Off duty safety

Shipmates,
As the summer season approaches I'd like to remind you to practice risk management in all your activities, assigned to duty and personal. This reminder is particularly poignant as we are nearing the anniversary of the loss of our shipmate Tony Touch in a motorcycle accident last year.

If you've not taken the opportunity to take one of the risk management offerings, like the 8-hour Team Coordination Training, I encourage you to do so when the course is next offered. These courses are required for air and surface operations but have relevance to all our Auxiliary and personal activities.

Warm regards and thank you for your service,
Daren

R 201748Z MAY 10

ALCOAST 256/10
COMDTNOTE 5100
SUBJECT: SPRING/SUMMER TRAFFIC AND RECREATIONAL OFF-DUTY SAFETY
A. SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MANUAL, COMDTINST M5100.47 (SERIES)
1. SPRING TIME HAS ARRIVED, SUMMER IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND
MANY HAVE ALREADY BEGAN PLANNING AND EXECUTING TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES. AS WE CRANK UP OUR FUN DIALS AND DUST OFF THE GRILLS,
BOATS, JET SKIS, MOTORCYCLES, ETC., GUARDIANS MUST REMEMBER THAT
MANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES HAVE RISKS.
2. ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC AND RECREATIONAL OFF-DUTY MISHAP REPORTS
SHOWS THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE INVOLVED THE MISUSE OF ALCOHOL.
ADDITIONAL CAUSAL FACTORS INCLUDE NOT WEARING PROPER PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL NEEDED
TO SAFELY OPERATE A BOAT, MOTORCYCLE OR AN ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE
(ATV), OR MISJUDGING ONES ABILITY TO SWIM IN OPEN WATERS. MISHAPS,
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE CAUSED BY FACTORS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL,
CAN BE MINIMIZED OR AVOIDED IF INDIVIDUALS WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO
LEARN THE RISKS, TRAIN FOR EFFICIENCY AND WEAR PROPER PPE WHEN
INDICATED.
3. IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THESE NEEDLESS MISHAPS, THE OFFICE OF
SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, DIVISION OF SHORE SAFETY COMDT
(CG-1132), AND THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WORK-LIFE SUPPORT ACTIVITY
(HSWL SUPACT) HAVE DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING LIST OF RESOURCES TO
WHICH GUARDIANS CAN REFER WHEN PLANNING THEIR SPRING AND SUMMER
ACTIVITIES:
 A. HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CG1/CG113/CG1132/DEFAULT.ASP - DIVISION
OF SHORE SAFETY (CG-1132).
 B. HTTP://CGWEB.MLCA.USCG.MIL/KDIV/KSEHOMEPAGE.HTM - HEALTH,
SAFETY AND WORK-LIFE SUPPORT ACTIVITY (HSWL SUPACT).
 C. HTTP://WWW.AFSC.AF.MIL - AIR FORCE SAFETY CENTER.
 D. HTTP://WWW.SAFETYCENTER.NAVY.MIL - NAVAL SAFETY CENTER.
 E. HTTPS://SAFETY.ARMY.MIL - ARMY SAFETY CENTER.
 F. HTTP://WWW.SAFEBOATINGAMERICA.COM - BOATING SAFETY.
 G. HTTP://WWW.STORMFAX.COM/SAFESWIM.HTM - OCEAN SWIMMING SAFETY
TIPS (RETYPE ADDRESS USING LOWERCASE LETTERS).
 H.  HTTP://WWW.SVIA.ORG - ATV SAFETY.
 I.  HTTP://WWW.MSF-USA.ORG - MOTORCYCLE SAFETY.
 J.  HTTP://WWW.BEERESPONSIBLE.COM - ANHEUSER BUSCH RESPONSIBLE
DRINKING CAMPAIGN.
4. RESOURCE LINKS LISTED ABOVE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY AVAILABLE
ON THE INTERNET. WHEN PLANNING A RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY, TAKE THE
TIME TO EDUCATE YOURSELF, TAKE A TRAINING CLASS IF AVAILABLE, AND
NEVER CONDUCT HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS DRIVING A BOAT OR JET
SKI OR SWIMMING, ALONE OR AFTER CONSUMING ALCOHOL. BE THE GUARDIAN,
HELP OTHERS MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE. BY APPLYING SIMPLE RISK
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES, GUARDIANS CAN ENJOY THEIR RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES IN A SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
5. COMMANDING OFFICERS AND OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE NEED TO EMPHASIZE TO
THEIR UNIT PERSONNEL THE IMPORTANCE OF APPLYING THE SAME RISK
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES TO OFF-DUTY DRIVING AND RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES AS THEY DO TO THEIR WORK ACTIVITIES. ALL COAST GUARD
MEMBERS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY AND THE
SAFETY OF OTHERS. SEMPER PARATUS.
6. COMDT (CG-1132) POC IS MR. DALE A. WISNIESKI, EMAIL:
DALE.A.WISNIESKI(AT)USCG.MIL, COMM: 202-475-5206.
7. RELEASED BY RADM MARK J. TEDESCO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND
WORK-LIFE.
8. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.

Managing risk: Another perspective

Shipmates, I post very little external content on the Division blog. Yesterday one of the photographers I follow online, Chase Jarvis, posted about a new project which is about risk. The first video in the post is about Jason Sutherland, a skateboarder. As you listen to Jason you will hear many of the same points we constantly discuss about risk, managing risk, and the value of practice should things go haywire. Chase is an incredible storyteller as this work clearly illustrates. I hope you enjoy this particular perspective and I look forward to your feedback.

First my video introduction (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwVuR-T5omw):



View the Jason Sutherland video by Chase Jarvis here: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2010/03/exploring-risk-conversation-yields.html or go to YouTube and watch the video in HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSEt54GZ_pc&feature=player_embedded

The second video is just as worth watching "Glass blowing isn't something you want to do with just anybody".... isn't that the truth.

Be safe out there and look to the safety of your shipmates,
Daren

March 2010 Commander’s Comments

Guardians,

As we ramp up to another boating season the recreational fishermen are upon the Columbia and Willamette in large numbers. With our 2010 Vessel Examination stickers in hand we can begin the annual VE checks and this is a great time to catch up on Program Visits to assure our local dealers are well stocked with materials. As you conduct these critical RBS missions I’d like to ask you to do a few things.

First, look to the new and existing membership of your Flotilla and ask a non-qualified or trainee member to join you for your next PV or VE mission. A cursory examination of the recreational boating numbers within our area of operations shows that we only reach a small portion of the boaters each year. We can extend this reach by helping every member become qualified in one or more of our RBS mission areas and VE and PV are a great place to start.

Second, consider boaters, boats and dealers we do not traditionally serve. We have large numbers of paddle craft in our area of operations and they can and should receive Vessel Examinations. The paddle craft community also supports a large population of dealers and clubs/associations. Please look to these dealers and organizations as RBS partners as part of your Program Visits.

Third, in recent weeks the Sector Command has been very concerned with the interaction between recreational boaters and commercial vessels. In March the Coast Guard will focus significant attention on Rule 9 and the requirement for recreational boaters to give way. We can play a significant role in educating recreational boaters on the requirements and the dangers inherent in failure to follow the navigation rules. Please discuss these requirements with boaters on the ramps, docks, in classes and underway – particularly when you find boaters anchored in the channel.

Finally, as you conduct these RBS missions please consider safety as the highest priority. There are a few easy steps you can take:

• Wear your life jacket when doing VEs on or near the water, including while at the boat ramp. Your life jacket serves the traditional purpose of keeping you afloat if you fall in plus it serves as a visible reminder to the people who you are educating and those who simply see you. On busy boat ramps the life jacket also makes you easier to see. 
• Work with a buddy. Having two Auxiliarists, even if the second is not qualified, means we are watching out for each other, you have a second person judging risks and you have a shipmate on hand should the situation go lopsided in a minor or major way.  [Addendum: Gay Sipes reminds us that a a Vessel Examiner and a Public Affairs Officer make a great team - and any BQ member can serve in the PA role - no qualification required]
• Practice risk management. While Operational Risk Management/TCT training is not required for VE or PV qualifications I strongly recommend all members familiarize themselves with the Coast Guard’s risk management techniques. There are a number of basic things you can do, like taking off rings before climbing aboard and around boats, and issues that are unique to a particular situation which you will need to “risk manage” on the spot. 

We’ll continue to discuss Recreational Boating Safety as the boating season approaches. Thank you for your service. Be safe out there and look the safety of your shipmates.

Very respectfully,

Daren Lewis

River temperatures on the Columbia

At our annual Operations workshop we discussed sources of river temperature. We've traditionally focused on water temperature as the trigger for wearing our various types of cold water gear. We need to be thinking beyond just the determination of when we need to be in our dry suits to a major consideration in our risk management. Today the Columbia is 5.4 ºC = 41.72 ºF below Bonneville Dam near Warrendale, Oregon. We need to be asking ourselves what additional risks come at river temperatures of 40ºF, and not just for surface operations - what about doing work on local piers and docks?

There are a number of sources of river temperature data. For the Columbia I use:

http://or.water.usgs.gov/projs_dir/pn307.tdg/tables/WRNO.html

This data is in ºC so you can use this conversion chart:



Please note, for surface operations the river temperature is determined by the OIC of Station Portland, if it is near to the 50ºF or 60ºF points please err on the side of caution and/or check in with Station. Also remember that Columbia and Willamette temperatures can differ significantly.