{"id":3646,"date":"2013-12-15T12:07:49","date_gmt":"2013-12-15T17:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/?p=3646"},"modified":"2015-03-06T12:32:08","modified_gmt":"2015-03-06T17:32:08","slug":"safe-boat-smart-boat-station-bills-know-your-job-in-an-emergency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/safe-boat-smart-boat-station-bills-know-your-job-in-an-emergency\/","title":{"rendered":"SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: Station bills \u2013 Know your job in an emergency"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Fred Mattera
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

During a recent simulated engine room fire drill, I observed a seasoned crewman, someone who has been engaged in safety drills for the last seven years, become impetuous and anxious instead of composed and thoughtful.<\/p>\n

By doing things without serious thought, he made some simple but dangerous mistakes that, in a real-life situation, could have caused serious injury to the crew and even the loss of the vessel.\u00a0 During debriefing following the drill, he admitted that he became so eager to deal with the simulated problem that he didn\u2019t stick to the procedure plan.<\/p>\n

The point here is to stress the importance of following and adhering to your vessel\u2019s tailored emergency plan.<\/p>\n

\"Mattera-SH\"

A qualified Coast Guard-approved marine drill instructor, Fred Mattera of Point Judith, RI is the owner\/president of North East Safety Training Co. (NESTCo), which conducts fishing vessel drills and inspections and basic safety training workshops.
A commercial fisherman for 40 years, Mattera is a member of the Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee to the Coast Guard, and, since 1998, has been president of the Point Club, a fishing vessel mutual insurance group. He also has served on the board of directors for Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Co., the principal underwriter for the Point Club and more than 2,000 US fishing vessels, since 1998.<\/p><\/div>\n

So, let\u2019s discuss the station bill, which spells out who is responsible for specific jobs in emergency situations and details instructions for doing those jobs.\u00a0 My goal is to help the captain and crew develop an awareness of generally accepted procedures, which should increase their chances of effectively dealing with emergencies and surviving if they are faced with the dreaded prospect of abandoning ship.<\/p>\n

Survival gear carried aboard fishing vessels varies greatly according to the size of the boat, its mode and area of operation, and the size of its crew.\u00a0 The Coast Guard has established guidelines for different sizes and types of vessels.\u00a0 It\u2019s imperative that each captain and crewman is familiar with the survival gear carried upon his vessel, as well as the alarms and procedures used aboard that vessel in the event of an emergency.<\/p>\n

There must be adequate survival gear for each crewman, and it must be maintained and stowed in a readily available area if trouble strikes without warning.\u00a0 I\u2019m talking both about personal equipment, such as each crewman\u2019s personal flotation device (PFD) or immersion suit, and general equipment, such as the life raft, EPIRB, and flares.\u00a0 The responsibility for ensuring that survival gear is ready for use at a moment\u2019s notice thus falls upon not only the captain but each crewman as well.<\/p>\n

In an emergency at sea, the survival of each individual depends upon his and his fellow crewmembers\u2019 preparedness.\u00a0 It also depends upon each crewman\u2019s ability to remain calm and act quickly and effectively.\u00a0 Panic only ensures catastrophe.<\/p>\n

A captain, who managed to save himself and his crew when their vessel went down, once told me, \u201cNow when I hire a crewman, I ask myself, is this someone I want to have around in a life raft?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Station bill<\/b><\/p>\n

The Coast Guard requires emergency instructions, outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations (46 CFR 28.265), to be mounted in a conspicuous location on your vessel.<\/p>\n

A good suggestion is to post them by the galley dining table where the crew naturally gathers.\u00a0 This makes it easy to make clear and review each individual\u2019s responsibilities in case of fire, flooding, man-overboard, and abandon-ship emergencies.<\/p>\n

Your station bill should cover the following duties and instructions for:<\/p>\n