Ladysmith Crew Helps Battle Marina Blaze

Compass

All the latest news from the Canadian Coast guard auxiliary – pacific FEBRUARY 2011

ladysmith crew helps battle marina blaze A CCGA-P Station 29 Ladysmith crew played an Rescue and firefighters from other nearby departments integral role in the containment of a massive fire at a attacked the blaze from the west, Aux 29 began attack- popular Ladysmith marina which led to major property ing the fire from the north flank, which was inaccessible damage and the loss of a life. On January 6, Aux 29 was to the land-based firefighters. tasked just after midnight to assist local fire services At 12:40 a.m., while battling the fire and providing with a multi-vessel, multi-structure fire at the Ladysmith illumination for the land-based firefighters, the crew Maritime Society (LMS) Community Marina. Coxswain pulled a sailing vessel away from exposure to the flames Rob Hoban and crewmembers Andre Dentoom, Nick and anchored it east of the marina. Mindful of the Epp-Evans and Steve Triebner arrived on scene approx- possible danger from exploding propane tanks and gas imately 30 minutes later and found multiple boathouses tanks, they then resumed their attack on the fire from a fully engulfed in flames with moored boats at neigh- safe distance from the northeast, using their dewatering bouring docks threatened by fire. While Ladysmith Fire pump to control the main fire and to prevent it from

► CCGA-P in action ► VESSEL UPDATE ► WHAT’S NEW Rescue roundups Nanaimo’s rollover test Simulator courses schedule

► NEW FACES ► LESSONS LEARNED ► a final word Coast Guard changes A training mishap Message from Jim Lee Volunteers saving lives on the water rescue

spreading to the open docks and 12 moored vessels endangered by the flames. At 1:10 a.m., Ladysmith Fire Rescue requested more resources and the Coast Guard’s Cape Kuper was tasked from Salt Spring Island. Fire crews and Aux 29 continued to fight the blaze; they received assistance at 2:40 a.m. with the arrival of the Cape Kuper, which provided lighting for the scene and additional fire support. By 3:45 a.m. the fire was finally extinguished. Aux 29’s crew then spoke with marina representatives about their pollution control booms and assisted in the deployment of the booms, helping to capture some of the spilled oil and pollutants on the water that resulted from the fire. Once this was completed the crew moved a nearby anchored vessel to secure moorage alongside the marina’s visitor dock. By 5:18 a.m. the crew finally returned to base. While the fire was successfully contained, a 49-year- old man died after collapsing during his escape from the fire. Five boat sheds and two boats were also destroyed in the blaze while many others were damaged. Damage is likely to top $1 million, according to fire department officials. While CCGA-P crews are often seen as focusing solely on marine search and rescue, incidents such as this one highlight the wide variety of tasks undertaken by our members. Aux 29 provided fire containment, loss prevention of nearby vessels and structures, area illumination and pollution control assistance as well as communication relay between on-scene command and JRCC. While the Ladysmith crew is to be congratulated on their exceptional efforts during this incident, they are quick to recognize the work of everyone involved. Says crewmember Nick Epp-Evans, “Though we are sad- dened by the loss of life and property, we tip our hats to Ladysmith Fire Rescue, the neighbouring fire departments, BC Ambulance, local RCMP and the maritime society volunteers for the hard work controlling the aggressive fire.”

With reporting from and photos by crewmember Nick Epp- Evans rescue Photo: John A Ramm CCGA-P in action

Man overboard A crew from the CCGA-P’s Kitimat station recently by JRCC to join the active search at the man overboard took part in a marathon 12.5-hour search after a man datum. The crew immediately headed to this location, overboard was reported from a nearby fish processing where the search was currently being conducted by two ship. skiffs from the fishing vessel and theDiscovery Scout, an On January 11, just after 5:00 p.m. JRCC received a owner/operator from Hartley Bay. call from Prince Rupert Coast Guard radio, which was a At 9:00 p.m., JRCC advised the crew to gather infor- Mayday relay from the 120-metre fishing vesselNorthern mation from both the Northern Victor and the Discov- Victor, reporting a man overboard. CCGA-P Station 63 ery Scout, so crewmembers boarded the fishing vessel Kitimat was tasked to respond, along with a number of and spoke with the master, who provided all available Coast Guard vessels and a Canadian Forces Cormorant pertinent information, including the fact that their helicopter. crewmembers had deployed a life ring with a strobe im- Station 63’s crew, including coxswain Duncan Peacock mediately after the man overboard occurred. The crew and crewmembers Aron Clement, Mike Ledevehat, then spoke with the Discovery Scout, who gave them the Christopher Peacock and Stirling Sohm departed base location of the life ring, and then left the search be- and transited the 42 nautical miles to the vessel’s loca- cause of low fuel. tion near Kingcome Point, a difficult two-hour journey. The Kitimat crew continued their search of the area, Once on-scene the crew was tasked to do a barrier focusing on the information gained from the master search at Kingcome Point, which they continued for ap- and the Discovery Scout. At 10:45 p.m. they located the proximately one hour. At 8:30 p.m., they were advised ring and strobe and began to search the surrounding

3 rescue

waters. At 11:00 p.m. the Coast Guard vessel Point Henry Dinghy near-disaster arrived on-scene and also began to search the waters near the ring’s location. Because of strong winds and On December 3, CCGA-P Station 20 Salish Sea was an air temperature of -10 °C (Kitimat’s vessel, Snowflake tasked to investigate a report of a vessel striking the Responder II, is not a cabin vessel), crews were advised breakwater at the Port Browning marina. to board the Point Henry to warm up and to continue to At approximately 8:40 p.m., coxswain Dave Harg- assist in the search. reaves and crewmembers Frank Horvat, Herb Katz, Mi- By 12:30 a.m. the crew was advised to return to chael Symons and Elizabeth Wilkes departed base, and Kitimat, and were offered an escort by the Point Henry were guided to the incident scene by on-shore member because of the weather conditions and because they Roger Pilkington. Once on-scene the crew observed a were now a considerable distance from base. The crew grey dinghy capsized and tied to the dock. After inter- determined that an escort was not required and arrived viewing an on-scene RCMP officer and a bystander, back in Kitimat at 4:40 a.m after four difficult hours. they determined that the owner of the vessel had been Sadly the fishing vessel’s crewmember was not recov- recovered by a friend from an adjacent boat, and that ered, despite an extensive multi-agency search effort, the dinghy had been recovered with fuel intact. and as of January 13 rescue efforts were officially called At 9:00 p.m., MCTS was contacted and given a de- off. All of those involved in the search are to be com- scription of the vessel, the status of the vessel’s opera- mended for their perseverance in a difficult situation. tor and a visual report on possible pollution (none was Incidents such as this one are a reminder of how cru- evident). The scene was determined to be secure, and cial all resources are in the north’s remote waterways. the crew was able to return to base.

A Station 20 Salish Sea crewmember examines the capsized dinghy

4 new faces A changing of the (Coast) guard Coast Guard Pacific Region has recently announced two major new appointments – Captain Susan Pickrell as the Supervisor Marine Search and Rescue at JRCC Victoria and David Heap as the Superintendent Marine Search and Rescue. The CCGA-P welcomes them both and looks forward to continuing our strong working relationship. Susan Pickrell Susan Pickrell received a Bachelor of Nautical Sciences from the University of Cape Breton and has a Master, Near Coastal Canadian Certificate of Competency. Susan graduated from the four-year navigation program at the CCG College in 1990. From 1990 to 1994 she served as third officer to the chief officer on the CCG ships George R. Pearkes, Martha L. Black and the Sir James Douglas. From 1994 to 1996 Susan worked as the first officer on board the Point Henry in Prince Rupert. In 1996 she was employed as the commanding officer of the cutter Kitimat II which was used as a SAR vessel in northern BC, specifically operating the vessel during the herring roe opening. Later in 1996 Susan began work at the Sea Island Hovercraft Base. In 2002 she was promoted to the rank of captain. During her tenure as captain at Sea Island she responded to numerous high profile and complex SAR incidents including the fishing vesselCap Rouge II, fishing vesselPacific Charmer, sailing vessel Bene- dicte, Seair floatplane and the sailing vesselIncisor . Susan remained at Sea Island until 2010 when she assumed the position of Supervisor Marine Search and Rescue at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria. She accompanied the Canadian delegation to the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum in Seattle and San Francisco and she has been recognized for a 911 Award Susan is married, has three children and happily re- nomination as CG Employee of the Year. She has also sides in the Victoria area. She and her family very much been very committed to the Critical Incident Stress enjoy the British Columbia coast and spend as much Management Team for many years. In 2010 Susan was time as possible exploring it on their sailboat. awarded the Governor General’s Coast Guard Exem- plary Service Medal.

5 new faces

David Heap

David Heap completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Victoria in 1992 after which he joined the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as an inspec- tor in Prince Rupert. From 1994 to 1998 David worked throughout British Columbia as an aboriginal affairs officer, and in 1998 accepted a position as a policy advisor at the Depart- ment of Fisheries and Oceans national headquarters in Ottawa. He returned to the Region as a treaty negotia- tor working on files in the Central Coast and northern Vancouver Island. In 2001 David transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard and worked as a strategic planner until he was appointed Superintendent of Marine Communications and Traffic Services Pacific Region in 2003. In this position he developed a close working relationship with colleagues in Search and Rescue Program and with the United States Coast Guard. Moving to Ottawa in 2008, David worked as the executive advisor to the commissioner of the CCG, and prior to returning to the Pacific Region, he acted as the National Manager Search and Rescue. In December 2010, David was appointed to the position of Superintendent, Marine Search and Rescue, Pacific Region. He is no stranger to providing emergency services. While at university, and during the early period of his career, David was a part-time BC Ambu- lance emergency medical attendant in the communities of Sooke and Prince Rupert. On the water, David has served as a coxswain in the then Canadian Marine Res- cue Auxiliary, Unit 35, from 1986 to 1989. At the time he was also the secretary to the newly formed Victoria Marine Rescue Society. David’s fondness for the marine environment has grown from being raised on both coasts of the coun- try. Moving to Victoria from Halifax as a teenager he David is married and has two sons. He is currently learned to sail in Esquimalt Harbour at the Canadian living in Central Saanich and continues to be an active Forces Sailing Association. After high school and while recreational sailor in and around the Gulf Islands. attending university he worked on commercial sailing vessels operating tours throughout the waters of BC and also worked on Coast Guard vessels from time to time.

6 what’s new in operations

New Falkins-class vessel officially launches in Nanaimo

Saturday, January 29, 2011, was a day to remember for vessel for the station. Guest speakers included CCGA-P the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary – Pacific, as the President Randy Strandt, Nanaimo Yacht Club Com- first new Falkins-class vessel had its official dedication. modore Basil Hobbs, Councillor Geraldine Manson, About 200 people attended the hour-long dedication Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan and new Coast Guard at the Brechin Boat Launch in Nanaimo, next to the Superintendent Marine Search and Rescue David Heap. Nanaimo CCGA-P Rescue Station. Nanaimo Station Leader Gordie Robinson served as the Master of Ceremonies and several guest speakers The most exciting part of the shared their appreciation and congratulations with all crewmembers and people involved with securing the day was when Crane Force lifted the vessel up off the Photo: Barry Franzmann Photo: Barry ground about 20 feet into the air and as she was swung around and placed into the water, the stern revealed the “name J.C. McGregor. Photos: Brad Scott

7 what’s new in operations

The most exciting part of the day was when Crane pass under indicating the ceremony ending and a new Force lifted the vessel up off the ground about 20 feet beginning of “Saving Of Lives At Sea” (SOLAS). into the air and as she was swung around and placed into the water, the stern revealed the name J.C. Mc- Steve Jackson Gregor. As the vessel left the shore and headed out in Manager of Marketing & Promotion the ocean, an archway of water was created for her to [email protected]

Did you know? When Station 27 Nanaimo got their new Falkins-class vessel, they donated their Whaler to the region. This vessel will be used in the CCGA-P’s new inland lakes program.

The J.C. McGregor was named after the first commo- dore of the Nanaimo Yacht Club. The yacht club has shown great support for Station 27 over the past ten years, so this is the station’s way of saying thank you.

8 what’s new in operations Nanaimo vessel self righting test a success

The self righting test of the CCGA- P 33-foot Type II vessel was conducted January 14 in Sidney with very positive results. This was a very exciting day for the CCGA-P, as this is the first time this has been done with one of our vessels. It clearly shows how we have advanced over the years in our vessel designs and capabilities. The self righting test involved the use of a 125-ton crane (donated for the test by Crane Force) to lift the boat off of the trailer and into the water. The crane was then attached to the port side attaching points of the vessel and the slings ran under- neath the vessel to the starboard side where the crane would then lift from. This allowed the best leverage along with a half-tank of fuel. crane had to continue lifting until for rolling the vessel. As the crane began to lift, it be- the vessel was completely inverted; To simulate persons onboard and came evident that this vessel would this showed how difficult it would equipment, 1,200 pounds of sand handle a very steep wave before be to ever get into this position in bags were added to the cabin area, coming close to rolling over. The heavy seas. Once completely in-

9 what’s new in operations

verted, the crane lowered quickly to good self righting results. let go. Immediately the vessel rolled The engines are Volvo D-6 and are Video of the rollover test is upright without incident. It demon- SOLAS approved. During a rollover now online. strates that it would be very hard to the engines automatically shut down roll the CCGA-P Type II vessel in at about the 90-degree position and To see the launching of the test, go to: heavy seas, but in the unlikely event can be easily restarted upon return- http://www.youtube.com/ it did roll over, the return to the ing to the upright position. As was watch?v=4YFPEDz59H0 upright position would be instanta- demonstrated during the test, there neous. was no oil or fuel loss from the To see the rollover, go to: We had several video cameras in engines as this is part of the SOLAS http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7DOC7aJTSNQ use showing the vessel from vari- package. ous angles, including one mounted Four-point seat belt harnesses are To see the rollover from to the forward tow post and one used for crew and passenger safety the bow cam, go to: mounted inside the cabin, as well as in the event of a rollover, which will http://www.youtube.com/ still pictures taken at rapid speed. keep everyone securely in place for watch?v=Cfy6tK-zL9E It is interesting to review the foot- the short duration of the rollover. To read about the test and age in slow motion to see how the This will become mandatory as part see more video, go to: vessel reacted. As can be seen in the of the standard operating procedure http://www.craneforce. photos, most of the forward cabin when operating in adverse condi- com remained very high and in fact very tions. little of the windshield and forward railings even got wet. This is a result Paul Mottershead of the weight of the engines keeping Manager, Vessels and Equipment the stern low and the buoyancy of Standards the cabin and watertight compart- [email protected] ments keeping the bow very high. 250-751-5928 This combination produced very

10 what’s new in safety management

Commercial licensing of DRVs and crew certification

In 2005 Transport Canada made it a requirement that The CCGA-P was verbally advised by Transport all dedicated rescue vessels across Canada were to be Canada in 2009 that this exemption should not be commercially licensed. This was promulgated to the considered permanent, and has been advised to move CCGA-P by Operations Bulletin 14, which is to be the certification of crews towards the Transport Canada found online at: certification required for the size of vessel. This is http://www.ccga-pacific.org/ccga-p/files/library/3_ why the region has been pushing the supply of MED OPS_memo_DRV_licensing_r4_020305.pdf. A3 and SVOP to all stations by the safety officer, and There are a number of society-owned dedicated SVOP and SEN Limited in the simulator. rescue vessels which are still licensed as pleasure craft In addition, the requirement for a SARnav (now (i.e., they carry 6K, 10K, 13K and 14K numbers) which SARnav 2 and/or SEN Limited) came in in 2008 for should be changed to commercial numbers C 00000 BC all partially enclosed and totally enclosed vessels. Ulti- as soon as possible. mately the region will want to see all coxswains to have Presently the CCGA-P are operating their commer- attended the SARnav 2 course. cially licensed vessels under an exemption from Trans- There is also pressure being placed on the CCGA-P port Canada with pleasure craft operator certificates to ensure that the level of competency of CCGA-P (TP 13585E). This is also online at: crews operating the new larger high speed craft is suf- http://www.ccga-pacific.org/ccga-p/files/library/ ficient. This is being developed, and will likely involve tp_13585_all.pdf. greater use of the simulator to deliver one-day courses All stations and societies need to be fully aware of to coxswains and crew from one station. this exemption when considering using their vessel for Further advice on this is available from the training non-authorized activities. manager at [email protected].

11 lessons learned A training mishap

One of our vessels very recently went out training with four people on board – a coxswain and three crew. Two crew were running the boat, one acting as coxswain and the other as navigator, and they were briefed of the plan to hold some emergency drills. The actual coxswain, at a probably totally inappropri- ate moment, shouted, “Fire in the port engine,” so the crew started going through the routine for an engine fire. The acting coxswain, still on the wheel, turned around, grabbed the dry powder fire extinguisher and with a struggle pulled it from its mount. History does not record what happened to the pin, but suffice to say it was not there when the fire extinguisher came free, firmly grasped by the handle and the trigger. Inside of the cabin, coxswain and crew got a full blast of white dry powder fire extinguishing agent. Not unnaturally, there was a little confusion at this point, and with the vessel slowing down, the fire extinguisher was thrust at the coxswain at the after end of the boat, whereupon another layer of dry powder was added to the ethereal scene and the snowman-like ap- pearance of the coxswain, crew and the boat. The decision was made to return to the berth, where the boat safely arrived under the waiting and amused eyes of the other coxswains from the station who had been having a meeting. There is always an audience when you don’t want one.

Lessons learned: 1. Coxswains should not get involved in firefighting. 2. Make sure the pins are in the fire extinguisher before grasping the trigger as well as the handle, Photo: Pixomar/FreeDigitalPhotos.net unless you intend to use it. 3. Make sure the fire extinguisher is free on its mount. 4. Use the PASS method – Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.

Names are not used to protect the innocent. what’s new in training Simulator courses for 2011

With updated software and scenarios, the simulator is SARnav-1 Courses poised to have its busiest year yet. The 2011 schedule for SARnav-1, SARnav-2 and Buttonology courses Date Availability has just been released. More courses may be added as March 26-29 Full needed. April 30 – May 3 Full Course participants are selected based on nomina- May 28-31 Space available tions from station leaders only. June 11-14 Space available These courses fill up quickly so be sure your sta- July 9-12 Space available tion leader gets your nominations in quickly. July 23-26 Space available October 1-4 Space available Priority for SARnav-1 participants is as follows: November 5-8 Space available 1. Crewmembers attending RHIOT soon (SVOP is December 10-13 Space available a pre-requisite for RHIOT school) 2. Crewmembers working towards their advanced crew designation who have shown dedication to SARnav-2 Courses their station Date Availability 3. Any crewmember working towards their crew/ February 25 – March 1 Full advanced crew designation that has been in the CCGA-P for at least 10 months March 7-11 Full April 4-8 Full Priority for SARnav-2 participants is as follows: May 13-17 Space available 1. Crewmembers at stations that operate enclosed June 24-28 Space available vessels August 1-5 Full 2. Crewmembers at stations that are often tasked in September 9-13 Space available restricted visibility October 14-18 Space available 3. Crewmembers at stations that have a shortage of November 18-22 Space available coxswains 4. Advanced crewmembers that have passed RHIOT and/or SARnav-1 Buttonology Courses Date Availability Buttonology Refresher Courses: March 14 Space available Crewmembers wanting a quick four-hour refresher on Buttonology are invited to one-night informal refresher April 11 Space available courses in the simulator. Members can contact Given May 9 Space available Davies, Simulator Project Coordinator, at given.davies@ June 20 Space available ccga-p.ca directly to schedule a night to come in.

For more information on these courses, please visit: http://www.ccga-pacific.org/ccga-p/training/simulator/index.php.

13 what’s new in boating safety

Call for Boating Safety Manager

Are you looking for new ways to use your skills within the CCGA-P? Do you have a passion for spreading the boating safety message? If so, this may be a perfect op- portunity for you. The CCGA-P is currently looking for a volunteer manager of boating safety to join the management team. The purpose of the position is to help CCGA-P stations provide boating safety education to the general public, maintain a high standard of boating safety knowledge within the CCGA-P, increase teamwork and communication between stations and increase continu- ity in boating safety throughout the region.

Some of the position’s specific duties include: • Promoting boating safety concerns both within the CCGA-P membership and the general public, and encouraging stations to create boating safety awareness programs or events for their communities • Promoting and marketing our own CCGA-P PCOC program at the station level • Maintaining active communications with station leaders regarding boating safety concerns • Addressing concerns at management meetings or through consultations with Transport Canada’s Office of Boating Safety (OBS) • Organizing and promoting the CCGA-P Pleasure Craft Safety Check (PCSC) program • Managing the Bobbie the Safety Boat and Kids Don’t Float programs • Developing and recommending policy on boating and on-water safety issues

Prospective candidates must have at least two years’ experience in the marine field and education, training or demonstrated success in a leadership role. Leadership, teamwork and motivational skills are also very impor- tant. If you would like a full description for this volunteer position or are interested in applying, please email dol- [email protected] or contact CCGA-P Executive Officer Stan Warlow at 250-480-2798.

14 flotsam & jetsam CCGA-P updates

thank you According to Raymarine’s website, they now offer a three-year warranty for new products, effective As many CCGA-P members know, the position January 2011: of station leader is a demanding one. It is a crucial http://www.raymarine.com/Article.aspx?SITE one for the station but a challenging one for the =1&SECTION=43&PAGE=860&CONTE person filling it. It requires superior leadership, NT=11122. communication, organizational and time management skills, as well as a strong sense of humour. This also includes an exchange program (within two business days in the first year). Please pass this In the past few months, the following station lead- information along to the station members that ers have stepped down from this position, and we look after your maintenance. would like to offer a heartfelt thank-you to them on behalf of the CCGA-P for their countless It is also worth looking up the various Raymarine hours of dedication to the organization in their products you have onboard and looking for any positions: updates that are available for downloading off their website. This is very easy to do with a blank Bob McKee (Station 12 Halfmoon Bay) compact flash card and will quite often improve Dale Scott (Station 102 Fraser Valley) any performance issues you may have experienced. Gord Cudlipp (Station 14 Gibsons) Dave Green (Station 34 Mill Bay) Paul Mottershead Manager, Vessels and Equipment Standards [email protected] 250-751-5928

2010 was another busy year for the CCGA-P. Fol- lowing are some statistics from the SAR Manage- ment System for the 2010 calendar year: CCGA-P Simulator Project Coordinator Given SAR missions 742 Davies will be attending the CCGA – Central & SAR cases 691 Arctic Annual General Meeting this month. Given Total SAR hours 1,249.55 has been invited by the Central & Arctic Region Training exercises 2,097 to discuss the Pacific Region’s simulator program Total exercise hours 4,541.50 and how it fits into the region’s overall training Classroom sessions 1,464 program. Total classroom hours 2,484.50 Total training hours 7,026.00 The CCGA-C&A AGM is being held on February Person hours 51,303.57 19 in Mississauga, Ontario. Check out the next is- People assisted 817 sue of the Compass for Given’s report on the event. People saved 232 Property value $44,197,540.00

15 final word Message from the Vice President

Happy and safe New Year to all of you! tion derived from saving a life. I am certainly a better As many of you know from our “Town Hall” meet- and safer boater! I suspect that many of us feel simi- ings, the CCGA-P Board of Governors has made mem- larly. ber recognition one of the top priorities for develop- ment over the next two years. Many of us have felt that within all levels of the CCGA – national, regional and local – we have not been as successful in recognizing Without the dedication of our our volunteers as we would like. members, we would not be As our president Randy Strandt has pointed out, our members don’t collect a pay cheque from us. Due to the capable of doing what we are nature of our training, search and rescue and boating mandated to do – safety work, our members are asked to take a lot of saving lives at sea. their personal time away from their families and friends, hobbies and interests. The work we often do can be and typically is uncomfortable at best, and may frequently put members in harm’s way. Unfortunately I have also witnessed many members Our members put in seemingly endless hours working of long standing and good service leave the organiza- for our stations and the region. Without the dedication tion due to age, relocation, or even a feeling of having of our members, we would not be capable of doing no“ more to offer. Often, they don’t publicly retire, but what we are mandated to do – saving lives at sea. really sort of fade into the woodwork, taking all their What does the CCGA-P offer in return? For me per- experience, training and dedication with them. I have sonally, I have benefitted immensely from the training, also seen newer members quit because they did not the friendships, the travel and the undeniable satisfac- feel involved with or connected to their station to the degree they wanted to be. Sad state for them – sad loss for us! Member recognition is key to member retention. It’s key to member recruitment, vital to member satisfaction and appreci- ated by the public and by the media. So what do we have within us all to build our member recognition port- folio? It’s my belief that effective member recognition begins at the station. Cer- tainly the station members know who has done what,

16 final word who is stepping down from a position they have held, to us via the stations, or who may come to the attention who has provided exemplary service in SAR, training, of the board or management team. Our manager of leadership, boating safety, maintenance, administration, human resources and our recognition officer are work- recruitment and/or the many other facets of station ing on this. success. These are just a few suggestions. I know many of you We need to strengthen our capability at all levels – have better ideas, and we are open to them! Because we nationally, regionally, and locally – in ways to better are dedicated to developing good recognition protocols, recognize and acknowledge our people. we are asking any and all who have ideas and interests At the regional level we can develop ways and means in this area to let us know their thoughts. of recognition for members whose names either come As part of our human resources manager’s man-

How can we acknowledge the contributions of members?

A few ideas:

• Stations could add a section to their public websites recognizing retiring members, members of long service or members achieving certain goals;

• Stations can forward the names of deserving members to the region for recognition on the region’s publicly accessible website, with some details as to what contribution stands out;

• Stations can nominate members for national recognition by submitting nominations through the region;

• Stations can seriously consider naming new vessels after exemplary members. I would recommend this be applied only to retired, inactive or deceased members who have contributed in a significant way to the success of the station.

How can we acknowledge the contributions of supporters?

• Stations could seriously consider naming new vessels after major financial contributors, with the permission of that contributor. (Some donors do not want to be publicly credited, so ask first!);

• Stations getting significant support from their community could name the vessel after that community (i.e. Ucluelet Responder).

17 final word

date to help build this area, the management team has On another note, I wish to extend congratulations named Ian Arklie to the role of member recognition to Station 27 (Nanaimo) on the christening ceremony officer. Ian is the station leader of Station 39 (Port they held January 29. They are now the proud own- Alberni), and he has consistently shown over the years ers and operators of the new Falkins-class SAR vessel, an interest and ability in promoting member recogni- the J.C. McGregor. The CCGA-P can be very proud of tion within his own station. I hope you can add to Ian’s this accomplishment. This new vessel is the outcome ideas. of countless hours of volunteer input by many of our I ask you all to think about ways and means of im- members, our management team and our board. Good proving our membership recognition, ways of sustain- work all! ing active roles for our older members and ways of improving recruitment and retention. These are com- Jim Lee mon problems to us all. Vice President Any ideas, thoughts, criticisms or suggestions? Please contact Ian Arklie at [email protected].

Nanaimo station members Ruth Sharun and Paul Mottershead aboard the J.C. McGregor Photo: Barry Franzmann Photo: Barry