Imagery Available: Coast Guard readies commercial fishermen for safe crab season

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 12/28/2018 11:33 AM EST

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 13th District Pacific Northwest
Contact: 13th District Public Affairs
Office: (206) 220-7237
After Hours: (206) 391- 
13th District online newsroom

Coast Guard readies commercial fishermen for safe crab season

 

(L to R) Mike Rudolph, Steve Kee, Dan Cary and Ron Hilberger, all fishing vessel safety examiners from the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Unit Portland, take time for a group photo. Mike Rudolph (yellow gloves), a fishing vessel safety examiner from the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Unit Portland, teaches students how to move around more efficiently in their survival suits during an 18-hour drill conductor's course in Newport, Oregon Mar. 24, 2017. Mike Rudolph, a fishing vessel safety examiner from the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Unit Portland, teaches one of his students how to right a life raft in Newport, Oregon Mar. 24, 2017.

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

WARRENTON, Ore. — Coast Guard personnel have worked with many members of the Pacific Northwest fishing fleet during the last four months preparing them to be safe and knowledgeable during the commercial Dungeness crab season beginning Sunday.

Coast Guard personnel have conducted more than 90 fishing vessel exams and trained more than 75 fishermen during drill conductor courses held at various ports including Coos Bay, Newport, Garibaldi and Astoria since September.

The fishing vessel exams ensure that the vessels are carrying the mandatory safety equipment including life rafts, immersion suits, flares, lifejackets and other emergency equipment.

Commercial fishermen are required to practice emergency situations at least once per month and the drill conductor course trains fishermen how to run those practice sessions. The training gives commercial fishermen the opportunity to receive valuable hands-on safety equipment and emergency drill training.

 

Participants practiced with emergency equipment required aboard most commercial fishing vessels—personal flotation devices, life rafts, immersion suits, distress signals, EPIRBs and fire extinguishers.  They learned and practiced emergency procedures like man overboard retrieval, abandoning ship, firefighting and flooding control through on board emergency drills and practical demonstrations.

"The Dungeness crab fishery is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country," said Curt Farrell, fishing vessel safety coordinator, Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland. "There is no way to make it 100 percent safe, but our goal is to ensure that everyone that participates in the fishery has everything they need including the gear and knowledge to come home to loved ones. Nearly every survivor of an emergency situation involving a fishing vessel in the Pacific Northwest has participated in one or more of the drill conductor courses."

 

 

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