The US Coast Guard and Oregon Sea Grant schedule to conduct the safety and survival course between March 5 and 6 in Newport. The expense for the course is $20 and upon completion, participants will receive certification to conduct emergency drills aboard commercial fishing vessels. Curt Farrell, Coast Guard fishing vessel safety coordinator for Oregon and Southwest Washington, informed that the safety training is necessary for documented commercial fishing vessels that operate beyond the boundary line.
It has been said that the participants will practice with emergency equipment required aboard most commercial fishing vessels, which include personal flotation devices, life rafts, immersion suits, distress signals, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon and fire extinguishers. The Coast Guards also said that there are emergency procedures, such as overboard retrieval, abandoning ship, fire fighting and flooding control that will be needed through onboard emergency drills and practical demonstrations.
The course is open to mariners who have already taken the training to refresh their skills. According to a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that after five years the effectiveness of training in reducing casualties declines significantly.
