CSBC NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2024 | |
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In this issue
- Message from the Chair
- Join us for the CASBAs
- New Virtual Cold Water Workshops
- SBAW - Building on the Brand
- New SARSmart Cold Water Awareness Boot Camp Program
- Symposium 2025: Save the Date
- Search and Rescue in New Zealand
- In Brief
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Dear Boating Friends,
As the holiday season approaches and winter settles in, many of us have tucked away our boats, setting aside another year of unforgettable moments on the water. While the boating season may be on pause, this off-season offers the perfect opportunity to prepare for next year’s adventures. At the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC), we believe that a little preparation now can set the stage for a safer, more enjoyable season ahead.
This winter, why not dedicate some time to enhancing your boating knowledge? Whether you’re a seasoned boater or a newcomer, there’s always something new to learn. Consider taking a refresher course on boating safety, reviewing emergency procedures with your family, or exploring new navigation techniques. Educating yourself and your loved ones now ensures that everyone is equipped with the skills needed for a confident return to the water in the spring.
The off-season is also a great time to inspect and maintain your equipment. Take the time to check your life jackets, fire extinguishers, and communication devices to ensure everything is in top working order. A well-maintained boat and reliable safety gear not only protect you but also enhance your overall boating experience. Remember, the peace of mind that comes with being prepared is invaluable.
Finally, use this time to plan for next year. Whether it’s charting a new destination, organizing family trips, or setting aside weekends for spontaneous outings, thoughtful planning now will make it easier to prioritize your time on the water when the season begins. Boating is about more than just the journey—it’s about creating lasting memories with those you care about. Let’s use this time to make 2025 a season filled with joy, adventure, and above all, safety.
Wishing you a warm and wonderful holiday season,
Mike Dean
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Join us for the Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBAs) | |
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Everyone who loves boating, works in the boating industry or cares about marine safety and safeguarding of the marine environment is welcome to join us at the Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBAs) on Sunday January 19, 2025 at the National Yacht Club, 1 Stadium Road, Toronto. Doors open at 1730, and the awards ceremony starts at 1915. With a dinner buffet, cash bar and informal atmosphere, this is an evening of meeting up with colleagues old and new, learning about innovative ideas and key accomplishments in the boating field, and celebrating the boating heroes who have made a significant difference over the past year.
Tickets are $60 per person, $450 per table of eight, and are likely to sell out quickly. To register, go to CASBA Registration (csbc.ca)
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Registration Open: In-Person Cold Water Workshops | |
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BE SAFE AROUND COLD WATER!
3 ZOOM WORKSHOPS WITH DR. GORDON GIESBRECHT
(aka PROFESSOR POPSICLE)
- TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 & THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2025
- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2025
- TUESDAY, MARCH 18 & THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2025
8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Eastern
If you’re a first responder, work or just spend time recreating on or near cold water, this
workshop is for you. You will learn everything you need to know to survive an accidental
cold water immersion and also how to help others who may have become hypothermic. It
is hosted by the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC), delivered over “Zoom” and will cover...
✔ Understanding the Myths Around Cold Water Immersion and Hypothermia
✔ How Our Bodies React to Heat and Cold Stimuli
✔ 4 Ways Our Bodies Lose Heat
✔ What Happens to Our Bodies When Immersed in Cold Water
✔ Immersion vs. Submersion in Cold Water
✔ Cold Water Survival and Thermal Protective Clothing
✔ Basic First Response…When You’re The Only One Who Can Help!
✔ The Decision to Stay or Swim When You’re on Your Own
The cost of this online Cold Water Workshop is only $100 and participants will receive a
certificate of completion. Registration can be completed by going to the Canadian Safe
Boating Council website www.csbc.ca. Please note that the course instruction will be in English.
For more information, contact Ian Gilson at igilson@rogers.com.
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Safe Boating Awareness Week – Building on the Brand | |
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The Canadian Safe Boating Council has run its flagship Safe Boating Awareness Week (SBAW) campaigns and activities with the involvement of multiple partners from across Canada for many years. However, no external funding for the program has been available for several years, limiting its scope and reach. We are now delighted to announce that Transport Canada will be providing financial support from its Boating Safety Contribution Program (BSCP) for the revitalization and update of SBAW; this funding will cover 75% of the total eligible expenditures for the Project, up to a maximum of $490,833. The SBAW - Building on the Brand project is a three-year national educational outreach initiative which aims to rejuvenate and expand the reach of SBAW nationwide, while delivering tailored boating safety messages at a regional level. Over three years, the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) will build on past successes to sustain and build upon the momentum and visibility achieved in previous years.
SBAW – BotB targets all recreational boaters in Canada, emphasizing inclusivity and the importance of making boating safety education accessible to everyone, regardless of experience or background. By engaging community leaders and partners, the campaign will align national objectives with local insights. To support these efforts, an event guidebook and educational resources will be developed in the coming months for initial use and testing during the 2025 SBAW. Stay tuned to CSBC social media and the website to find out how you can be involved!
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New SARSmart – Cold Water Awareness Bootcamp Program | |
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The CSBC has partnered with Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht for many years to bring cold water awareness and training to the Canadian and international boating community, and has worked extensively with partners to increase boating safety in the North. Building on this experience, now comes the new SARSmart—Cold Water Awareness Bootcamp program, a 36-month outreach and educational program funded by Public Safety Canada's SAR New Initiatives Fund. The program focuses on cold water awareness and survival, creating a SAR prevention strategy tailored to Indigenous communities across Canada. Its goal is to develop an educational course that addresses the unique challenges of being properly prepared and self-sufficient in remote northern regions. The program aims to provide knowledge and build skills related to prevention and self-rescue practices, ultimately reducing the need for Search and Rescue (SAR) calls in these communities.
SARSmart will incorporate hands-on, experiential safe boating training in a Cold Water Bootcamp format. Key topics include cold water survival, ice safety, self-rescue techniques, hypothermia awareness, prevention and treatment, and the critical importance of wearing a lifejacket. Production for the Bootcamp is scheduled for 2025, with the course launch planned for 2026.
The program will foster community engagement by involving volunteers in the SARSmart Cold Water Awareness Bootcamp and offering the educational course to local communities. Participants will share personal experiences related to cold water safety, lifejacket use, and self-rescue skills, helping spread essential safety knowledge throughout their communities.
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Symposium September 23 – 25, 2025: Save the Date! | |
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Solutions Through Partnerships: Charting a Course for Marine Safety
Join us for the 2025 CSBC Symposium in historic and hip Kingston, Ontario! Canada's first capital, one of its oldest cities, home to 22 National Historic Sites, including Fort Henry and Kingston Penitentiary, part of the Rideau Canal/Kingston Fortifications UNESCO World Heritage Site, the fresh-water sailing capital of North America/host city of the 1976 Olympic Sailing competitions, proud waterfront city, Kingston is a boater's paradise! Located where Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and the Rideau Canal meet, Kingston has fantastic restaurants, beautiful waterfront walks, a relaxed vibe, and so much more. Join other safe boating professionals as we learn, network, and explore during Symposium 2025!
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Search and Rescue in New Zealand | |
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Did you know?
- Fuel Excise Duty paid by recreational boat owners funds the NZSAR Secretariat, the SAR Service Level Agreements, two Memoranda of Understanding and around 67% of the costs of the Maritime NZ Rescue Coordination Centre
- 11,376 people are involved in SAR in New Zealand; 125 are paid and 88% are unpaid volunteers. By sector, by far the largest number of people are involved in the water sector, at 6,767, compared to 3,601 in land, 592 in air and 416 in coordination and support
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The NZSAR Council provides national strategic governance and leadership to the sector. It is supported by the NZSAR Secretariat, which implements measures to effect strong strategic coordination of New Zealand’s SAR sector. Originally inspired by the Canadian system, it has evolved into a role model for coordination, partnerships and sound governance. For more information, go to https://nzsar.govt.nz/assets/Downloadable-Files/NZSAR-2024-annual-report
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Do you have any difficult-to-buy-for family or friends on your Christmas gift list? If they love boating, hunting or fishing, why not give them a virtual Cold Water Workshop registration? At $100 for a two evening Zoom workshop, it’s affordable, an opportunity to learn from renowned thermophysiology expert Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht - and could help save their life!
The 2025 International Boating and Water Safety Summit will be in Glendale, Arizona from April 14-17, 2025 at the Renaissance Phoenix / Glendale Hotel & Spa. Register by January 15 to save $100 with the early bird rate. https://www.ibwss.org/
Are you missing boating now that the cold weather has settled in in most parts of the country? Revive your spirits and look forward to getting out on the water again at Home | 2025 Toronto International Boat Show and Home | 2025 Vancouver International Boat Show
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