HOST Membership Meeting

HCC Marine Education and Training Center

August 23, 2012

INTRODUCTIONS:

AGENDA ITEM #1    Call to Order

            Robin Bond called the meeting to order. There were about 30 attendees.

AGENDA ITEM #2   Phase 2 of the Uninspected Towing Vessels (UTV) Subchapter M Program  –  George Butler – Office of Prevention USCG

Towing Vessel Bridging Program – Phase 1 summer 2009, Outreach, Education, Qualification, Industry Initiated Exams.   Present, Phase II, started July 2012.  To prepare industry the USCG Examiners have developed “Bridging Initiatives” between what was done before and what will be happening soon.  Now USCG will be boarding high priority vessels and conducting exams.   The “three priorities” are – 1 High priority, Company hasn’t participated in the voluntary industry led exams. 2 –  A low priority is a company that has participated but not been examined yet.  3 – A Non-priority would be a company that has participated and been examined.

The Hawaii operators have been wonderful and as a result we have no “high priority vessels.    We have examined 45 out of 55 vessels in Hawaii. That is very good compared to the rest of the nation.

AGENDA ITEM #3  Hawaii Mass Rescue Plan Update – USCG  George Butler

The USCG has a program in place to prevent incidents like the Costa Concordia incident in Italy.   They call responding to such an incident a Mass Rescue Operation.   No single agency can handle such an incident.   Types of MRO’s could be the loss of a domestic passenger vessel, an airplane crash, a bridge collapse for examples.    A response to a MRO requires partnerships, planning, and practice with both field and table top exercises. 

There are 3 phases to a Mass Rescue Operation.   Phase one is SAR and establishing a Unified Command and communications.   Phase 2, saving the people.  Phase 3 getting them stabilized and on their way.

In most incidents it is good Samaritans that are immediately on the spot.   The USCG has a brochure with tips on what you can do as a good Samaritan.   Take the time to speak about these tips with your crew.   The Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) coordinates the area immediately around the incident.   Above them is the JRCC.   The Joint Rescue Coordination Center will coordinate a larger incident in which joint federal, state and private resources may be involved.    The biggest challenge for every MRO is “Survivor Accountability”.   This is keeping an accurate account of who has been rescued and where they have been taken.    Comparing that to the ship’s manifest.  Information and electronic copies of the brochures can be found at www.uscg.mil/pvs

AGENDA ITEM #4  Junior Lifeguard Program – Adam Lerner, Ocean Rescue Trainer Specialist, City and County.

They run a series of seven week courses around the State every summer.   It is for 13 to 17 year old kids.   It helps to get more qualified people in and around the water.    The cost is $45.00 donation.   It is not a “learn to swim” program.  It trains water and life skills program. Hopefully they already have some swimming skills.   Every morning they do a run/swim exercise program.   This is a more advanced program involving jet ski’s and rescue techniques.   It involves skin diving and anything that happens out in the water.   They focus on the kids that are out in the water to enhance the general safety around the water.   They play a lot of games for exercise and social skill development.   There are usually about 700 kids around the islands going through this program every summer.   There are many stories where these kids have actually participated in real rescues.   You can find more information on <Myjuniorlifeguard.com>

AGENDA ITEM #5   Clifford Inn with the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources.

Here are some of the things they have been working on lately.

They have purchased two 30 gallon “flammable” cabinets to support the flare disposal efforts of HOST and POP.

They have added four two sided A-frame signs at Ka’anapali. The signage is designed to indicate the location of beach commercial vessel landings.

They have completed the video primary shooting and are in post production for the new Lahaina Tender Vessel training video.

They have completed the permanent rule that prevent drinking and other problematic behavior at the Kaneohe Sand Bar.   No fighting, unreasonable noise, etc.

They are about to pass permanently the Mandatory Education Course for vessel operation.   Once the governor signs it into law the public will have two years before implementation.   There is a course on line at Boat U.S.   Over the next two years the DLNR will be developing classes open to the public.  Another part of this is a regulation that any child under 16 cannot drive a boat unless they have gone through the class and are accompanied by an adult over 21 that has gone through the class.   The fines for violating this new regulation will not more than $1,000.

Personal Water Craft (Thrill Craft)   They have changed the rules to open up more launch sites for PWC.   This will mean the public will probably see more thrill craft in the vessel mix off the coastlines of Hawaii. 

AGENDA ITEM #6  –  Announcements

oSeptember Beach Cleaning Schedule

On September 15 there will be a world wide effort to clean up beaches.   “Get the Drift and Bag It” is what we call it.    Slipper Island has been a major focus for the last several years.    If you are interested you can find information at <getthedrift andbagit.com>.

o          The State Department of Emergency Management is willing to hold (three Saturdays) a 20 hour course on “Disaster Preparedness”.   This is called Community Emergency Response Training or CERT training.   You should have a group of 10 or more people.    If not you can join another group.

NEXT MEETINGS

Executive Board Meeting:

September 13th,    3:00 pm,   Hawaii Yacht Club located in the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor.

General Membership Meeting:

October 18th,   2:00 pm,   Honolulu Community College Marine Training Facility.