when he felt the stern beginning to drop under his feet-- it was like taking an elevator. As the sea closed over the stern, Joughin stepped off into the water. He didn't even get his head wet. He paddled off into the night, little bothered by the freezing water (Joughin was built like...well, a baker!). For over an hour he bobbed about, moving his arms and legs just enough to keep upright...(Then) they pulled him in (to a lifeboat)." Because Jouhgin had the presence of mind to wear a PFD, he didn't even get his head wet. The hero of the movie, on the other hand, was pulled under by the mythical suction associated with sinking ships. A bit of both fact and fiction.
2. The radio operator initially transmitted the letters CQD. This was the standard distress message used by telegraph operators at the time. CQ was the Morse call for attention all vessels, the D indicated danger or distress. Then, as a last ditch effort to summon help, crewman Harold Bride suggested sending the new SOS distress call with its easily recognized three dots, three dashes, three dots. SOS was created as an alternative means of summoning assistance in 1906. It officially superseded CQD in 1908. However, radio operators rarely used the new signal until the Titanic's famous last SOS made the new signal the standard.
3. In the movie, when the Titanic approached the iceberg you heard the lookout yell the order "Starboard your helm" and Hichens (the person at the wheel) turned the wheel (and the ship) to port. Error in the movie? No, it is an accurate historical detail. However, in reality, it was the first officer, not the lookout, who gave the helm order. At the time of the Titanic, the correct order to turn a ship to port was "starboard your helm." This order originated during a time when most vessels were sailing vessels with tillers and rudders. With a tiller & rudder system, to turn to port you push the tiller to starboard. When the Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS) convention met in 1929, it was decided to correct this confusing order to reflect steering with a wheel as now used on most ships. Thus, it was written that "Orders to the Steersman shall...be given in the direct sense e.g. when the ship is going ahead an order containing the word "starboard" or "right"...shall only be used when it is intended that the wheel, rudder blade and head of the ship shall all move to the right." After midnight on June 30, 1931, this direction for helm orders took effect and is common procedure to this day. However, when the Titanic sank the old tiller-based orders were still in effect.
Atypically for a Hollywood movie, Titanic was very well researched. Even apparent errors in the movie were based on historical fact. Who knows what other little bits of history would be gleaned with another viewing!
Visit AMSEA On-Line at www.uaf.edu/seagrant/amsea
(Guess you got this message already!) AMSEA's web site is up and running. We created the site in an effort to become closer to our network of instructors. We also see the site as a way to keep people informed about the latest information in marine safety education and our own programming. Site visitors will find equipment and educational materials lists, course descriptions, links and educational information.
Soon, when the site is complete, browsers can read the latest AMSEA newsletters, obtain information about AMSEA membership, and visit a teacher's corner with lessons and program ideas.
Visit the AMSEA web site often. See what we bring you as we continue to add new pages and update old pages.
The following individuals and organizations are helping AMSEA to keep marine safety training widely available.
1998 Sustaining Memberships:
F/V Cloud Nine, Sitka
1998 Supporting Memberships:
Maritime Enterprises, Homer
Vessel Safety Corporation, Rhode Island
F/V Coral Lee, Sitka
Maniilaq Association, Kotzebue
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, Sitka
F/V Rocky B, Sitka
UAA North Pacific Fisheries Observer Trainer Program, Anchorage
F/V Kariel, Sitka
Education Training Co., Sitka
Seattle Marine Fishing Supply
F/V EH, Sitka
Southern Region EMS Council, Anchorage
U.S. Forest Service, Chatham Region
LFS, Inc., Bellingham, WA
SEAPRO, Ketchikan
F/V Sequoia, Sitka
Special Expeditions Marine, Seattle
1998 Donor Memberships:
City & Borough of Sitka
F/V Ingot, Petersburg
Randy Henderson, Petersburg
M/V Christian, Wrangell
Nancy Olson, Wrangell
M/V Carpe Diem, Unalaska
F/V Sprite, Anchorage
F/V Flagship, Sitka
F/V Sea Dancer, Sitka
National Park Service, Seward
F/V Rachel Anne, Ketchikan
Gordon Blue, Sitka
Recent Service & Equipment Donations:
Ocean Safety Services, Homer
USCG Air Station, Sitka
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, Sitka
S/V Wyldewind, Sitka
Sitka White Elephant Shop
Coastal Safety Services, Sitka
Don Lane, president
North Pacific Fishermen's Assoc., Homer
Dolly Garza, vice-president
Marine Advisory Program, Sitka
Jim Herbert, secretary-treasurer
AVTEC, Seward
Mike Keiffer
Tanana Chiefs Conference, Fairbanks
Hank Pennington
Technical Advisor, Kodiak
Chuck Lamica
Public Safety Academy, Sitka
Paula Cullenberg
North Pacific Fisheries Observer Trainer Program, Anchorage
Sue Hargis
USCG, Juneau
Shawn Sorenson
SEARHC, Sitka
Ron Perkins
Alaska Area Native Health Service, Anchorage
Larry Bussone
Dept. of Health & Social Services, Juneau
Jennifer Lincoln
NIOSH, Anchorage
John Winther
Petersburg Vessel Owners' Assoc.,
Petersburg
Sue Jorgensen
USGC, Juneau
This page was updated 5/16/01.