THE BOSUN’S LOCKER HOW TO GIVE AN AWESOME PRE-DEPARTURE SAFETY BRIEF
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ONDUCTING A PRE-DEPARTURE safety brief is always a good idea, regardless of if you are leaving the dock for an afternoon on the water or an outright voyage of weeks or months. You have a responsibility as captain to ensure passengers and crew are familiar with the basics of your vessel, from the location of safety equipment to what they should do in an emergency.
Here’s how to ensure those onboard are safe, comfortable and able to assist should the need arise. WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
You are intimately familiar with the layout and location of equipment aboard your vessel, however, don’t assume your passengers are. Think back to the first time you stepped aboard an unfamiliar boat. You didn’t know where the fire extinguishers were located or what that beeping noise from the navigation station meant. Plan your brief to cover the basic questions that a novice would ask, but without overwhelming them with additional information. Always conduct a safety brief prior to leaving the dock, no matter how nice the weather is or off schedule you may be. If you’re tempted to wait until later while underway, it may be too late should a problem arise and immediate action is required. The location of all fire extinguishers is one thing that should be on a pre-departure briefing. HOPE FOR THE BEST. PLAN FOR THE WORST
A good safety brief will cover the basics (such as the location of all
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safety equipment), but don’t hesitate to think outside the box and include additional topics. Good examples would be showing guests how to use of the VHF radio or briefly describing specific procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency (someone falling overboard for example). Visuals are always good, so posting a diagram of the vessel that shows were everything is, from seacocks to fire extinguishers, is a great idea. A checklist is a good idea and make sure to customise it for a given boat. WHAT TO COVER
While you’ll want to develop a pre-departure brief that’s tailored to your specific vessel, here are a few basic topics that should be part of any brief. LIFEJACKETS
Don’t simply point and tell where they are. Get them out and make sure everyone has a lifejacket that fits, knows how to don it, and either wears it or knows where it is located if stowed. Explain how inflatable PFDs work and how to orally inflate or manually activate them. Show
guests where the throwable PFDs (life rings, cushions, etc) are located in the event of a man overboard situation (more on this later). FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Go over their locations and use. Take one down and pass it around, so guests can actually hold it in their hands while you explain the basics on how to activate and use it. FLARES OR OTHER EMERGENCY SIGNALLING DEVICES
Cover types and where they are located. You could also discuss basic operation, a particularly good idea for longer cruises. FIRST AID KITS
Show the location of each onboard. Many boats will have a basic kit for daily use and a more complex kit for more serious injuries. Show guests where both are stowed and let them know it’s OK to access the basic kit for minor stuff (BandAids, aspirin, etc), but to inform you of any injuries, regardless of how small. MAN OVERBOARD
Make sure everyone knows to throw the life ring, spare life jackets, cushions, etc., toward the person in the water, even if that person is
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