b'When you study events like those above from the last 100+ years, youmeetings and the staffing the Office of Emergency Management FOGHORN FOCUS see that these could not be handled by a single agency or by govern- (OEM) center during this week-long event had us gel as a team and ment resources alone. All these events owe their success to commercialable to put names to faces. As they say, you dont want to be ex-operators, like you, answering the call to assist and save lives. No singlechanging business cards during a crisis. Admiral Bennis often told agency can solve an MRO alone. us the only thing harder than planning for a disaster is explaining why you did not.How do you prepare for an MRO as either the vessel in distress or a vessel providing aid? We like to offer a four-step process. Practice: Train all personnel and all partners (preferably utilizing a unified command), and practice, practice, practice. Also, for MT-Prevention: Identify threats to your operation and practice how youSA-regulated vessels, incorporate a drill to get credit for your annual address these issues. These could include fires, fights, suspicious/in- requirementsoutlinedin33CFR104.230.Preparationthrough toxicated persons, security breaches by passengers, man overboard,education and drills is less costly than learning through tragedy.inclement weather, heavy traffic, and difficult navigation areas.WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP A VESSEL IN DISTRESS?When you turn to the law, USC section 2304 (Duty to provide assis-tance at sea) states: A master or individual in charge of a vessel shall render assistance to any individual found at sea in danger of being lost, Have emergency responders visitso far as the master or individual in charge can do so without serious your vessels to learn of the layout. danger to the masters or individuals vessel or individual on board.It is always an eye opener for One common scenario is hearing a call over the marine radio or a the local EMT to try to remove an broadcast by the local Coast Guard.injured crew member from a If you hear a Mayday or distress call: Remain silent, listen, and write down information about the boatT-boat engine room or for a localin distress, especially the specific location:firefighter to learn of the HAZMAT The Coast Guard should respond immediately. Listen forand risks on a vessel. direction from the Coast Guard to assist.If the Coast Guard or other rescue authority does not respond:Attempt to reach the Coast Guard while traveling toward Partnership: Identify your partners (yes, even talk to your com- the distressed boat. petition) and have emergency responders visit your vessels to learn of the layout. It is always an eye opener for the local EMT to try to Once contact is made with the Coast Guard, relay remove an injured crew member from a T-boat engine room, a localmay day information.firefighter to learn of the HAZMAT and risks on a vessel, or the lo-cal police to understand the layout of your vessel in case they needNotify distressed vessel that may day was heard and isto come aboard to help. It might behoove you to formalize yourbeing relayed.relationship with agreements, yearly tours, and have them observe or participate in your drills. If you cannot reach the Coast Guard, continue to communicate with the distressed vessel and assist to the best of your ability Planning: This is where you identify risks you compiled in thewhile not placing yourself or your passengers in danger. Continue prevention step and put them in a plan. A good example is on theefforts to contact the Coast Guard.member resources link at PVAs website. regarding how to address active shooter/active threats. Your crew input and training areAs long as the Mayday situation is ongoing, other vessels are invaluable to go through the various MRO scenarios and how yourequired to stay off Channel 16.will plan. In the above cited World Trade Center response, the biggest factor to the quick response and implantation of a plan byAs a vessel rendering assistance, you might assume the role of on scene the Coast Guard was due to the fact we took a year from 1999 tocommander (OSC) until relieved by a government agency. There you 2000 to plan for OPSAIL 2000. This festival had more than 150will be the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth of the Coast Guard Command tall ships and 40 warships from 23 navies all in New York Har- Center, directing rescue efforts on scene and tracking survivors pulled bor from July 3-9, with the Parade of Sail on July 4. Through thefrom water. Your vessel might be best utilized as a recovery platform numerous meetings to identify docks, possible landing sites, med- or even the rescue vessel. Again, assist as best you can without putting ical response areas, and commercial vessels with 24-hour contactyour passenger and your vessel in peril. numbers, we had an exhaustive plan to cover the port to deal with safety issues as well as security concerns to address possible lawRemember the wise words of Benjamin Franklin By failing to pre-enforcement/terrorist events. In addition to the plans, the manypare, you are preparing to fail.FOGHORN 14'