STOP IT

SENSATIONALISM

When a person risks sensationalism for the sake of attention they take one step further away from reality.

Sense perceptions are highs and lows, when dealing with us interesting humans; the emotive quotient can be amusing or enlightening.

Do not get captured by the amusing entertainers.

Sensationalism has been exposed as fake news, it drives opinion with alerts, red flags, cautions and adversaries. Rarely does it extend an olive branch to glowing truth.

It is a reduction of professional efforts to process meaningless responses that degrade health and safety. It creates a perception of approval based on a distinction of false attributes that go against behavioral competence.

What can we do about sensationalism? We can ask effective questions.

How can we challenge the response? Open up your Owner’s Manual. Resist the temptation to downgrade safety. Conduct proper research, study, read, learn.

If the news in social media is often shocking, what value is it to be shocked? Being informed should not be confused with theatrics.

We see this in the selection of agency images. How many times have we witnessed a public safety agency displaying a Rescue Water Craft with their crew airborne jumping waves or wakes? Or not wearing an approved lifejacket? Or not using the engine cut off switch?

An entire industry of public safety images was built around sensationalism of an RWC. But why? Who allowed this? Why was it never challenged by the peers or associations? Why did they concede?

When was the last time you saw a fire truck engine going into an traffic intersection with a forced slide for effect? Probably never. But an RWC? Totally acceptable.

These people who conducted these missives and approved it should be removed from the program, period.

Image searches and video shorts are controlled by a cult like mentality that misbehaving as a mariner is a true mark of watermanship. Stop it.

Seduction is a hostage situation. Be careful what you post and ask yourself what meaning are you actively selecting to convey.
Does it look safe? Is it reinforcing manufacturer recommendations? Does it defend a standard of care?

Many agencies have held themselves hostage to mediocrity and damaged the reputation and image of the Rescue Water Craft community and its associated products.

Just stop it already. Stop.

Consequently, Rescue Water Craft - boat mishaps (wipeouts) are not considered competency, they are reminders of improper conduct and the need for training support.

Recurring accidents are invitations of death and negligence. Their liability is wrongfully consumed by the entire community, especially regarding insurance and lawsuits. It is far more cost effective to engage proper training and qualification.

We don’t need negative infusion in a longstanding maritime community. It may be a new tool for an agency, but we have been around for 40+ years.

Our RWC culture needs a champion and we aim to represent, please join us.

Sensationalism
The use of sensational matter or methods, especially in writing, journalism, or politics. The use of media to engage the senses for ‘click bait’ or noticeability in a competitive digital world.

_________________________________

Posted: January 1, 2022

Come train with K38 and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Copyright Š 2022 K38 All rights reserved.

All materials on the Companies websites are the property of K38 and may not be copied, reproduced, sold, or distributed without the express permission of the copyright holder. Liberal use of K38 fact sheets and news releases is allowable with attribution.

To Cite the K38 Website for Reference: Please use the following:
"Reproduced from K38's website, Š K38 (year), title and date of the post"

K38 does not grant permission for its content to be displayed on other Web sites, training manuals, unsolicited programs, media, training materials or standards development without expressed written permission.

Caution: Visit page (site) terms and conditions. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions and country of origin regulations. The opinions and information in this post is subject to change as industry alerts, methods or notices are administered through laws, rules, cautions, regulations, or industry standards and will not be reflected in the original post date. Use at your own discretion, risk and caution.

K38 Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education, jobsite safety and standards: Shawn is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers, Public Safety Agencies, Military and Rescue Water Craft operators. Dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care and competency

K38

SAFETY BEGINS HERE

We have so much to do all the time

Perception of Safety Reality

Safety means danger, and that means rules are in place to manage the human component to lend towards reduction of human errors.
These errors have a long list of potential mishaps looming if any pattern in the reasonable behaviors is ignored, and how often they are until a cumulative pattern emerges.

The common visual reference is ‘one link in a length of chain’, these links need to be dependent upon one another for strength, or not.

If one team member has a question and is unsure of the next stage, step, pattern or behavior, listen to them. They may become the safety link with their inquiry. Even if your ego is pricked; listen.

It’s time to slow things down for the team at the point of identifiable error and review the entire group and possibly equipment status to determine the validity of an appropriate and supporting answer if none were forthcoming.

This is a good position to review the mission and ethics of the team participants.

Selection is the determination of actions. Whatever we choose, we have to live with it, defend it and define it.

If we are teaching, we are responsible for the manner in which the information is shared and our role is to encourage the recipient to continue to work towards retention of the knowledge and its patterns.

Stubborn beliefs and strong opinions regarding the right and wrong way to do this and that, can be a big contrast from.

Each accident or near miss is a new opportunity to grow a stronger and safer program.
Good to go?

_________________________________

Posted: December 4, 2021

Come train with K38 and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Copyright Š 2021 K38 All rights reserved.

All materials on the Companies websites are the property of K38 and may not be copied, reproduced, sold, or distributed without the express permission of the copyright holder. Liberal use of K38 fact sheets and news releases is allowable with attribution.

To Cite the K38 Website for Reference: Please use the following:
"Reproduced from K38's website, Š K38 (year), title and date of the post"

K38 does not grant permission for its content to be displayed on other Web sites, training manuals, unsolicited programs, media, training materials or standards development without expressed written permission.

Caution: Visit page (site) terms and conditions. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions and country of origin regulations. The opinions and information in this post is subject to change as industry alerts, methods or notices are administered through laws, rules, cautions, regulations, or industry standards and will not be reflected in the original post date. Use at your own discretion, risk and caution.

K38 Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education, jobsite safety and standards: Shawn is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers, Public Safety Agencies, Military and Rescue Water Craft operators. Dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care and competency

TRAINING IS NOT SECURITY

SAFETY IS A RESPONSIBILITY

Training is not security but responsibility of the training standards are.

Rescue Water Craft Coxswain qualifications must adhere to a strict vetting process. Even more so for Instructor Cadre.

No argument has the strength to contaminate this.

In our Rescue Water Craft community, Coxswains and Crew have killed themselves because of a lack of effective vetting. This transforms into service-related performance and execution once training is completed, the enforcement of standards begins.

How many people should be sacrificed for this to mean something else?

If a program manager or instructor permits an incompetent or marginal Coxswain or Crew to move further, they have blood on their hands.

THE BURDEN

The burden of instructing is a conscious filled with the horrors of death and intricate methods of preventing the possibilities.

We are not alone. Every action has this human weakness. When negligence is permitted and ignored so that someone is sacrificed to prove it. Those lessons are not learned, they are given as an invitation to seep into the grossest form of performance. Yes, they are preventable and should not be permitted to become a mishap at any time.

The accountability requires a strong woman or man to tell people what they need to hear and respect, abide by and enforce. It is not the dead who can defend themselves, but it is the guilt and shame of a lifetime that follows in the wake of the living.

Sir Edmund Hillary’s wife and daughter were in an aircraft crash piloted by a man named Peter Shand. Fact-checking on performance, remedial action, dismissal, certificates verification. Even Hillary's wife wrote in her journal that she was concerned of Shand's recklessness, there were warnings that everyone avoided.

When was the last time your agency verified a qualification? Never? Or only after an accident?

Peter Shand, and the four people on board the plane he piloted lost their lives. And from their death aircraft safety emerges. Is that good enough or is there something humanly preventable that could minimize that risk? Why are we reactive when we pronounce the word preventative all the time?

We talk a lot about risk management you know. It is a catch phrase of a conglomeration of warnings, but is it respected?

Leadership matters at the helm. If people are not willing to think for themselves and realize their potential is reckless, cause harm or they have a petty attitude, a leader needs to step in and enforce their charge.

Counseling, corrective measures and if all fails and the character behavior of the individual cannot soar, they must be dismissed.

Everyone wants to be something, but not everyone is willing to pay the price to get there.

THE CONSCIOUS OF GUILT

Forty years later, an unexpected letter to Peter Hillary filled in some back history:

Dear Mr. Hillary

… Peter Shand's father bought him a small plane when he was still a teenager. He told me he taught himself to fly but had a few lessons at a flight school in order to obtain his pilot's license. He clocked up a considerable number of hours flying this plane.

In about 1969 Peter came to Africa. He met with three pilots where I was living and heard about a job. He was a very outgoing person but very disorganized. He wasn't able to get the job as a pilot as he didn't have the correct license so he had to sort this out which he said would need flying lessons and take about 6 months and a lot of money.

Within a month he was back with a license – he had changed his log book to show he had night flying experience and other requirements.

I flew extensively to remote airstrips with Peter and ex-Air Force pilots and the difference was profound. Other pilots carried a proper case for documents and wore a uniform – white shirt / tie / cap – Peter was disheveled, a typical bush pilot. However, that was not my main concern. All other pilots took care before takeoff, checking everything. I asked Peter many times why he never did this and he said 'they still think they're in the Air Force'. Peter was always in a hurry.

Two events led to Peter being told that his contract would not be renewed. He had a side business buying goats in remote places and flying them back on return journeys. This later led to his plane failing an inspection – the urine from the goats had damaged the rear control cables.

A more serious matter and one I had warned him about was that at remote air strips he would leave the engine running while loading passengers and freight. The inevitable happened when someone walked into the propeller killing him instantly.

When he was put on suspension, he looked for another job and was accepted by Royal Nepal Airways. The moment I heard on the BBC that a plane carrying Edmund Hillary's wife had crashed in Nepal I knew it was Peter. Years later I learnt he had not done his pre-flight checks.

Mr. Hillary, I was in a position to have stopped Peter flying on a commercial basis. This has been on my mind for over 40 years.
Please accept my apology.

I was very young at that time.

Reference: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/96860943/dishevelled-pilot-who-caused-hillary-family-tragedy-should-have-been-barred-from-flying-new-biography-reveals

__________________

Posted: September 2, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

VOLUNTEER TRAINED PWC RESPONSE TEAM

Know Before You Tow & Go!

We developed the worlds first Personal Water Craft Volunteer Response Training Program for Civilians.

We recognize the critical need for competent training to assist those to become aware of the inherent risks and dangers during these catastrophic events.

Our CCRT PWC program will assist those persons or groups to be able to respond with confidence and knowledge that will permit them to be an asset to their community.

K38 is well known worldwide for disaster work during flood events as well as training coxswains for qualification.

Our experience ranges from Hurricane and tsunami flood recovery work using Personal Water Craft (PWC) for recreational users and Rescue Water Craft (RWC) for occupational Coxswains.

BE REPUTABLE NOT RECKLESS

Join our newsletter for information and updates, we would love to hear from interested parties.

Please send an email request with your name and region you reside in and if you are a Personal Water Craft owner and join our newsletter: RescueWaterCraft@gmail.com

ABOUT
K38 is partners in education with the Civilian Crisis Response Team based out of Indiana. We are committed to the safety of those who wish to help others during hurricane or flood events. Our focus is on your safety first!

CCRT is an incredible non-profit whom applies safety and education of volunteer responders in disaster zones. We are united in that mission.

HAVING A GOOD HEART IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH-YOU NEED TRAINING

CCRT Statement:

We are an organized group of civilian volunteers who are committed to helping the people in our communities during their times of greatest need.

CCRT Motto: “To be the frontline responders who make a difference.”

For more information on CCRT: CIVILIAN CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM
For more information on K38: www.k38Rescue.com

K38 Motto: A Moment For Safety Will Save a Lifetime of Regret

__________________

Posted: September 1, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

HOW MUCH DOES A SEARCH COST?

Big Crow Island, New York

How much does a search cost? How do people put themselves in these situations?

Easy to answer that - they never think it will happen to them. Then it does.

Incident date: July 10, 2019

Yes, we make mistakes. We know that. So what are you willing to do about that? Make another mistake and another?

The warning signals are flashed all over the media, but we have folks who ignore the call to action.

Seriously now, you don't want to be embarrassed or stress your loved ones out do you? Of course not!

Then prepare to stay out of the headlines and police reports.

These incidents happen for a number of reasons such as:

1. Poor preventative maintenance and inspection
2. Poor communication with family or friends on land
3. No functioning electronic communication devices
4. Unfamiliarity with the areas recreating
5. Unfamiliar with risk associated with decisions (no thinking of the worse case situation)
6. Not check the fuel level or riding distances
7. Running aground due to low visibility or not checking the tides
8. Not checking the National Weather Service or monitoring the channel underway for alerts

Naussau County police and mutual aid agencies rescued a stranded Jet Ski from the marshes Wednesday night, south of Merrick, in Merrick Bay.

A distress call was received about 8:45 pm and multiple fire departments including Merrick Fire Department responded for the search and rescue. The Jetskier was missing and his boat was unaccounted for and it was getting dark.

Merrick Fire Department Marine 1 had been searching with other agencies for nearly 2 hours. Their personnel heard a faint whistle blowing north of their location.

The three Marine 1 crew members confirmed this was a distress signal. They pointed out the area the sound was traveling from. If not for these alert crew members the outcome for this PWC operator could have been much different.

NCPD Marine 11 was notified and the NCPD helicopter flew to conduct the aerial search in the direction.

1. Nassau County Police, 7th Precinct
2. NCPD - Marine Bureau
3. Nassau Police - Aviation Bureau
4. United States Coast Guard Station Jones Beach
5. Wantagh Fire Department
6. Freeport Fire Department

ONE IS NONE

Shortly thereafter the Nassau Police helicopter located the missing person in the marsh on Big Crow Island, he was recovered and taken to Wantagh Park.

The Personal Water Craft Operator refused medical attention.

This was a significant mutual aid call-out requiring multiple assets to determine the location of the survivor.

Calls at night in remote areas such as this type of terrain are not always easy to access. There may be safety limitations placed on responders to make contact. Night operations are an entirely higher level of risk for responders.

BE THE ONE WHO HAS PREPARED

This Personal Water Craft operator and all others need to take heed to the lessons learned here. This incident should not be repeated but used as a case example for personal safety and preservation of life.

1. Bring a Marine VHF radio and have it connected to your lifejacket
2. Use a tracking device such as SPOT or inReach. Buy the Search and Rescue insurance. These have built in
GPS
3. File a float plan!
4. Make sure you are familiar with the area of operation
5. Do not operate 30 minutes prior to sunset, night riding is illegal and if you get into trouble you just
complicated your survival rate drastically due to exposure and low visibility
6. Do not ride alone! One is None!
7. Attach a high pitch whistle to your lifejacket strap. That is exactly what saved this individual, but the
search time could have been limited by better preparation of the Operator.
8. Carry on board all the Federal, State required or suggested signaling devices:
• Handheld Flare
• Electronic Flare
• Smoke Flare
• Water Whistle
• Signaling mirror
• Fog horn aerosol can
• Stowage protective case

Do not rely on a cell phone. You may drop it overboard, get it wet or the battery will fail, this is not your first choice for communication, but a Marine Band radio set to Channel 16 is!

If we count all the individuals involved from multi agency support through the command we are looking at over 100 trained persons having influenced this recovery to some degree. Not to mention the millions of dollars in assets used. We are thankful to have outstanding support from departments such as these.

But it is a relationship. The recreational boater needs to take responsibility for their choices.

Everyone must be prepared. If you are not prepared, don't launch.

There is no exception and no excuse to entertain.

You are 100% responsible for everything that takes place once you launch your Personal Water Craft.

Research your boating laws, don’t just take a course, make your behavior part of lifesaving.

How much is your life worth?

A whistle? You bet it is!

__________________
Posted: July 11, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

PREVENT ILLNESS

COVER UP

DO NOT EXPOSE SKIN

We work in a water world and its rift with hazards and dangers. Many of these are obvious, from predators to inclement weather and dangerous water conditions. We cannot protect ourselves from everything that is possible or probable, otherwise nobody would ever enter the water, yet we go to help others and assume that risk.

Our skin becomes soft and easy to chafe from friction on the seat or re-boarding, with the physical load of being a Rescue Water Craft Coxswain or crew member we require full protection for personal safety. It's really a 'no brainer'. Cover up so you can reduce the risk of abrasion or lacerations.

We need to know what we are dealing with and understand the things we can do to mitigate the risk measures that are in our control. Take care of your personal protective equipment!

K38 requires that students come to class prepared with their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This means full coverage to protect their body from scrapes and cuts. We do not allow board shorts, or students who are barefoot.

We know waterways are contaminated after rainfall when counties issue health alerts. These alerts are directed to microorganisms called pathogens.

Exposure to sewage-polluted water is the most common source of illness in recreational water users, even swallowing a small amount may induce sickness. Sewage makes its way to waterways most commonly through sewage overflows, polluted storm water urban runoff, malfunctions in treatment plants, boating waste, and septic systems malfunctions.

This is why we hear the recommendation to avoid contact with waterways for 72 hours after a rain event, especially near a storm water drain. Seventy-two hours is used as a general rule because natural processes help return bacteria levels to normal during this time period.

Ocean currents play an important role by diluting and dispersing stormwater runoff, which is why elevated bacteria levels can remain persistent at enclosed beaches with little circulation.

However, as RWC first responders we do not always have a choice when the call comes to deploy for a mission. We are boat based, but we can be splashed by water and maintain water contact. But we do have a choice in maintaining our personal protective equipment and ensuring it is ready to go.

ILLNESSES
We have all had one or several of these throughout our career. None of us have come out of the water without some kind of impact. It could be as simple as not cleaning your PPE and allowing an environmental for bacteria to breed.

They are a wide range of non-enteric and enteric illnesses. The most common is gastrointestinal illness (AGI).

These symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, fever and stomachache. Different types of polluted water pathogens such as viruses, protozoa and bacteria can cause serious infectious disease of AGI
Non-enteric illnesses include ear, eyes, nose, and throat infections

Some of the most common bacteria causing soft tissue infection after water exposure include Aeromonas species, Edwardsiella tarda, Erysipelothrix spp., Vibrio vulnificus and Mycobacterium marinum. But that is not all, we have unknown or unseen pollution to contend with.

A Streptococcus (GAS) bacteria
Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a bacterium that is often found in the throat and on the skin of people. GAS is most often associated with “strep throat” and impetigo (blisters on the skin). On rare occasions, GAS can cause severe, life-threatening illness like toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh eating disease).

Sometimes described as "the flesh-eating bacteria"

Staphylococcus (or "staph") Bacteria
Staph is resident flora of the human skin, meaning that it normally resides on the skin but does not cause disease. Staph is a gram-positive bacterium that can enter the body through cuts, abrasions, or by coming in contact with the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, and nostrils causing disease and infection.

The infection often begins with a little cut, which gets infected with bacteria. This can look like honey-yellow crusting on the skin.

These staph infections range from a simple boil to antibiotic-resistant infections to flesh-eating infections.

The difference between all these is the strength of the infection, how deep it goes, how fast it spreads, and how treatable it is with antibiotics. The antibiotic-resistant infections are more common in North America, because of our overuse of antibiotics.

LEGIONELLA

The deadly bacteria species, legionella, thrives in the mist of warm freshwaters and enters the lungs when tiny legionella-containing water droplets are inhaled. It is most often found in public spas, hot springs, rivers, and lakes, but outbreaks have occurred at beach shower facilities.

Cellulitis
One type of staph infection that involves skin is called cellulitis and affects the skin's deeper layers. It is treatable with antibiotics.

The signs of cellulitis are those of any inflammation -- redness, warmth, swelling, and pain. Any skin sore or ulcer that has these signs may be developing cellulitis. If the staph infection spreads, the person may develop a fever, sometimes with chills and sweats, as well as swelling in the area.

Infection-producing germs that can lurk in water include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes swimmer's ear (an infection of the outer ear canal, known medically as otitis externa) and skin rash (dermatitis). Others include cryptosporidium, Giardia lamblia, shigella, and E. coli, which can cause diarrhea.

Diarrhea may occur when contaminated water is swallowed and driven into the mouth or nose. (do not swallow water)

What is Vibrio vulnificus?

Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that normally lives in warm seawater and is part of a group of vibrios’ that are called "halophilic" because they require salt.

How do persons get infected with Vibrio vulnificus?

People can get infected with Vibrio vulnificus when they eat raw shellfish, particularly oysters. Occurring naturally in the warm coastal waters, particularly during the summer months, Vibrio vulnificus has the potential to cause serious illness.

Persons who have wounds, cuts or scratches and wade in estuary areas or seawater where the bacteria might be present can become ill. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission of Vibrio vulnificus.

What type of illness does Vibrio vulnificus cause?

Symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus in wound infections typically include swelling, pain and redness at the wound site. Other symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus infection include; nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, chills and the formation of blistering skin lesions.

Individuals experiencing these symptoms should contact a physician immediately for diagnosis and treatment.

ERYSIPELAS
Erysipelas is a bacterial infection that occurs in the top two layers of skin. It is also commonly referred to as St. Anthony's Fire because it can be very painful and cause an intense, burning sensation.

Erysipelas is similar to cellulitis but affects different skin layers. Streptococcus is the usual culprit.

With erysipelas, the skin infection is usually very red and swollen, and there will be a sharply defined border between the normal and infected skin tissue.

FOLLICULITIIS
Folliculitis is a relatively common infection of the hair follicles. It may be caused by bacteria and fungus and is characterized by tiny, red bumps that are filled with pus.

BLADDER INFECTION

A bladder infection is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI). This refers to an infection anywhere in the urinary tract, such as the bladder, kidneys, ureters, or urethra.

Most cases of bladder infections are acute, meaning they occur suddenly. Other cases may be chronic, meaning they recur over the long term. Early treatment is key to preventing the spread of the infection.

What causes a bladder infection?
Bacteria that enter through the urethra and move into the bladder cause bladder infections. Normally, the body removes the bacteria by flushing them out during urination.

Bacteria can sometimes attach to the walls of the bladder and multiply quickly. This overwhelms the body’s ability to destroy them, resulting in a bladder infection.

INFECTIONS

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), most bladder infections are caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). This type of bacteria is naturally present in the large intestines.

An infection can occur when bacteria from the stool get onto the skin and enter the urethra. In women, the urethra is short and the outside opening is not far from the anus, so bacteria can easily move from one body system to another.

Cuts, Scrapes or lacerations

• Wear a full personal protective equipment that is properly sized, cleaned, fitted and no tears or holes
• Clean lacerations immediately
• Use good hygiene
• Wash you hands with warm water and mild soap and rinse with water after changing a wound bandage
• Use waterproof bandages for cuts and scrapes larger than the damage area, replace as needed
• Avoid touching other people’s wounds
• Don’t share razors, toothbrush or other personal items
• Use clean towels, bedding and clothing.
• Shower after each training session, scrub and clean skin, hair and under fingernails/toenails
• Clean your booties, wetsuits gloves and gear after every use
• Contact your doctor immediately if you have a skin, nasal, eye, ear or respiratory infection
• Be aware of alerts or advisories and monitor the weather in your area of operation.
• Do not train or be in the water with any open wound or scrape

Suggested Cleaning Agents
(please consult with your personal doctor, conduct your own research)

1. Water & soap
2. Vinegar
3. Bleach solution diluted 10:1
4. Isopropyl Alcohol
5. Antibiotic ointment and fresh bandages
6. Hydrogen Peroxide (sometimes not recommended for wound care)
7. Iodine
8. Colloidal Silver
9. Oregano Oil

Investigate the products listed above. See if they apply to you and how you would incorporate them or not. Safety is a behavior and its a huge responsibility. We need to look out for ourselves first.

This is a justification to clean out the bilge and wash down the craft. We cannot fully decontaminate a boat due to the foam and rubber components, but we can maintain a clean vessel and a dry bilge and make sure our PPE is ready for us to wear.

Our personal health and safety matters, so don't delay to conduct your research. Now is the time, don't wait until after the fact.

Reference:
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/rwi.html

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Meningitis-and-Encephalitis-Fact-Sheet

https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1981/0848d/report.pdf

______________________
Posted: June 30, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

ARE YOU TRAINABLE?

Not All Knowledge is Equal

"The blind leading the blind" is an idiom and a metaphor in the form of a parallel phrase.

It is used to describe a situation where a person who knows nothing is getting advice and help from another person who knows almost nothing.

It can be traced back to the Upanishads, which were written between 800 BCE and 200 BCE.

This is not just ancient wisdom it is wisdom of the moment.

If someone can be honest with you and tell you that your Rescue Water Craft operations are harmful and wrong. You need to listen and be quiet until they have finished explaining the reasons why.

And if you shut up and listen to them, you can figure out that you are wrong and you won’t be corrected anymore, you will correct yourself.

LISTEN AND LEARN

When you can start asking questions of your actions and utility, you will be trainable. You will succeed.

A person who tells you directly that you are causing harm and can explain it with precision and evidence, you have been given a tremendous gift. Be quiet and listen. Don’t give any excuses!

When you start to think properly and with a safety mindset, you will start to learn about the things you don’t know about. You can exit stupidity and you can become distinctive in thriving functionality! Who wouldn’t want that?

Those who do not care about you want you to fail. Why would you allow them to abuse your potential?

Those who tell you what you need to hear care greatly about you. They are standing up for you.

Listen to them.

KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS

Those who tell you that you are doing well when you are failing, their motive is to cause you from succeeding.

Redeem yourself from their audience, get away from them, you deserve better.

If something doesn’t seem right, question it, don’t stop questioning until you discover the end of the answer, the root and the genesis.

Mistakes are a given, ignorance is a given, there are things that you can do that will allow you to succeed on a level of competence you will be stunned to discover!

Detail the expertise you seek.

You can start with something as simple as one item you use: Inspect your engine cut off switch.

Have you done that yet? Do you know what you are looking for? Do you have an annual inspection requirement and inspection lists you manage? Is this a positive habit of yours or do you neglect it?

If you neglect the simple safety measures, you will not be able to see the accident ahead of you.

If you answered no to all of these or one of these its time to start planning for your future success!
It begins with listening.

______________________
Posted: June 12, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

ONE IS NONE

Winning is Better than Losing

One is None so get on a winning team! There are always two teams, the winning team and the losing team.

The winning team goes for the long steady haul putting in the hours, the education and paying attention to the win.

The losing team is disorganized, doesn’t respect their equipment and is in it for themselves and not for their team mates.

Every mishap should be critically reviewed by peer experts to prevent harming people. Every training session should be reviewed.

Physics and theory are science and science is based on evidence; they are called ‘facts’. These elements are part of the collaboration of progress, use them in your scrutiny process.

Mishaps are based on a lack of fundamental knowledge or disregard for known standards or disrespect of seamanship skills.

PRUDENT MARINER

Don’t be a statistic like that other guy, become a boating safety expert!

You will need a subject matter expert fielded in the maritime community to achieve this. You need a competent mentor.

This will not happen in lifeguarding, it will not happen in fire rescue, it will not happen in surfing, it will only be achieved from the source: BOATING. You have to become a boater first, everything else lines up second.

Let’s dig into this subject. What is the objective?

Perhaps you would attach your boating responsibility to this: To not cause harm to yourself, others or your equipment.

Mentorship is Security

What can you do? What can they do?

The first place is to seek a boater education.

I emphasize 'BOATER' and not lifesaver. Forget the lifesaving part for now, that's the wrong focus and that is what trips these people up.

Find a competent mentor and listen to them.

Give them recognition for what they taught you as you protect what you learned; that is how you recognize the scale of achievement you attain. It's called respect, and in the boating community that ranks high.

In fact if they are creating repetitive mishaps and have the word 'RESCUE" emblazoned on their PWC they need to remove it ASAP until they become a responsible boater. That may call for some humble pie.

Get your basic boating education in place, make it a priority. Put the time in.

Study maritime law and rules.
Understand SOLAS, understand navigation, start with these basic essentials. From there the rest is easy!

We encourage all egos to stand down 'temporarily' and humble their learning ability. You will need your ego for later when you can manage it in concert with maritime law and navigational skills.

Then they will prove to themselves and those they work with that they are a prudent mariner by embracing seamanship skills.

The old saying goes 'Knowledge is Power', so use it!

K38 Way of Training is the evidence based Right Way. Proven and tested. We did it the right way because we care and listened to our mentors.

______________________
Posted: June 12, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

SAFETY MATTERS BECAUSE IT STANDS FOR SOMETHING

THEORY EXCUSE FOR EGO

As your online mentor I would ask you to start thinking critically, open your attitude and park your ego. But only for a little while, you are going to need your ego later on the water.

Let's understand how learn defining what is taking place in sequence of operational security.

So, I encourage you to look at physics. What does this mean?

Well its not based on theory its based on scientific evidence!

PRUDENT MARINER

We tend to put up defense when our pitfalls are identified. This is something that comes up in training for us as instructors, how can we not 'offend' someone who doesn't know what constructive criticism is or how much it matters!

Criticism is not negative, in fact its necessity.

Any person who cannot take constructive criticism is the wrong fit for boat operations. Because risk does not give a damn about their emotions.

If they vocalize a string of defensive excuses such as blaming the boat, the dock, the rock or the wave and fail to identify their selective decision in putting their craft in those situations they hold onto dangerous thinking! We cannot accept this, we must take responsibility for our maneuvers.

When operators become defensive and cannot admit their errors, we have to pull them off the boat and get them back in training. This is the best way to help them and to protect their reputation and get them on the right track.

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS NOT BLAME

Constructive criticism is the fast track to success!

If you are defensive and have problem with instruction, guidance and critical peer review, you need to stop it. That is fear talking from a weak position that will harm you.

Don’t be that person. If you are unable to take criticism you are not trainable. That means you are a liability waiting to explode.

These type of people are a boating safety problem, it will be revealed at some point because everyone runs a camera and cameras don’t lie. They are moving backwards, not forward.

As friends in boating safety we don't want to see our colleagues fail. We will not lie to them. We will tell them what they need to know so they can succeed.

If we fail to be honest with those who are struggling or operating dangerously we would not care about them. We are sad when we see our colleagues fail, when crisis strikes we take no joy in their problems. We are all in this boat together, we are one team, but we all need to pull our oar in stride or we won't get anywhere.

Most folks will take any attention they can get without retrospective scrutiny of their motives, especially if its negative. First we need to identify the negative of our operations and challenge it to physics and safety.

Negative attention is more seductive than responsible actions. That is why weakness prevails, its easier to be weak than strong.

Yes, our community has a multitude of chronic abusers; lauding their mishaps as if they should get a medal for surviving repetitive negligence. We see too many of these Zero Heroes. They need to be fixed so they can rise up instead of going backwards.

What we need are competent Coxswains who represent our boating community with honor and seamanship skills. Men and women who respect our maritime heritage and nautical ancestry. We all need to enforce competency to take the stage and put these careless operators in the queue for learning.

How do they get away with it? It’s not because they are great, it’s because a Personal Water Craft is very forgiving! Give our boats their credit due! We have to constantly assess ourselves as well and make sure we are walking the walk honorably in our helm behavior.

Your safety is first. If you have an operator who is reckless, say something. When any person fails to recognize evidence-based facts, don’t get on a boat with them! Protect yourself first and choose wisely who you will board with.

That’s a tough one for publicity seekers, because the general public cannot weigh risk versus gain and drama is the immediate reward.

Critiques and constructive criticism only sting if you recognize yourself as the problem and realize you are not up to par.
It won’t sting at all if you are willing to learn and have a hunger for appropriate knowledge.

In fact, imagine how fast your increase will be!

Most professionals hunger for constructive criticism, its called ‘training’. Reviews are part of the learning process and are taken seriously.

Be very hungry and ask for a review!

______________________
Posted: June 12, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

What it Means to be a Rescue Water Craft Coxswain

RESPONSIBILITY IS MEANING

One must have the internal dedication and fortitude to apply oneself towards mastery, proper use of vessel care and inspection; maritime law, and seamanship skills.

To use proper care and utility of personal protective equipment, communications and navigation.

To be competent working as an individual or on a team under duress during recoveries of humans and animals with extreme pressure from the elements applied at the moment while on a mission.

To finish the ending with a safe transport and consideration of a stable vessel and survivor care.

To act properly when at the helm or on-board towards the goal of patrol duties and rescue needs.

To be able to determine the scope and risk of operations and changing directions.

PRUDENT MARINER

To be able to alter a life-threatening experience by degrees of severity and measured responses.

To decipher the past events in chronological order for inspection, review and critique and remedial correction when required.

To face these moments with courage and the spirit of examination and faith in their practices.

To be truthful in standards of operation and to act up on them while managing the risks for all on-board.

To not cause harm and to come home safe.

To be physical fit and mentally strong.

To be a diligent critical thinker.

To execute demanding vessel handling skills in dynamic conditions and maintain stability.

STRUCTURE OF REALITY

To do these things one must not have the audacity to claim one is a Coxswain simply through having hands on the helm, but to act out the safe behaviors and live it as a way of being.

This requires self-inspection and remarkable observation of fact, rule and danger, and an investment in preventing on-duty tragedy.

______________________
Posted: June 10, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.