USCG drill training

This past thursday the vessel ops juniors were able to demonstrate the knowledge we spent the better part of half a year learning. Members of the United States Coast Guard observed us as we completed Man Over Board Drills, Fire Drills and let off flares. Well, I say we completed the drills, in actuality the other half of my class completed the drills. Our group was part of the documenting boat. Before I joined vessel ops, I never really realized the importance of taking pictures or how much I enjoyed taking pictures. Aaron has taught me that taking pictures and sharing pictures enables the event to become valid. This way, we can see and remember what we did. Furthermore, we can share images of the activities we do.

 This picture shows Michael (right) and me (left) taking pictures of Carlyle setting off a daytime flare. Daytime flares are used when the captain of a boat deems the conditions of the boat unsafe and is searching for help from a helicopter or passing boat. Although you can't see it in this image, everyone aboard Indy 7 (big gray boat) is wearing a type one PFD. This is incase of " abandon ship".

Towards the end of the drills done by my classmates crewing Indy 7, the tables turned slightly. We were given a radio call to rescue the dummy instead of them rescuing the dummy. We were not expecting this change in course of events but we knew we had to preform well. A crew is not expecting a normal man over board either. My job was to secure the boat hook around the poor submerged fellow and bring him alongside the boat until he was close enough for Akeem to pull him into the Privateer (our boat). Once our dummy safely rested on the deck, I was in charge of checking for signs of consciousness and then preforming CPR. I'm pleased to say that the Coast Guard officials on our boat thought we did a great job.