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Cold Weather on the Horizon
It is time to think about upcoming cold weather. It is now November 4th; time to make preparations for the coming cold weather. It may seem like common sense, but being able to properly tanker a barge on a cold, windy night is effected by the comfort and suitability of the clothing we wear. Since our operating area covers a major portion of the United States, your crew should be outfitted and ready for cold conditions.
Proper Clothing....Is the crew returning from time off bringing the proper clothing gear for expected weather conditions for time aboard? Thermal underwear  Coveralls Pullover Cap Wool or thermal socks Heavy winter Jacket Gloves Operations Checklist....Are the barges and boat ready for cold weather operations?
Here are some areas to check:
- Is antifreeze in barge engines within spec, recently tested?
- Are barge fuel tanks free of water?
- Is deck salt available for tows expecting to operate in below freezing weather areas?
- Are approved space heaters in good shape and ready to operate?
- Is the wheelhouse set up to prevent window fog-up, especially at night?
Now is a good time to do a cold weather check-up with all your crew. |
Lost TWIC, Lost Wages
 In the past couple of weeks we have had several lost TWIC cards. Current regulations allow a crewmember 7 days onboard the vessel without the TWIC once reported lost.
The problem is that it is taking longer than 7 days to recieve a replacement card. For those in our company, it has taken from 2-3 weeks to receive their replacement TWIC cards.
This has resulted in lost wages for these employees! If you can't afford to be off the boat, then you can't afford to loose your TWIC. Make sure to keep your TWIC in a safe location.
If you loose your TWIC, contact the Channelview office and the TWIC hotline immediately. Replacement cost for the TWIC is $60.00. |
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Skiff Navigation Lights
Nightime Ops require running lights
All Higman boats have been supplied with portable running lights for use aboard your skiffs during nightime operations. Though all efforts should be made to keep night time skiff operations rare, they may still be required.
Under Rule 23, Inland ...Lights and Shapes, 
- A power driven vessel of less than 12 meters (39.4ft) in length may, in lieu of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this rule, exhibit an all around white light and sidelights.
The lights provided are designed for temporary use during a night time skiff operation and should not be permenetly attached to the skiff. They should be stored in a dry, secure location onboard the towboat when not being used. Each light requires 4 - "AA" type batteries.
- The stern, all around white
 light will attach with the included "C" clamp to the stern gunwale.
- The bow combination red/green side light will attach to the bow rail, on the centerline using the supplied suction cup. It may help to wet the suction cup before attaching to the rail for better adhesion.
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Vehicle Keys
If you park your vehicle at any of our offices while you are on the boat, we need a copy of your keys. When Hurricane IKE hit Houston last year, our crew parking lot was under water. As a courtesy to our employees, Higman Marine Services towed all of the vehicles to higher ground. In the future, it would be more efficient to all parties to be able to move them instead of towing them.
We will keep the keys locked up in the office and will only use them if your vehicle needs to be moved for us to gain access to the area you are parked in.
If you can't make a copy of your key - we can hold your keys at the office. Please let us know the day prior if you will need your keys when you return from crew change.
If we do not have a copy of your key, and an emergency situation arises, your vehicle will not be towed.
If you have any questions, please contact the Personnel Department.
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Top Pockets
The top pocket of your shirt is not a good place to put your belongings. Items, like the company cell phone, can easily fall out of these pockets.
This also applies to your billfold, TWIC card, or MMC. When these items fall into the water it becomes a bad situation for you and the company. It is better to store these items in something that can button or zip closed.
We have had a rash of lost cell phones and TWIC's during the past 2 weeks! |
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Rule 35....Sound Signals in restricted Visability
-INLAND-
Here is a short summary of the main points of the rule:
The questions below are based on RULE 35:INLAND ONLY....Which statement is TRUE concerning the fog  signal of a vessel 15 meters in length, anchored in a "special anchorage area" approved by the Secretary?
a. The vessel is not required to sound a fog signal.
b. The vessel shall ring a bell for 5 seconds every minute.
c. The vessel shall sound one blast of the foghorn every 2 minutes.
d. The vessel shall sound three blasts on the whistle every 2 minutes.
INLAND ONLY....Which statement is TRUE concerning the fog signal of a sailing vessel 25 meters in length, anchored in a "special anchorage area" approved by the Secretary?
a. The vessel is not required to sound a fog signal.
b. The vessel shall ring a bell for 5 seconds every minute.
c. The vessel shall sound one blast of the whistle every 2 minutes.
d. The vessel shall sound three blasts on the whistle every 2 minutes
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....You are in charge of a power-driven vessel making way in dense fog. You observe what appears to be another vessel on radar half a mile distant on your port bow and closing. You must __________.
a. sound the danger signal
b. exchange passing signals
c. sound one prolonged blast
d. sound one short, one prolonged, and one short blast
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....While underway in fog, you hear a prolonged blast from another vessel. This signal indicates a __________.
a. sailboat making way
b. power-driven vessel making way, towing
c. power-driven vessel making way
d. vessel being towed
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....If your vessel is underway in fog and you hear one prolonged and three short blasts, this is a __________.
a. vessel not under command
b. sailing vessel
c. vessel being towed (manned)
d. vessel being towed (unmanned)
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....A 95-meter vessel aground sounds which fog signal?
a. A rapid ringing of a bell for 5 seconds every two minutes
b. A whistle signal of one short, one prolonged, and one short blast
c. A prolonged blast of the whistle at intervals not to exceed one minute
d. A rapid ringing of a bell for 5 seconds, preceded and followed by three separate and distinct strokes on the bell |
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Online Training Questions
The Friday Question Sets during the last two weeks were part of the General Operations Series. Topics covered were Vessel General Permit and Skiff Operations, part 1.
Most boats did a good job with these last sets. How did your crew do?
General Operations
Set Number 2
Vessel General Permit
To view this question set again, go to Vessel General Permit. Results were very good on this question set....95.4% fleetwide.
Question 1.....The Vessel General Permit was implemented by the...
Answer....EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
Question 2....The Vessel General Permit is required for  commercial vessels over... Answer....79 feet Question 3...Barge inspections are to be completed _______________or once each voyage, whatever comes first. Answer....once a week Question 4....The barge inspection includes Answer....All of the above Question 5....The visual monitor is to be conducted to ensure that there are no pollutants in the water surrounding the barge.
Answer....TRUE
Question 6....The visual inspection is to be done once a watch and recorded in the...
Answer....Smooth Log
Question 7..... Any and all deck maintenance is to be recorded in the Vessel General Permit
Answer....False
General Operations
Set Number 3
Skiff Operations , part A
To view this question set again, go to Skiff Operations, part A . Fleet average on this question set was 95.5%....so great job.
Question 1....Who is responsible for conducting the pre-launch briefing and ensuring that the skiff is not overloaded and operated as safe as possible?
Answer....The Wheelman on Watch Question 2.... When in the skiff you may use a type V personal flotation device. 
Answer.... FALSE
Question 3....Click on the Emergency Shut Off Mechanism (Kill Switch)
Answer....most had this right (except for Ms Gretchen in the Post Oak office)
Question 4....It is important to evenly distribute the load in the skiff to maintain Answer....proper trim and list. Question 5....Running lights are required Answer....during night time operations.
Question 6....As per company policy, it is prohibited from launching the skiff in heavy rain, snow, high winds or seas more than one foot. TRUE/FALSE
Answer....TRUE
Question 7....Before launching the skiff, the Wheelman on watch should
Answer....notify all traffic that skiff operations are underway.
Question 8....After connecting the fuel line to the engine, pump the primer bulb until
Answer....the primer bulb becomes firm.
Question 9....While running the engine and you see no water coming out if the water cooling port, you should
Answer....shut down the engine immediately if it can be done safely.
Question 10....The engine fuel filter should be checked, cleaned or replaced every
Answer....100 hours.
Thanks for the good work! |
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Stern Shots
From the Higman Leadership Training
From Right: Wade Ferguson, David Jones, David Devall, Ivan Castro, Chris Lusk, James Wiley, Tommy Rester, Janis Anderson, Gordie Keenan, and Tim Welsh
Pictured: Wade Ferguson, James Wiley, David Jones, Chris Lusk, Tommy rester, Kelly Cleaver, Tim Welsh, Ivan Castro, and Rich Weider from TeamCraft
Pictured: Kelly Cleaver, David Jones, Chris Lusk, James Wiley, Wade Ferguson, Tommy Rester and Rich Weider.
Pictured: Wade Ferguson, David Jones, Tim Welsh, John Costello, Sarah Boucher, Ivan Castro
October 13th & 14th Attendees:
- Josh Martin
- Sylvester Kidd
- Bryan Williams
- Stephen "Cowboy" Shepherd
- Tim Upshaw
- Brian Brown
- Harley Smith
October 28th & 29th Attendees:
- David Jones
- Ivan Castro
- Wade Ferguson
- Tim Welsh
- James Wiley
- Tommy Rester
- Chris Lusk
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Nautical Trivia
S.S. SULTANA
The steamboat S.S. SULTANA was a Mississippi River Paddle Wheeler destroyed in an explosion on April 27, 1865. This resulted in the greatest maritime disaster in United States history. An estimated 1,700 of the 2,400 passengers were killed when one of the ship's four boilers exploded and the ship sank on the River.
The vessel was severely overcrowded due to the large number Union soldiers from Ohio and Indiana returning home from the Civil War, many of them recently released from Confederate prisons camps.
The S.S. SULTANA had a legal carrying capacity of 376 passengers but was loaded to the max with the encouragement of the local military command at a rate of five dollars per enlisted man carried and ten dollars for each officer.
The troops were loaded on to the ship in Vicksburg while temporary repairs to one of the boilers were reluctantly made by a local boilermaker. The boilermaker initially refused to do the repair saying it would not last, but later relented and installed a temporary patch.
At 0200 on the fateful day, the S.S. SULTANA was steaming 7 miles North of Memphis, TN on the Mississippi River when the boiler explosion occurred.
The blast ripped through the decks, initially scalding and burning hundreds of those near the location of the boilers. Within twenty minutes, the entire superstructure was engulfed in flames, forcing reluctant survivors to jump into the icy river water. The S. S. SULTANA carried only 76 life vests and two small lifeboats.
In the end, the death toll was estimated at over 1,700. The disaster was overshadowed though by the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln two weeks earlier on April, 14, 1865. This great maritime disaster has never gained national prominence. |
Dates to Remember NOV/DEC 2009
Higman Calendar Contest Through NOV 10
Tankerman School DEC 7 - DEC 12
Answers to this weeks RULES OF ROAD...A, B, C, C, C D
CBT Certificates earned by Higman employees since FEB 1, 2009 to date..............2660!!! |
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What happens to a pilot when he is promoted to Relief Captain? Well for one thing, he become the Captain of his tow for four months a year! That's a big step for someone who is a pilot one day and RC the next.
Fourteen of our Pilots and new RC's were nominated by their Captains to attended the "Higman Leadership Seminars" held during the past month. During the two days seminars held at the Seamen's Church Institute in Houston, they were put through a series of discussions, presentations and some interesting team building challenges.
I can report to you that our company is in good hands with these up in coming leaders. They were challenged throughout the program and came back with great and creative ideas.
During the Team Building segment, our session one group completed a very complicated challenge in a way our instructor never saw in twenty years. Most groups are never able to even complete the exercise.
The second session group completed a different challenge within the given time constraints, on budget, using the talents of each team member to the fullest extent. They too used effective team building techniques and were one of the best groups the instructor ever observed on the challenge.
Both groups did a great job and I saw our future Captains with these folks!
Have a great and safe week!
Sincerely |
GORDIE KEENAN
KELLY CLEVER
HIGMAN MARINE SERVICES, Inc. | |
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