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 © 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, © 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

OBSERVATION

BY THE BOOK

How you observe the equipment in your care, persons, water and weather is your agreement with purpose and efficiency. It is a commitment.

Will you fulfill your purpose successfully in these actions?

Will you deny efficiency or lend permission to flow or disaster?

The state of how you decide to put your equipment and team into motion is a direct relationship to value.

This value has associated risks. We do enjoy labeling them and issuing codes and associated numbers. To reduce these risks, training, conversation and corrections are required, if not demanded.

How is this liability enforced;
by accident review?
by annual inspections?

Changing phases of implementation is a determination of your mindset, how you think, what you know or what you do not know, what you incorporate and what you reject.

Then the resulting behaviors engage arrive. Are they fortuitous or a train wreck? And were you the person who was driving that train?

How far have you worked on developing or accepting your intuition? What is your knowledge level on physical attributes? How much have you studied regarding atmospheric pressures and their resulting influences? What do you know regarding the flux of water and the qualities of speed?

The most important question is your equipment. As I have observed in training hundreds of agencies, the relationship of gear and safety has not always been thorough enough. It’s usually good enough to get by until a breakdown occurs, and they always do.

Rescue Water Craft aka power craft require a tremendous amount of select attention with an hourly schedule that correlates to the ‘book’. AKA the owner’s/shop manuals.

96% of my clients do not even have the proper tools and supplies required to be reliant. It’s a failure and it continues due to associations, assigned program leaders and human entanglements. We need strong men and women to break this distracted cycle.
Will you be one of them to risk it?

It’s like a bad inheritance of damaged DNA that creates an incomplete process of optimal functions.
This will result into the collapse, it’s a signature of our community that is protected far more than it is rejected.
The failure to reach out to persons who are subject matter experts, rather than self-appointed gurus who don’t have 100 oil changes under their gloves, is a telling point of failure. It’s a distraction of time, endurance and utility.

Be sure you don’t frame out your road map to end up in a dead end with the water rising and the equipment has stopped running.

Get into the books.

Remember, you are on your own, act like it. Think about that for a while.

Ask me how I know?

_________________________________

Posted: January 1, 2022

Come train with K38 and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Copyright © 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, © 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

DESTRUCTIVE OR CONSTRUCTIVE

REASON

DESTRUCTIVE OR CONSTRUCTIVE

RWC Best Practices based on the will of the Coxswain, the instructor or program manager:

How to preserve instruction?

Well instruction is more important than safety itself, because safety is a word that is reliant on human behavior.

If that behavior was not laid out properly with effective disciplines and enforcement, there is no reason to assume that a program will succeed.

It will succeed to induce injury or a mishap.

Then most program managers or investigators will conclude here are the examples of wrong and these are the items that will change. This is wrong.

LIABILITY

This is the protection of incompetency and liability.

It should be the other way around:

1. Behavioral Training
2. Safety is enforced from behavioral training

The human element must be managed. This may take the form of the following:

1. Inspection lists
2. Tests, quizzes, exams
3. Behavior handling of a Rescue Water Craft under scrutiny
4. Remedial corrections
5. Discipline

Will used as thought that is purposeful is part of reason.

The argument is how to apply value and on what metrics will those values be determined?

How do we achieve reason, or that which is reasonable in Rescue Water Craft Operations?

That is where standards are rooted in the core existence of operational security.

CORRECTION

It has to be effectively communicated with rational discussion and expression.

There is where we find that standards can reveal a mutable exchange of benefits that are based on the faith of those who have invested in the reasonable conclusions. These conclusions should not be based on assumptions but on evidence.

Reason can uphold the necessity of safety and instruction. If the reason for a RWC program is not clearly defined, or researched then that neglect will only ensure the success of a struggle which results in an accident.

Isn’t this a betrayal of seamanship skills?

It is time for each RWC Coxswain to take personal responsibility and be reasonable with their choices. The message should be positive and fearless. Each of you are a mentor to others.

Be sure your videos, photos and examples are the ‘best practice’ and not a poor imitation or a reckless struggle for others to imitate. You are each responsible for that reason. Conduct review, be honest, be humble and be liberated to make changes that pivot you away from accidents and harm.

This requires inspection, discussion and review, constant review and modernization.

Then repeat.

__________________

Posted: August 13, 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.

Rescue Water Craft Start/Stop Controls

LANYARD

Let’s go over a start procedure basic for your Rescue Water Craft (RWC). We’ll being with learning how to use the Engine Cut-Off Switch

Keep Engine Cut-Off Switch/Lanyard Attached

Securely attach engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to your lower left webbing strap on your Lifejacket (PFD) and wear it at all times.

Then, if you experience a ‘Coxswain man overboard’ mishap from the RWC, the engine will stop. However, be mindful and engine cut off switch/cord can break.

The only time this would not apply is if you were using the Emergency Cut-Off Switch that is secured to the helm.

If you had this engaged during an emergency where your personal lanyard broke and fell overboard the Rescue Water Craft would continue to operate on the path the helm position rests or is influenced by.

This could cause a secondary emergency underway and a possible mishap. Be mindful of the decision to engage for the purposes of emergency.

KNOW HOW TO START/STOP THE ENGINE

RWC start stop features*

You have your engine cut-off switch engaged in the start position.

Some models of Rescue Water Craft may have you engage an immobilizer key first such as a Kawasaki Jet Skiℱ Ultra model, by pushing this key inward to turn on the electrical system.

Look astern. Ensure that your stern area is clear visually. As the Coxswain you will rotate your body in a standing position facing the helm by looking over your left shoulder and slightly rotating your pelvis in the same direction.

If not clear, wait to start the craft until 'all clear'.

CLEAR!

Be ready to pivot your body slightly to look towards the portside quarter astern. Your right hand will remain fixed on the starboard side handle or start the craft by pushing in the start button or green button on the portside helm.

When you conduct the stern check, point downwards towards the area on the water where the water jet thrust exists from the steering nozzle and insure you are ‘all clear’ prior to starting the Craft. State the word ‘CLEAR’ loudly if persons are in the vicinity of your 30’ Rule.

To start the engine, be sure that the lanyard is attached and push the start button. Simultaneously make sure your forward progress is all clear.

1. To stop the engine, push the stop button.

Stopping the engine will not stop the forward motion of the RWC and will result in loss of steering.

K38 asks that you inspect the engine cut-off switch after each operation. You will be looking for damage to the coil, wrist loop, clip and plastic key piece. Remove from service if damaged.

When you start the craft on a trailer or a beach cart, do not allow the engine to run more than 10 seconds without water running through the exhaust cooling system. The manufacturers will recommend up to 15 seconds. Do not dry-rev the engine over 4,000rmp. Note some manufacturers will recommend 6,000rmp.

To stop the engine, push the 'red or stop' button, you may also pull the engine cut-off switch from its connected position to the helm. Secure it for safety.

Please refer to the Manufacturer’s Owner’s Manual for the specific Make Model and Year of Production. You will find the details of everything RWC needed!

Note: this article does not represent the functions of Neutral, Reverse, Trim, Braking or Forward, this is only a reminder of how to start the craft.

*Reference: https://global.yamaha-motor.com/business/waverunner/fanandproper/pwc_controls.html

______________________
Posted: June 15, 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.

IDENTIFY YOUR STRONG OPERATORS

COXSWAINS

Identify Your Strong Coxswains.

What is a Coxswain? They are the Operator. They are the Captain. They are in charge of the Crew. They are in charge of the ship (Rescue Water Craft). It is important to identify your strong Coswains for a variety of reasons:

1. Reduction of liability through competence
2. Teaming (building a cohesive unit)
3. Safety at Sea
4. Operational Integrity
5. Mentoring
6. Operational Acumen

MANAGEMENT

When you can identify the strength in your Operators you have a distinct advantage to identify the complimentary deficiencies in your team. This is something that needs to be conducted periodically.

How can you make an assessment?

1. Review the condition of the Rescue Water Craft(s)
2. Review the condition of the trailering and Transport equipment
3. Quiz the Operators
4. Skillset assess monthly the technical ability of your team
5. Rate the level of competency and assign the rating in the database
6. Describe the shortcomings and capabilities, make improvement on both!
7. Assign degrees of performance related to service work

If you have an Operator that is identified as problematic in techincal skills, but is high in managing equipment, perhaps a reassignment is necessary? Where are their strengths? What are they comfortable doing? What are the uncomfortable doing?

Provide an honest counseling session regarding performance, executive and completion of all tasks. Ask them if they would be willing to take on another level and manage that specific area of the program. Correlate that with documentation that will verify their factual performance and related success or defaults.

It is important that an administrator oversees and inspects the performance of the team, leaders and program guidelines.

K38 Jet Ski Training

STRENGTH

Strength is a needed ingredient in program management and sustainability, but how do we measure strength?

Is id conducted by setting a program and essentially abandoning it year after year because its always been that way or do we determine to investigate the program failures and success?

That begins with the personnel in charge. Whether administrators, operators, crew or mechanics the teaming aspect is critical for future safety as well as present safety and program sustainability.

Make a commitment right now to review your Rescue Water Craft program.

Interview your team.

Ask them what they think is working well and what areas they would like to see changes.

Be courageous and represent integrity, as you may be saving one of your team members reputation or your own.

Care About Your Team

PROGRESS IS EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP

...Otherwise the door is open for a mishap.

Don't wait until you have to learn from a lesson.

Take the lessons now and make a plan. A solid plan.

People do not have to get hurt, Rescue Water Craft do not have to be damaged to learn a lesson.

Today there are service providers such as K38 who have gone through the scale of difficulty and formatted procedures that
protect reputation, reduce risk of injury and accident and are on the frontline of knowledge.

If you do not have a subject matter expert on your staff who is invested in the Rescue Water Craft community and can represent 100 questions that are accurate about a Rescue Water Craft, 200 questions about the environment and 500 questions about how this lines up accidents, you may need to reach out and have your program reviewed.

Backing up and slowing down your program flow can save your department and your staff intense grief and discouragement.

Review your mishaps. The story is in the actions and the subsequent behaviors can be alerted.

Ask us how we know?

Good luck, we wish you a safe and noble program that you are proud of and your people are operating safely!

_______________________________
Posted: 10.27.2018

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

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio 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.

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.

VHF Radio Use for Rescue Water Craft

MARINE VHF RADIO

Let’s take a very quick basic overview of the use and function of a Marine VHF radio analog technology. Keep in mind there is a lot more to know FOR VHF Radio use, so use this guide as a precursor for further educational benefits by conducting your own research. VHF band is by law intended for use by mariners.

TERMINOLOGY-Marine VHF radio refers to the radio frequency range between 156 and 174 MHz VHF signifies the ‘Very High Frequency’ of that range. So that leads to what is MHz? Megahertz is used to express microprocessor clock speed. The unit is occasionally used in measurements of bandwidth for high speed digital data, analog and digital video signals and spread spectrum signals.

International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel.

CHANNEL 16- Marine VHF radio Channel 16 (156.800 MHz) Boater Calling Channel (VHF Channel 9)
The Federal Communications Commission established VHF-FM channel 9 as a supplementary calling channel for noncommercial vessels (recreational boaters) at the request of the Coast Guard. A ship or shore unit wishing to call a boater would do so on channel 9, and anyone (boaters included) wishing to call a commercial ship or shore activity would continue to do so on channel 16. Recreational boaters would continue to call the Coast Guard and any commercial facility on channel 16.

The purpose of the FCC regulation was to relieve congestion on VHF channel 16, the distress, safety and calling frequency. FCC regulations require boaters having VHF radios to maintain a watch on either VHF channel 9 or channel 16, whenever the radio is turned on and not communicating with another station.

Since the Coast Guard generally does not have the capability of announcing an urgent marine information broadcast or weather warning on channel 9, use of channel 9 is optional. We recommend boaters normally keep tuned to and use channel 16 in those waters unless otherwise notified by the Coast Guard. Channel 16 is monitored by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and they will issue weather, hazards and restriction placed on navigation alerts when they are needed in your area of operation (AO). There are 50 different channels available with select defined roles by the FCC. Once contact is made on Channel 16 the USCG may redirect you to another channel.

Channel 16 should be monitored when you are underway in case a distress signal and request for emergency support is issued you can respond. Keep this channel open for those who truly are in need of lifesaving connectivity.

USCG LINK

Procedure for Calling A Ship by Radio
You may use channel 16 to call a ship or shore station, but if you do so, you must, must be brief! We recommend this same procedure be used over channel 9, if channel 9 is used as a calling channel.

For example:

Blue Duck: "Mary Jane, this is Blue Duck" (the name of the vessel or MMSI being called may be said 2 or 3 times if conditions warrant)

Mary Jane: "Blue Duck, this is Mary Jane. Reply 68" (or some other proper working channel)

Blue Duck: "68" or "Roger"

MAYDAY Radio Checks and other Hoaxes
A growing number of boaters unsuccessful in getting a radio check on VHF channel 16 are calling MAYDAY to get a response. Every hoax, including MAYDAY radio checks, is subject to prosecution as a Class D felony under Title 14, Section 85 of the U.S. Code, liable for a $5000 fine plus all costs the Coast Guard incurs as a result of the individual's action. Since hoaxes can lead to loss of life, the Coast Guard and Federal Communications Commission will work closely together, using when necessary FCC equipment capable of identifying the electronic signature of the offending radio. We ask your cooperation in helping us and the FCC remove hoaxes from the VHF radiotelephone distress, safety and calling channel 16.

Radio Checks
Radio checks with the Coast Guard Communications Stations on DSC and HF radiotelephone are allowed.

ETIQUETTE - Do not use foul language, do not allow children to handle your Marine VHF radio but do teach them how to use it properly for an emergency distress call, it is not a toy, and is monitored for transmissions that are forbidden. Keep Channel 16 open for true emergencies. Know the channels and their complimentary functions.

But most importantly, know your radio! You may want to place in a waterproof bag, and not all of them float. So we operate with them affixed to the front of our lifejacket, but not near our chest, off towards our shoulders. Marine VHF is not for shore use only for on-water, if used on land you are in violation of the law unless you have a special permit.

Don’t hog a channel, be mindful others may need to use it, it’s not a social device for communication but is intended to support safety at sea and navigational needs.

BATTERY-They have a self-contained antenna and battery pack. Normal range of battery life is approximately 8 hours, but it depends, some claim 20 hours of use, but for me, it’s dependent on location, weather and use of the radio. Batteries can fail due to corrosion of it the case is cracked of the cover not secure. Also make sure you use the proper charger and follow the charging instructions.

GPS

VISUALS-Being able to see the display helps to know which channel you are on. You can lock the channel in as well, we use iCom radios. Dot Matrix Display is helpful when choosing the menu functions, over a standard 7 segment LCD display. Dot Matrix pixilation count is rated for its screen resolution. Some are backlit brighter than others and the buttons as well.

GLOBAL-Some of the radios have a built in GPS that can send to the USCG your exact position in case of emergency. This provides you your Latitude and Longitude position. You can used stored waypoints with this feature for navigation. Some radios have Digital Selective Calling (DSC), it’s similar to using a device like Spot Locators as an emergency beacon. You just have to push down on a button usually lit as a red or orange emergency distress and it will send an automated digital distress message to the USCG and others vessels with radios in the vicinity. Channel 70 is Note that channel 70 is now authorized only for Digital Selective Calling, an emergency automated distress system mandated by international treaty; channel 70 may no longer be used for voice communication

This feature is great because you can store your emergency contacts. Some radios have other accessories such as different battery types or headsets. You can use your radio to hail Towing companies such as Vessel Assist, which is more reliable than using a cell phone due to dropped calls and on-water range, waterproofing and battery life.
K38 recommends you have a separate GPS tracking device. In case one fails you have a backup.

RWC VHF Radio

CARE

WATTAGE-There are limitations of range due to a transmit power of six watts. This is why you see some RWC operators in calmer waterways adding a larger external antenna to transmit from a high location. For our Rescue Water Craft use you can average a five watt transmit power to work at three to eight miles of range with variables. Switching to some models using higher watt output you may drain your battery quicker, so be careful on your settings.

Recreational Marine VHF radios for recreational boaters are limited to output of 25 watts so transmitters cannot be boosted and operate on a line of sight between stations, the higher the atenna the better the result. However our handhelds are limited.

BATTERY LIFE-Radio manufactures have a generic recommendation for battery life. 90% standby, 5% to receive and 5% to transmit at high power. Read the owner’s manual and you can have great tutorials on your specific brand model.

By having your radio with you on your person you can communicate when away from your Rescue Water Craft, which is a great safety feature for yourself as the Operator or Crew. Even better if the vessel capsizes and you are separated from the RWC you have a safety threshold to hail for assistance.

CAREFUL-Do not drop your radio! This is how irreversible damage occurs and can render the radio dead. Also any strikes to helm while underway can damage the lens or the housing and destroy your radio, so use due care! Never store your radio inside the glove box or any other compartment without completely protecting your radio from strike damage and breakage!

Make sure you use silicone grease to maintain an anti-corrosion base your battery housing for water or condensation inside the housing, mainly near the battery cover opening and the buttons and the antenna base. Apply silicone weekly to the battery terminals. Make sure the radio is dry before placing in charger.

Do not bend the antenna! If the rubber is cracked, replaced the antenna immediately.

Rinse with fresh water! What I like to do is to evacuate the water from the microphone and button areas to try to reduce the signature of corrosion. Conduct a final post inspection by opening up the battery case and look for condensation or water invasion, cracks in the case and be sure to use silicone grease to maintain anti-corrosion practices.

CHECK! If you want to hail a second Rescue Water Craft or vessel here is some advice:

1. Before you splash your RWC, make sure your radio is fully charged.
2. Power your Radio ‘on’.
3. Set your volume and squelch buttons.
4. Conduct a Radio Check on Channel 9 (noncommercial and non-emergency channel)
5. Make sure you are both operating on the same radio channel, Ch. 1078 is good for some areas if there is not a lot of traffic, but then switch back to 16 when underway to listen for emergencies
6. You can also monitor your local weather broadcasts on your VHF radio
7. Push down the mic key for clearance to talk, it’s usually located on the side of the radio, then send your message and depress the key button.
8. Hail the second RWC pressing the mic key and holding it by stating the vessel name twice, followed by your vessels name: “K38 one, K38 one, this is K38 two on Channel 1078, over” release the key.
9. Once contact is made, and our conversation is completed “K38 two returning to standby Channel 16 or K38 two out”. Do not say ‘over out’.
10. Channel 9 is designated for the boat calling channel (156.450 MHz)

Don't leave shore without your VHF Radio

EMERGENCY

1. Securite-Securite-Securite: Warns crew or others about important safety information. Also used to issue warnings and meteorological updates. Such as towing someone with restricted maneuverability and you want others to avoid you.

2. Pan-Pan-Pan: Urgent situation but not at imminent risk. You are in moderate risk, and a hazard to navigation

3. Mayday-Mayday-Mayday: SOS distress signal. Sets Search and Rescue (SAR) in motion. Life threatening situation. You are going down, you have lost a man overboard or you are heading to the beach or rocks, imminent danger.

During emergencies we can rely on our volunteer Ham radio operators. Ham radio operators using their frequency will state ‘Break-Break-Break’ as the equivalent to a Mayday call, never use the term ‘Break’ unless imminent threat to property or life is present.

Global Maritime Distress & Safety System

VHF maritime channel 70 (156.525 MHz) is authorized exclusively for distress, safety and calling purposes using digital selective calling (DSC) techniques. No other uses are permitted.

Channel 70 is used to send distress alerts, safety announcements and for calling purposes under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). Many vessels are now equipped with DSC capability and are using channel 70 for this purpose. It is essential that this channel be protected.

Storm Warnings?
The Coast Guard announces storm warnings and other urgent marine information broadcasts on VHF channel 16 before making the broadcasts on VHF channel 22A and 2670 kHz respectively. Storm warnings and forecasts are also made by NOAA Weather Radio.

REFERENCE

Channel 16
International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel.

Channel 70
Digital Selective Calling (voice communications not allowed)

Channel 1078
Non-Commercial. VDSMS (USA Great Lakes commercial channels 1079, 1080)

USCG INFORMATION: Frequencies are in MHz. Modulation is 16KF3E or 16KG3E.
Note that the four digit channel number beginning with the digits "10" indicates simplex use of the ship station transmit side of what had been an international duplex channel. These new channel numbers, now recognized internationally, were previously designated in the US by the two digit channel number ending with the letter "A".

That is, the international channel 1005 has been designated in the US by channel 05A, and the US Coast Guard channel 1022 has been designated in the US as channel 22A. Four digit channels beginning with "20", sometimes shown by the two-digit channel number ending with the letter "B", indicates simplex use of the coast station transmit side of what normally was an international duplex channel. The U.S. does not currently use "B" or "20NN" channels in the VHF maritime band. Some VHF transceivers are equipped with an "International - U.S." switch to avoid conflicting use of these channels. See ITU Radio Regulation Appendix 18 and ITU-R M.1084-5 Annex 4.

These new channel numbers should eventually begin to be displayed on new models of VHF marine radios.
Boaters should normally use channels listed as Non-Commercial. Channel 16 is used for calling other stations or for distress alerting. Channel 13 should be used to contact a ship when there is danger of collision. All ships of length 20m or greater are required to guard VHF channel 13, in addition to VHF channel 16, when operating within U.S. territorial waters. Users may be fined by the FCC for improper use of these channels.

USCG Website

_______________________________

Published: August 28, 2018
Updated: February 11, 2019 (special thanks to Rene Haar for a suggested correction)

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

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio 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.

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.

Constitutional Value

What Constitutes Your Rescue Water Craft Value?

What is your fundamental Rescue Water Craft fact presented to you filtered to a specific point of your actions and your agency perception? Can you decide what reduction or increase you allow or is compromised? Value can be determined as personnel safety and competency, financial, the importance, worth or usefulness of your RWC program, your program principles or standards, the benefit, gain or merit of your program.

These values are interpretive. To the extent of which is perceived by the group or measured by the instructor cadre and the expectation of the public for a reliable service to be performed. We care about your reputation and your program. We have posted information to rally the community to take responsibility and contribute to reducing the injury accident rate by competent behaviors. First you have to know what you are doing for it to be a secondary benefit.

I have said before ‘Safety Means Danger’, and this means that each of us are placing ourselves in grave danger. Grave is an Old English word for ditch and in the sense of burial ‘graf’ is a Germanic language for grave meaning for heavy or gravity, if we base the saying ‘grave danger’ in etymological roots for us we can use it as a reminder to be prepared to avoid the grave through mistake. Of course this is my interpretation and you are welcome to select your own.

How do you rank?

The facts we have are in the domain of education and distributed through information outlets entrusted to instructors. Or for the modern push we can say for those who view YouTube videos and attempt to imitate what they best determine to be the ‘facts’. Is this reliable and if so how do we account for leveraging the facts to interpret if they are determinable for our increase of safety and our reduction of danger?

Risk management is a solid aim, its truth lies in the details. For this we must remain constantly vigilant for our personal safety and to ensure our program stays in step with current changes in our equipment.

Yes, accidents will happen and so can injuries. There are RWC answers and information that is credible that can assist your department in mitigating these risks significantly. Conduct effective RWC research and do your homework, both at the inception of a Rescue Water Craft program and with an annual review. You will feel better knowing that you applied your best effort to the facts at hand.

Perception and facts can be targeted by groups, hubris, and the individual who reduces the structure of facts to a single point of values in the agency, community or individuals facts. How are these gauged? Usually after an accident or an injury. So once again, conduct effective research and be prepared to present facts vs. perceptions when the occasion arises.

Rescue Board Training and Inspection

MANAGEMENT

Any accident is a story that tells our behavioral trackline. Typically a lot of mishaps can be prevented simply by incorporating an effective preventative maintenance and inspection program. Often the facts are obvious, but ignored. Such as a crease in the rescue board or its anchor points are frayed, or the Rescue Water Craft hours are not maintained according to the manufacturer recommendations for inspection, replacement and care.

Compromise eventually catches up to us. It’s not easy to maintain a Marine Unit. It requires a lot of dedication towards program management, team building and a strong knowledge base.

Unfortunately often due to the demands of budget limits many programs are greatly reduced or in the process of reduction from a functional structure. Time is a big part of the Rescue Water Craft structure. Applying the appropriate amount of time to create a rule based program and to enforce its governing principles is key. This will require that effective checklists are generated for not only the Rescue Water Craft, but all the accessory equipment, training and maintenance needs.

If you are open to a suggestion, think about the amount of time allocated for maintaining your program. List the following:

1. Annual budgets: Vessels, accessories, maintenance, training
2. Replacement budget for losses/damage
3. Training hours focused on ‘training with purpose’. Make sure you are training for the results you can expect in the field. Forget YouTube videos for a while and look at your agency or neighboring agency past incidents and revisit the actions of the survivors you worked with and start from there.
4. Practice the ending! The transport, care and extrication of your survivors and gear.
5. Join the Rescue Water Craft Association and get connected with Subject Matter Experts
6. Attend the WaterRescueCon-the only RWC conference in the world.

When you take the lead, you are helping an entire team, their families and the public at large. There is no greater accomplishment knowing that you have spread a protective layer over many, including yourself. Not easy, but you can do this!

_______________________________

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

Content Creator: Shawn Alladio 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.

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.

K38 COLLECTIVE

Imagine the nautical miles our students have covered and how many times they could have driven around the world since we began in 1989?

Over 37,000 hours of training. 350 Rescue Water Craft used.
When we do the math by the hours and add the Rescue Water Craft fuel tank capacity.
The weight on board and the conditions, we start to see the circumference of the world navigated!

Let alone our Never Quit Challenges, in 6 days we had 1,600 miles covered with 10 watercraft at one time underway!
Add in the truck hours, the trailer hours, tire replacements, bearing kits, and the perspective broadens.

This is not limited to the United States, we are a global company. But it is limited to outstanding professioanls who care enough to bring us into their story, one hour at a time, one kilometer at a time, and together we built the culture!

This is no small feat.

It happened because professionals cared about their work.

I thank each of you!

Shawn Alladio – 5.31.2018

Shawn 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.

RESCUE BOARD FRICTION

Unfortunately Rescue Boards (TAD-Towable Accessory Device) do more damage to our Rescue Water Craft astern due to vessel designs changing but the Rescue Boards designs are not adapting to the newer models. Do Rescue Boards work? Absolutely.

However, the use of these (TAD) Towable Accessory Devices have assisted in the recovery of many persons in distress and we are thankful for their utility.  Let’s take a look at considerations of repair and contact points.

Inflatable type designed rescue boards/sleds are not approved for Rescue Water Craft (RWC) safety use due to stability and connectivity.  This discussion refers to fixed core rescue boards that cannot be deflated.

It takes a lot of effort to maintain your Rescue Water Craft and Rescue Board. This requires of Public Safety Agencies to have effective training and proper inspection lists to note when Rescue Boards or RWC’s need to be removed from service due to safety maintenance or repairs.

Some models of Personal Water Craft (PWC) interface to the various Rescue Boards or Towable Accessory Devices (TAD) do not interface well with the variety of Rescue Water Craft (RWC) hulls from year of production, makes and models.

Please refer to the Rescue Water Craft Association recommended RWC’s for 2018:

Approved 2018 Rescue Water Craft

It is not an easy interface for sure!  Make sure you are watching the attachment points from each use and inspect your hull for wear through the top deck. This requires your RWC Operators to understand what to look for, why it is important and how to inspect and maintain their equipment before a mishap occurs from negligence.

This is especially true for NanoXcel hulls in comparison to fiberglass/gelcoat hulls. These lighter hulls tend to have more flex and the newer models have a concave top deck astern. This is also true for some Sea Doo models.

  

Will this cause harm to your Rescue Water Craft? What should you be concerned about?

The center load bearing pressure point and the pivot from port to starboard along with how the Rescue Board is designed oftentimes do not have a complimentary fit. Problems may occur from compression indentations against the Rescue Board.  Remember, we are not permitted to drill only holes through the RWC hull and we cannot add any metal fittings on the top deck due to safety risk and liability.

Also take note of any entrapment from extension on port/starboard connector points of the Rescue Board, catch points and flexion caused by poor handle placement. These all lead up to contributing factors of friction and Rescue Board contact points to the RWC.

Think one word exclusively: PHYSICS

This means the pressure points from a rescue board are going to be pressed downward at the port/starboard sides and can wear completely through the top deck. This can result in a wear hole through the top deck surface

  

Bondline Molding damage and damage to contact point of the TAD Point of Contact

Remember: These are recreational Power Water Craft. They are not designed for Search and Rescue or Patrol work. They are designed for recreational activity use. (With the exception of the AlumaSki, Sea Doo SAR and RescueRunner which are occupational manufactured craft).

When you employ the use of a Rescue Board it will require of your agency effective ‘use, inspection and care‘ guidelines for liability and for safety underway. Failure to do so can result in loss of the Rescue Board, damage that cannot be repaired and budgetary needs for RWC maintenance and care. This can also lead up to agency liability issues.

Is this in your annual budget? Do you have maintenance repair items in stock ready to go?

K38 can help your agency set up your RWC program through professional consultation.

  

Friction points caused by the forces of action and unequal distribution of load, contact, drag or movement against he rescue board and the bond line or top stern deck.  Make sure inspections are thorough and replacement parts a readily available in your cache load maintenance gear.

Rescue Board

You may need to alter the material on the stern deck to raise up the void between the two substrates. Refer to your warranty first before you proceed on any modifications and adhere to the guidelines and rules of the warranty.

1.  Rescue boards can also pull off or damage the rail bond line or molding exposing the rivets. This can result in a safety hazard. Remove the RWC from service immediately if this happens.

2. Friction and impact can affect or damage the stern top deck or removable stern compartment covers on some models of RWC.

3. Re-boarding steps can be damaged or damage the underside of a Rescue board or cause a slight shock loading effect if the step makes contact on the underside of the rescue board and slides forward or back, this can result in issues with the center load bearing connector point.

4. Rescue Board friction pads or covers can splinter, break of fracture. They can even be ripped off the Rescue Board.
There are so many variables that come into play with physics and the actual weight load on the Rescue Board. Primarily it is the connective interface between the RWC and the Rescue Board that is most important.

 

Is your rigging causing harm or creating a solution? What are you willing to give up to gain?

There is no defining interface for rescue board use. It depends upon the make, model and year of production of RWC you have.

One thing is for sure, take some time to study the contact points, friction and how the Rescue Board is hooked up to the RWC to try to reduce the impending damage your RWC will suffer.

Shawn Alladio – 2018

Shawn 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.

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.

Become a member today of the Rescue Water Craft Association: JOIN THE RWCA

FACTS ABOUT BLEACH

FACTS ABOUT BLEACH #1

You need to effectively clean your gear, but what do you know regarding using bleach in some situations?

Natural and normally occurring events, floods, inclement weather, industrial areas, runoff, the list goes on! Your equipment and Personal Protective Equipment are exposed to harsh exposures. Don’t take this for granted, its a serious economical consideration for when to replace, how to care and what are the cause and effects of decontamination on specific products!

SPRAY AWAY
Sprayers come in all sizes, from handheld pump spray bottles to larger spray cannisters. Depending upon which one you use, the nozzle and interior pressure will result in good or poor spray control.

Sodium hypochlorite is the chemical compound we call ‘bleach’.

Bleach is used often for disinfection protocols employed by water rescue teams and for the purpose of cleaning rescue gear and other equipment.

Be careful with the effects of bleach mixed with water as a spray, do not inhale, use proper PPE.

It is used for bio hazard contact and a variety of contaminated aquatics. It is widely known for killing bacteria.

It is often used diluted and placed in spray canisters for spraying down gear/PPE in the field.

If you have responded to a disaster zone and have operated your Rescue Water Craft in contaminated water you may have a bigger problem than simply washing down!

The same goes for your personal protective equipment. Both may need to be destroyed.

You will have to contain and trap the water from the exhaust cooling system and dispose of it in a Hazmat situation.

Spend time now to prepare for the future

Hopefully you have not endured any issues from exposure, but your PPE may be a total loss. Prepare for replacement.

That begins with annual budget planning if you are in high risk zones for potential flooding. Make sure you price out by today’s economy a full replacement value on your equipment and PPE and have it prepared in advance. Emphasis is placed on this critical budget assessment repeatedly in this article from experience.

Rubber hoses and plastic may be destroyed on your Rescue Water Craft.

You may have to replace your seats as well and will need to clean out your bilge.

Budgets must be adjusted for ‘total loss’ or replacement.  There may not be recovery funds such as grants or disaster relief. Volunteer departments may be affected most for deterioration of PPE/equipment.

Plan on your agency disposable clause for gear for situations of exposure, loss or damage.  Make sure your budget includes this annually for a buffer so that your program can continue to thrive responsibly.

Not a feat for anyone, and could be very expensive to remedy.

This is one of the associated costs or risks of service work. Depends upon which way we look at the solutions.

Rule of thumb-everything is disposable and will be replaced, but not you!

Shawn Alladio – 2018

REVIEW
Chlorine bleach is a chemical that is a common household product with properties that make it useful for cleaning and disinfecting and may have from four to six % concentration or in some cases up to nine %. It’s a diluted mixture of sodium hypochlorite (the active ingredient) and water. Sodium hypochlorite is a powerful oxidizer. Oxidation reactions are corrosive and solutions burn skin and can cause permanent eye damage in concentrated forms.

In closed areas with poor ventilation use an appropriate mask and or proper PPE.

Safety handling recommendations:
1. Wear effective eye protection and clothing protection from spills
2. Use of rubber or nitrile gloves to avoid hand contact
3. Clothing will be stained if contact is made or fade colors and break down material
4. Use only in well ventilated areas, vapors will build up and cause eye or respiratory irritation
5. Vigorously wash hands wild mild soap
6. Have an eye wash rinse readily available in case of contact
7. It is corrosive to bare metals
8. Do not drink
9. Do not blend with other cleaning agents or ammonia, explosions can occur if sufficient quantities are
mixed
10. Follow all the applicable safety precautions and product label instructions.

Bleach is hazardous when combined with other products.

Bleach will dry immediately when making contact with skin. It can be an irritant and will dry your skin out right away.  The natural moisture in your eyes combines with liquid bleach to form an acid. Rinse your eye with lukewarm water right away, and remove any contact lenses, and it can be inhaled.

Be sure when using bleach to IMMEDIATELY rinse, rinse, rinse with fresh clean water. Do not leave bleach residue on your gear. It is corrosive!

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

Content Creator – Shawn Alladio 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.