 Flare Up Flare Safety Event
Flare up!!!!! Flare safety event
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This is an event that I coordinated last Saturday here in Jacksonville. A good time!!!!
Flare Up for Safety
“FLARE UP!!!” was the call that signaled the launch of the first aerial flare during the event that took place on Saturday, October 17, 2009, at Sister’s Creek Boat Ramp on the St. John’s River at 8203 Hecksher Drive in Jacksonville, Florida. The event started at 10 A.M. and was attended by members of the Jacksonville Sail and Power Squadron, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary members and by Captain Alvin Floyd of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, BM1 Rudy Radakovich an active duty US Coast Guard and Rich Guettler, Sales Manager, of the West Marine flagship store at St. John’s Town Center.
The event was a conglomeration of training on various visual distress signals including recreational, commercial, and SOLAS(Safety Of Life At Sea) measures and devices. The concept for the training grew out of requirements from both the USCG Auxiliary Boat Crew and Coxswain certification and the United States Power Squadron’s(USPS) Boat Operator Certification(Coastal Navigation endorsement) as well as a need to train the trainers for future public events. The various devices demonstrated and discharged included 12 Gauge red aerial flares that most recreational boaters use, 25 mm aerial flares (including parachute aided), SOLAS aerials, hand-held smoke signals and flares, and commercial grade man-overboard smoke and light location markers; also included were some rare historical signaling devices donated by one member. All devices were past their individual expiration dates and donated by members of the two organizations and Brooks Busey of Sadler Point Marina. The devices had varying success rates depending on condition, age, type, and manufacturer.
Event Coordinator Chuck Hayes, a member of both the JSPS and the Auxiliary, worked closely with both organizations, Naval Station Mayport Air Operations Department, Coast Guard Station Mayport, CG Sector Jacksonville, and the City Dock Master, Jim Suber(also a JSPS member) to obtain the necessary permissions for the event. “Jim’s help was priceless in coordinating with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. We couldn’t have even thought about this event without his help.” Chuck said. He went on to say, “Everyone involved has been very supportive from concept to execution, allowing me to bounce ideas off them and reigning me in when I got a little over-enthusiastic.”
The event was just a proof of concept demonstration for a larger public event that is in the planning stages for the kick-off of National Safe Boating Week in May of 2010. Although this event was small and not advertised to the general public, the event in May hopes to include boating safety training of all types and vendors of various safety and boating products.
Although the event ended early, this day was a great opportunity for both groups to get together and meet their counterparts, exchange ideas and have some safe fun while possibly learning a thing or two about visual distress signals and judging from the pictures and the overall enthusiasm of the group, a good time was had by all.
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