Local commercial fishermen making a living in one of the deadliest occupations in the nation learned or honed fundamental safety skills Thursday at U.S. Coast Guard Station Gloucester, 17 Harbor Loop.
The all-day session was the first of a free, two-day safety training offered by the Gloucester office of Fishing Partnership Support Services, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the health, safety and economic security of fishermen.
On Thursday, fishermen and others who work on the water learned or honed fundamental skills through hands-on training on EPIRBs, signal flares, mayday calls, man overboard recovery, firefighting, flooding and damage control, dewatering pumps, immersion suits, personal floatation devices and life rafts.
Among those taking part were members of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Beverly Harbormaster’s Office.
The training included the organization’s innovative First Responder at Sea Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution program for the fishing industry. This training, designed to position fishermen as first responders at sea, was recently recognized by the White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose.
Friday’s session involves drill conductor certification, with fishers digging deeper into what they learned Thursday. This involves new information in cold-water survival, helicopter rescues, vessel stability, liability, and emergency procedures.
Those who complete the two days of training are Alaska Marine Safety Education Association certified drill conductors, which meets Coast Guard requirements under 46 CFR 28.270.
Requesting opioid education and naloxone distribution training for fishermen may be done by visiting www.fishingpartnership.org.