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A key outcome of the Coast Guard's Recreational Boating Safety program is to reduce loss of life on the water. A major component of that program is to convince boaters to wear their life jackets while on the water. Various media campaigns have been utilized in the past without a major shift in the desired outcome. A Vessel Safety Check (VSC) provides the vessel examiner an opportunity to educate the boater on the value and importance of life jacket wear. During the VSC, the criteria for selecting, sizing, and inspection of life jackets is reviewed and demonstrated to the boater. Public education courses are another venue to demonstrate the variety of life jackets available. Of paramount interest is the inflatable life jacket which offers the boater a comfortable and reliable life saving option. Public affairs activities, such as safety exhibits at boat shows, provide another venue to illustrate to the public the variety of life jackets available in the market place. The Coast Guard’s Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety firmly believes that our vessel examiners, public educators and public affairs representatives should be role models for life jacket wear and are encouraging them to wear their life jackets during vessel safety checks, public education classes, and public affair events. As an incentive for demonstrating the "right behavior" on and around the water, inflatable life jackets branded with the "Wear It" logo will be made available (on a loner basis) to each Flotilla and Squadron. Inflatable life jackets will be distributed to local units which will be responsible for the custody, maintenance, and utilization of this equipment and annual reporting of the local inventory through respective chain of command to the Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, Program Operations Branch (CG-54222). The expectation is that they will be leveraged to provide the maximum possible exposure to support the wearing of life jackets. Peter Urgola, USCG Auxiliary Chief, Vessel Examination Dept. Ron LaPlante Chairman, VSC Committee US Power Squadrons Source: [Pete Urgola, DC-V] For Safety's Sake, Volume 1 - 2008 -- [Posted: 2/26/2008] The newest edition of For Safety's Sake, Volume I - 2008 has been released. This new issue was released on February 26th and is available for downloading from the V Departments Newsletter page at http://safetyseal.net/Newsletters/. In this issue is: The 60th Anniversary Winner, New Outreach Opportunities, Wear It: The Theme for 2008, Coastal Warning Display Signals, VSC Mega Weeks and more! Download your copy and pass it on to your associates after you've read it. Source: [Pete Urgola, DC-V] West Marine Offers Safety Equipment Discount -- [Posted: 1/19/2008] West Marine will again offer a 10% discount on safety equipment to boaters who receive a Vessel Safety Check. The discount coupons are available for downloading on the V-Department web site at http://safetyseal.net/downloads/West-Marine-Coupon08.pdf. West Marine has long been an active supporter of the VSC program and the educational value it brings to the recreational boating community. Source: [Pete Urgola, DC-V] 2008 VSC Decals Released -- [Posted: 12/1/2007] December 2007 To: DSO-VEs, SO-VEs, FSO-VEs Fr.: Peter Urgola, DC-V Subj: Instructions for ordering Vessel Safety Check Decals; year 2008 The Auxiliary National Supply Center (ANSC) has received an initial supply of decals. The overall supply should be more than adequate to meet our demands and the demands of our partners. This year's USCG Auxiliary distribution plan will duplicate the one used in prior years. The quantity of decals received at each unit level will be a function of the past year's performance. ANSC has already been given the quantities and will deliver that number of decals and VSC Examination Record forms, ANSC 7012, upon receiving your initial order request. Either the unit's elected officer or the materials office must place the order. USPS members should obtain ordering information from their squadron commanders. The order form to use is the Vessel Safety Check and Maritime Domain Awareness Materials Order form (attached). This form contains a number of key materials that vessel examiners will find useful in executing their job. Additional decals can be ordered after the initial allocation by resubmitting the order form and by checking the "backup allocation" box. These orders will be honored after the initial allocations are completed to all units. As before, new vessel examiners will be eligible for a 20-decal allocation by simply noting "new examiner" on the ANSC order form. In summary, units at each level are encouraged to order their allotment of decals as soon as possible. There is no need to list the quantity; ANSC has the predetermined amounts for each unit: Flotilla, Division and District. Order your supplemental VE materials to assist in spreading the RBS message throughout the boating community. Download the order form from http://safetyseal.net/pdf_files/vscdecalfm08.pdf Send decal orders to: Auxiliary National Supply Center 1301 First Street Suite E River's Edge Granite City, IL 62040-1803 Or Fax to 618-452-4249 Source: [Pete Urgola, DC-V] 2008 VE and PV Workshops Released -- [Posted: 11/2/2007] The US Coast Guard Auxiliary National V Department has released the 2008 VE and PV Workshops. The workshops for 2008 are not mandatory but units are encouraged to hold the workshops to better the knowledge of their Vessel Examiners and Program Visitors. You can download the workshops from: http://safetyseal.net/workshops They are also available on CD from ANSC, the V Department 2008 Workshop CD is ANSC 2001A. Source: [Pete Urgola, DC-V] Next Page
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