BARNEGAT LIGHT – Some local commercial fishermen recently found themselves face-to-face with members of the United States Coast Guard. However, the reason behind their meeting wasn’t because they were in any kind of trouble or in need of rescue.
Instead, the 42 fishermen were all students participating in day-long classes conducted in conjunction with Fishing Partnership Services, a non-profit organization. The emphasis of the program was on Safety and Survival Training to stay safe at sea.
Lecturers for the program came down from the Boston area, where Fishing Partnership Services is headquartered. Most were fishermen themselves with additional credentials as Coast Guard members, firefighters/EMTs, and marine surveyors.
Each of the classroom lessons held at the local Coast Guard station was skillfully crafted to blend with the next. And despite temperatures nearly below freezing, the group of fishermen ventured outside for further instruction – and even into the cold water in brightly-colored suits.
“These are survival suits,” shared the instructor. “This is what you put on before you abandon ship. They are the most important piece of survival gear on the boat, bar none.”
The day’s schedule included sessions on various types of professional floating devices (PFDs), proper Mayday procedures, immersion suit usage, damage control, firefighting techniques, life rafts, and flares.
One of the impactful presentations focused on opioid abuse awareness and the importance of carrying Narcan in first-aid kits. The nature of the profession puts fishermen at a 25 percent increased risk for opioid abuse because they get hurt and still show up to work.
“With safety and health and doing this training around opioid awareness and how to respond to an overdose with Narcan is really just giving you guys another tool,” explained Shannon Eldridge, a certified community health worker for Fishing Partnerships. “Another method, another way of increasing the chances of survival of people in your community.”
Man Overboard
One of the instructors shared a personal story of nearly becoming a part of the tragic statistic – 30 percent of all fishing deaths are related to falls overboard. He emphasized the importance of wearing PFDs equipped with whistles and knives and the need for regular crew drills to prevent such incidents.
It was the middle of a December night when the instructor tripped while working on an offshore lobster boat. He landed in the water and was not prepared.
“How are they going to find you at night,” asked the storyteller. “Did I have a strobe light on? No; I didn’t have a PFD on either.”
Despite the bitter cold, commercial fishermen put on survival suits to ensure they knew what to do if it was necessary to abandon ship. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
As he described the science leading to severe hypothermia, the instructor also pointed to the danger of cardiac arrest. He detailed the excruciating process the body goes through as it slows down and all the energy becomes sucked out of every organ. Cold water has a nasty habit of not only contributing to discomfort – but also making someone lose control of their arms and legs.
“You lose your ability to help yourself,” the instructor explained further. “You may even black out.”
The firsthand account came with a recommendation that all fishermen wear PFDs. They come in various colors and styles, all designed to facilitate floatation should a man go overboard.
While all crew members should be equipped with PFDs, they should also be trained in safety practices that include preventing a man overboard and a man overboard retrieval system. The importance of monthly drills to avoid disasters was stressed as a priority.
Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!
The training also covered other critical emergency procedures, including the proper way to issue a Mayday call. The first protocol includes dismissing the notion of putting off the Mayday call until the owner of the vessel authorizes it. Many of the issues evolve into big problems because someone has tried to handle things themselves first.
While some believe that calling in a mayday will result on a fee being charged, there’s no truth to that assertion. The Coast Guard is a taxpayer service unless someone is sitting at the radio at home calling in fake Maydays and could be subject to penalties.
One of the important things to remember about Mayday is that fishermen aren’t just asking the Coast Guard for assistance. The call also goes out to area fishermen who may be in the area. Mayday should be called three times followed by the name of the fishing vessel name three times and the boat’s position in latitude/longitude, also relayed three times.
“Use Lat/Long rather than a geographical local name,” instructed Matt Pawlishen of Fishing Partnership. “The people from the Coast Guard are probably not from around here.”
Displaying flares is necessary during an emergency at sea. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
The Coast Guard will also want to know how many people are onboard and what the problem is, whether it’s a fire, flood, or injuries, for example.
“The most important things are the three “Ps,” Pawlishen reminded. “Position, people, and problem.”
Fire Safety
Attendees were given lessons in fire science, fire prevention, and firefighting as part of the training exercises. This included classifying different types of fires, using appropriate fire extinguishers, and addressing common problem areas on boats. The presenters emphasized the importance of regularly inspecting fire extinguishers and having multiples available for use.
The speakers also highlighted the benefits of aerosol generators that can quickly extinguish a lot of fire. Backup plans are critical in case of a fire emergency, while caution is also stressed when fighting fires.
Mitch Hatzipetro is a safety trainer and on the First Aid/CPR team as a wilderness first responder. Pawlishen is currently a marine surveyor who has also worked as a professional firefighter. Hatzipetro emphasized the diversity of all of the instructors’ backgrounds added to the overall learning experience.
Fishermen paired up for an outdoor exercise on firefighting. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
John O’Leary of Fishing Partnership was also part of the presentation on firefighting. Fishermen were encouraged not to fight a fire singlehandedly but to attack it with a partner.
“To take your eyes off a fire is an enemy,” reminded O’Leary.
O’Leary also suggested that fire prevention remains the best way to fight a fire – before it starts. Lack of maintenance and electrical fires are often leading causes of fires on shipping vessels.
Fishermen from various fisheries and boats, including sport fishing, scallop dredging, and clam digging, participated in the program. Ultimately, what mattered most was that they all learned something valuable – that could potentially save lives at sea.
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