How ready are you to respond to an emergency onboard? 

Crew readiness can only be attained by training, experience and a keen sense of crew awareness to their surroundings.  A well seasoned crew should be able to respond to an onboard emergency with a calm and well organized approach.  An unprepared crew most likely will respond to an onboard emergency confused and not ready to make critical decisions.

How does your crew measure up?

First let's break down several types of emergencies that may be encountered by a towboat crew.

The most critical emergency on my list is a man overboard.  You have heard the statistic before; MOB's account for about 80% of the fatalities that occur on inland vessels.  Though preventative action should be our primary defense against an MOB, is your crew ready to react if it ever does happen? How well conducted and realistic was your last man overboard drill? 

• Are all members of your crew proficient in throwing a ring buoy?
• Can they quickly retrieve the Jacobs ladder and rig it to help the victim out of the water?
• Are all crewmembers proficient in launching and operating the skiff if an on the water retrieval is required?
• Once out of the water, especially in the northern rivers, are all crewmembers proficient in treating the victim for hypothermia?

The next critical emergency on my list is a medical one.  911 services are not always readily available in the areas where towboats operate.  It could be hours until medical services show up to treat an injury or a severe illness.

• How many of your crew members are current with first aid training?
• Are the first aid supplies on board up to date and is the crew familiar with what is available?
• "Wheelman down" emergency procedures are posted in the wheelhouse.  Are all crewmen ready to respond if that should ever happen on your boat?

Up next on my list is a fire on board.  For seagoing vessels, an out of control fire can mean life or death.  When you are hundreds of miles from shore, the prospect of abandoning ship is not a good one.  It is not much better on inland vessel considering the flammable nature of the cargoes we move in our barges.  How quickly can your crew respond to an onboard fire with either fire extinguishers or a fire hose to prevent it from getting out of control?  Time can be critical when trying to control an onboard fire.

• Have you considered response time when conducting a fire drill?
• Can all crewmembers start up the fire pump quickly without having to ask where the start switch is located?
• What about the CO2 system for putting out an engine room fire?  When the captain gives the command to activate the CO2 system, can all crewmembers go through the proper sequence required to operate it?
• If your boat is one of the few boats with the portable CO2 system in the engine room, do you have a plan to effectively use it?
• If the fire cannot be controlled is there an evacuation plan for the crew?

The boat sinking is next on my list  It may not be so bad on most of the Intracoastal Waterway where the water depth doesn't get much greater than 12 feet, but in the Houston Ship Channel or in the Lower Mississippi River, it can mean life or death.  When was the last time your crew had a drill to simulate flooding of your engine room?

• Has the crew discussed damage control in the event of engine room flooding?  
• Is each crew member competent to pump the bilge in an emergency situation?
• Are all crewmembers familiar with portable pumps if required to prevent the vessel from sinking? 
• If the boat cannot be beached when crossing deep water, how does the crew evacuate from the sinking boat?
• How do we account for all crew members if we abandon ship?

A well rehearsed crew is key to any response, either small or big.  Let's hope the need for a response never comes, but hope is not enough...be prepared!

Best Practices

Every boat has good ideas

Good ideas need to be shared, refined and become "Best Practices." A "Best Practice" is defined as a method or technique which shows results superior to those achieved with other means, and for that reason, becomes used as a benchmark. In addition, a "Best Practice" can evolve to become better as improvements are discovered.

This column is dedicated to sharing the best practices developed while operating your tow. Each issue we aim to outline a "Best Practice" sent in by the fleet. Share your Best Practice by sending to Gordie.

This week's "Best Practice" is from the M/V BAFFIN BAY:

"On the Baffin Bay, we keep clean spill pads under all of the engines. This keeps any oil from accumulating, and, because they are white, it is also a great way to locate any fluid leaks from the engines or gears! We also keep a couple of pads in the main bilge to collect any spills that may get through the deck plates from oil changes."

 Submitted by Capt. Mike Maneely 

Last Opportunity for Training Meetings in 2014!

This year's training sessions are rapidly coming to a close. All dates are listed at the end of each Training Newsletter.  

Review the remaining dates and let us know which session you can attend.

ADVANCED PILOTHOUSE MANAGEMENT (SIMULATOR): Oct 6-8

STEERSMAN BOOTCAMP: Oct 20-21

TANKERMAN SEMINAR: Oct 15 & Nov 20

HIGMAN LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT: Oct 13-14 & Oct 23-24

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

All Wheelmen are required to attend one 3-day Simulator session every 5 years.

Steersmen are required to attend one Steersman Bootcamp once while in the steersman program.

Tankermen are required to attend one Tankerman Seminar every 18 months.

Higman Leadership & Management is highly recommended for Wheelmen that are ready to advance to the next level in their career.

July 2013 Advanced Pilothouse Simulator Training

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.

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 power-driven vessel underway in fog making NO way must sound what signal?

a. One long blast
b. Two prolonged blasts
c. One prolonged blast
d. One prolonged and two short blasts

BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND While underway, in fog, you hear a whistle signal of one prolonged blast followed by two short blasts. This signal is sounded by a vessel __________.

a. not under command
b. being towed
c. on pilotage duty
d. aground

Nautical Trivia

Nautical Trivia will be back next issue.

© 2014 HIGMAN MARINE SERVICES, Inc.