by Douglas Gould on August 11, 2010
I posted a few months ago [here] about the recent studies re: driving and cell phone distractions. When people die, the National Transportation Safety Board likes to do some poking around, and they found an interesting similarity concerning two recent collisions between USCG assets and private boats. Seems the Coasties are on the phone or texting while they are cruising through congested boating areas. As if they didn’t have enough to do, loading those scary guns and donning bullet proof vests while rushing to a grounded boat…. don’t get me started.
The NTSB has recommended that the USCG
Develop and implement national and local policies that address the use of cellular telephones and other wireless devices aboard U.S. Coast Guard vessels.
I don’t know about in your area, but around here, the USCG has developed the bad habit of taking much of their communications over to cell phone; even full emergency cases. I think for the most part it is because cell phones don’t get stepped on by other radios like a VHF does. (Ironic side note: in New England, most of the stepping on is done by multiple CG radios all trying to communicate with the same distressed boater at the same time….) I doubt that the Small Boat Coxswains or crew are actually talking to distressed boaters on cell phones (heaven forbid); the USCG base station is handling that. But, the base stations are talking to their rescue crews on Nextel phones and perhaps texting messages too. I think that today’s young Coastie is probably a typical 20 something, and more comfortable using a cell phone to communicate rather than a radio. The trend is definitely toward more cell phone use, not less.
The memo also points out:
The NTSB has learned, however, that some crewmembers on each Coast Guard accident vessel had been using cellular telephones to engage in text-messaging activities or conversations that were unrelated to vessel operations or to the mission at hand.
Reading between the lines of that sentence: the boys were just chattin’ it up with their homies on the beach while the coxswain had the Hondas hooked up! @Dude cn u hr me nw? If a USCG vessel is rolling to an emergency, first thing the commander should do is tell everyone to put the phone down and shut the eff up! Do we really need to write that down in some silly policy paper? Who is in charge of these sailors?
NTSB has taken the Coast Guard to the wood shed gave the USCG 90 days to develop some new policy. Of course, instead of finding a person within the chain of command at fault, the knee jerk reaction is more policy. In the coming years cell phone distraction will inevitably be implicated as contributing to more accidents, probably leading to even more regulations. Can our boats be far behind? Our industry relies heavily on cell phones, and perhaps we should develop some industry guidelines for phoning/texting while at the wheel? A proactive approach to legislation/regulation has done well for us in the past.
One item I was surprised to see somehow missed the scrutiny of the NTSB: both accidents involved Christmas lights or Christmas light parades. Thousands of red and green lights all around the horizon…. in the dark…. and no one even mentions this as a contributing factor?? Hello??? Guess we have to wait for the final report.
Read the full text of the NTSB memo below.
by Douglas Gould on February 18, 2009
more on the cport meeting….
At one point, a question was posed asking why C-PORT wasn’t the logical forum for the industry to create some standards that would reflect what would be “fair and reasonable” salvage demands. This discussion was swiftly squashed as the executive director (correctly) pointed out that any discussion of prices or fees was strictly forbidden under anti-trust laws, and would jeopardize C-PORT’s non-profit status.
I have some great news for Red Right Returning readers: this blog is not affiliated with C-PORT, and in fact I’m not even a member of C-PORT. I wish I could make money writing this blog, but I don’t make a nickle. Even so, RRR is not subject to any laws that govern non-profit entities. Finally, since I don’t own a towing company (any more), I’m free to discuss the subject with impunity, and I probably will in the near future. (Full disclosure: I am a summertime sub-contractor to a privately held towing and salvage company.)
But couldn’t C-PORT at least cozy up to the issue by discussing some billing standards, or disseminating an industry wide lexicon, so we are all talking about the same thing when we use jargon like “soft-aground” or “Open Form.”
The insurance industry would like to see us adopt some standards, right? OK, let’s play a little game of “good for the goose, good for the gander”. I say we contact the American Insurance Association , and propose that we jointly adopt the following:
C-PORT salvors will abide by the International Convention on Salvage-1989, as ratified by the United States of America, whenever applicable.
The insurance companies will refrain from ignoring or attempting to renegotiate international treaties, and instead recognize that as companies licensed to do business in the USA, they too are bound by the treaties signed by their government.
C-PORT salvors will document everything we can, with photos, video, audio, witness names and signed contracts.
The insurance companies agree that someone who has check writing authority will actually read/watch/listen to that stuff BEFORE they pass it on to an attorney.
C-PORT salvors will submit a written report detailing everything that occurred, and back up our details with the above mentioned documentation.
The insurance companies agree to submit any evidence – including verbal statements that contradict our version of the events – from their clients or witnesses to us in writing, with names and contact info for each.
C-PORT salvors agree to notify the insurance company within 24 hours after the vessel’s redelivery (if not sooner) and request that a claim be opened.
Insurance companies agree to open a claim when they have knowledge of a salvage event, and provide all the parties a claim number when one is requested.
C-PORT salvors agree to submit a detailed salvage report within 15 days of the vessel’s redelivery.
Insurance companies agree a supply a copy of the declaration page of the policy to the salvor within 5 business days after they receive notice that a salvage claim is pending.
C-PORT salvors agree that they are bound by the arbitration clause in signed salvage contracts.
Insurance companies agree that they are bound by the arbitration clause in salvage contracts signed by their clients.
Don’t even get me started about Letters of Undertaking.
….I’m ready to duck…..let ‘em fly.
