b'SAFETYSAFETY MATTERSIts All About CommunicationERIC CHRISTENSEN // PVA DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS & RISK MANAGEMENTF our PVA Region Meetings, doz- stationbills(ortheirequivalentonportunitiestoimprovewhetherthat ensofpresentations,monthlysmaller vessels) need to clearly conveybecommunication,equipment,or committee meetings, and myr- expectations and duties of the captaintechniques in response to an incident.iadopportunitiestoassistmembersand crew in an emergency.withregulatoryissueshasonlyreaf- INSPECTIONS,firmed the belief that good communi- Exercisesbringinoutsidecompo- RECONSIDERATION,cation is the key to success, or at leastnents to an incident and increase theAND APPEALthe mitigation of needless drama. complexity of the response. With thatOpenandtransparentcommunica-complexity comes the need to ensuretioncanmakeannualandperiodic EMERGENCY RESPONSE propercommunicationbetweenallinspectionsrunmuchsmoother.If No place is good communication moreparties. One way that the PVA Safetythere are issues that have already been criticalthaninanemergency.The&SecurityCommitteerecommendsidentified by the crew when the U.S. ability to effectively communicate canworkingwithlocalfireandfirstre- Coast Guard marine inspector comes mean the difference between saving orsponders is through a memorandumon board, let them know. Better to be losing the vessel or in the extreme, lifeof understanding (MOU). The MOUtransparent and up front and have an and death. The region meeting sessionsspells out the expectations of all par- item not show up on the vessels record on active shooter response and work- ties involved in a response, includingofdeficienciesintheCoastGuards ing with your local fire departmentsvessel and crew, company, local emer- publicdatabase,thanfortheCoast and other first responders drove homegency responders, and salvage provid- Guard to find the deficiency and ques-the need for effective communication.ers.Thecommitteehasdevelopedation the companys safety culture.Thebreakdownincommunicationtemplate MOU for vessel operators to betweentheshore-basedfireteamuse when approaching their local fireTrust goes a long way when things go and the unified command during theand first responders. Once finalized,bump in the night and the local Coast response to the M/V Spirit of Norfolkit will be posted in the Member Re- Guardneedstoexerciseflexibility. fire nearly resulted in the sinking ofsources page of the PVA website.Vessel operators who can clearly com-the vessel and ultimately led to its con- municate the issue and their proposed structive total loss.Followinganydrillorexercisethereresolution where safety is not compro-mustbetheopportunityforallin- misedareabletominimizedisrup-Arecrewmembersclearontheirvolved to reflect on the response. Sometions to their operations. As the Coast dutiesinanemergency?Canlocalcallitahotwash.LargeoperationsGuardmovestheindustrycloserto firstresponderscommunicatewithmayrequireawrittenafter-actionsafety management, clearly document-thevessel,company,andeachotherreport.Couldcommunicationhaveed policies and procedures will be crit-during an emergency? The best way tobeen better? How can communicationical to the Coast Guard letting go of figure that out is by conducting drillsbeimproved?Wheretherearesolu- the traditional mindset that only they and exercises. Drills test crew knowl- tionstothosequestions,theymustand not the licensed mariner can verify edge and ability to perform requiredbe implemented. Mike McElroy withthat a deficiency has been satisfied.duties, andshould be conducted asWendella Sightseeing Boats, and a past iftherewereanactualemergency.PVA Safety and Security CommitteeWhen a vessel operator does not agree There should be some stress associatedchair, is well known to say, We drillwith a requirement issued by a Coast with the drill. Company policies andto fail. By doing so, you identify op- Guard marine inspector or a decision FOGHORN 42'