![\"Ann](\"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Backus-SH.jpg\")
Ann Backus, MS, is the director of outreach for the Harvard School of Public Health\u2019s Department of Environmental Health in Boston, MA. She may be reached by phone at (617) 432-3327 or by e-mail at <abackus@hsph.harvard.edu>.<\/p><\/div>\n
Therefore, a person unfamiliar with fishing and the moods of the ocean, may end up crewing at the last minute.<\/p>\n
This fisherman needs an orientation to the fishing process, the boat, the other crew, and \u2013 most importantly \u2013 to the safety and survival equipment on board.<\/p>\n
He should also participate with other crewmembers in a fire or man overboard drill.<\/p>\n
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Health information envelope<\/b><\/p>\n
This column will address the health side of \u201cthe job.\u201d<\/p>\n
For several years, we have advocated that captains collect from each crewmember a sealed envelope that contains his\/her health information.<\/p>\n
Then, in the event of a sudden illness or the need for a Mayday medic call and rescue, this envelope can be given to Coast Guard personnel during the rescue or airlift.<\/p>\n
With respect to current practice, it appears that captains still typically do not request these confidential envelopes containing individual health information from the usual crewmembers, and crew members do not voluntarily provide them.<\/p>\n
In the event of an incident, having health information from a newly signed-on crewmember whom no one knows might be the deciding factor in his survival.<\/p>\n
So here\u2019s a suggestion.<\/p>\n
The captain or the person responsible for drill instruction should have, onboard, a collection of envelopes and paper.<\/p>\n
While underway to fishing grounds, each crewmember should write his name and health information on the paper and place it in the envelope bearing his name which he then seals and hands to the captain for safe-keeping.<\/p>\n
Crewmembers could write whatever they deemed important or could follow something like the table seen here that would be kept in the folder with the envelopes and paper.<\/p>\n
If there are likely to be non-native speakers as crew, the table can translated into their language or a crewmember could translate it verbally.<\/p>\n
In the event of a medical incident or evacuation, the captain would give the health information envelope to the rescuer\/medic.<\/p>\n
![\"fish-safe-1-17-health-envelope\"](\"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Fish-Safe-1-17-health-envelope.jpg\")
<\/a>Click Here to get printable Health Information Worksheet<\/p><\/div>\n
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Fishing contract<\/b><\/p>\n
For trips longer than one day, each crewmember should have a contract with the captain that specifies at least the expected length of the fishing trip, the role and responsibilities of the crewmember, the share split arrangement, and emergency contact information.<\/p>\n
At the time of signing of the contract, the captain should inquire about dietary restrictions such as gluten-free or sugar-free, if the crewmember does not volunteer this information.<\/p>\n
That this information is also collected in the health information envelope is not a redundancy, because emergency responders may need to know this information as well.<\/p>\n
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![\"cfn-1_17-cover\"](\"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/CFN-1_17-cover-243x300.jpg\")
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To get the rest of the January 2017 issue of\u00a0Commercial Fisheries News,\u00a0<\/em>please\u00a0choose from the\u00a0following options<\/i>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 BUY a Single PRINT edition of CFN that is delivered by MAIL.\u00a0PRINT EDITION<\/a> \u2022 Quickly enjoy ONLINE access with our Hi-DEF flip-book.\u00a0<\/strong>PURCHASE ONLINE EDITION<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 (Read online flip-book immediately with purchased access key and download a copy for yourself to keep. \u00a0Not sure if it works for you? Try a\u00a0FREE SAMPLE HERE<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n
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