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The CSBC Symposium “came from away” to St. John’s this year, and it was a fitting event for the 25th anniversary of the Symposium, which ran from September 26 - 28. Boating safety is all about working in partnership and exploring new tools to improve safety on the water. Delegates learned how community is the underpinning of life in Newfoundland and Labrador, and how agencies work together locally, nationally and internationally. St. John’s is known as a centre of research, innovation and technology in the marine sector, and local private and public sector speakers joined national and international presenters in sharing exciting developments that will help us tackle the boating safety challenges of today and tomorrow. Off-site visits to Virtual Marine and the Canadian Coast Guard Operations Centre and Marine Rescue Coordination Sub-centre showed innovative technology and collaboration in action.
Networking and learning from each other have always been a feature of the CSBC Symposium, and this year’s Coffee and Challenges session continued this tradition. New this year was a special Lifejacket Forum, in which we devoted half a day to exploring “all things lifejacket”. Regulations re lifejacket wear are a hot topic these days, and the forum did include a session on this, but there’s a lot more to consider: what does the data show? Where are the risks? Why do boaters wear lifejackets – or not? How can we craft effective wear your lifejacket messages? And what about lifejackets themselves – how are manufacturers innovating? How to fit and maintain them?
Following is an outline of the program. The presentations will be posted on the CSBC website at https://csbc.ca/en/events/annual-symposium/2023-symposium-presentations
Working Together: a Transport Canada Perspective
Lucie Bergeron, Director, Office of Boating Safety, Transport Canada
Saving Lives on the Water: Partnership is Key
Phil Walker, Superintendent, SAR, Canadian Coast Guard Atlantic Region
James Chidley, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, Newfoundland and Labrador
Maritime SAR in the U.K.
Richard Wasson, HM Coastguard Community Safety Lead, U.K.
Working Together to Promote Boating Safety in Atlantic Canada
Sean Fitzpatrick and Sharon Sellars, Office of Boating Safety, Newfoundland and Labrador, Transport Canada
Conor McIsaac, Canadian Coast Guard
Newman Skinner, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
Sea Kayaking Safety
David Hickey, President, Paddle Newfoundland and Labrador
Innovation and Technology: Simulation in Marine Safety Training
Tony Patterson, Managing Director, Training, Virtual Marine
Boating Trends and Future Challenges in the United States
Jeff Decker, A/Chief, Programs and Ops. Management Branch, US Coast Guard
Building Partnerships in Communities
James Huberts, A/Insp. RCMP National Marine Program
Coffee and Challenges
Group discussion
Innovation and Technology : Best Chance of Survival : Role of PFDs and PLBs
Kerri Ann Ennis, Marine Institute
Innovation and Technology : CSBC Research : The Shock Factor
Cheryl Gallagher, Playsafe Productions
Lifejacket Forum
Session 1 : What Does the Data Tell Us? What Are the Risks?
Fatality Data and CSBC Wear Rate Study
Barbara Byers, Lifesaving Society and CSBC Education Director
Transport Canada Wear Rate Study
Geoffrey Tasker, Marine Safety Policy Advisor, TC
Session 2 : Options for Mandatory Lifejacket Wear Regulations
Proposals and Process
Honey Walsh, Manager OBS and Geoffrey Tasker, Marine Safety Policy Advisor, TC
Session 3 : Prevention : Lifejacket Wear Behaviours and Effective Messaging
Ipsos Reid Research : Why People Do/don’t Wear Lifejackets
Barbara Byers, Lifesaving Society and CSBC Education Director
Effective Messaging
Cheryl Gallagher, Playsafe Productions
Session 4 : Lifejackets Products Panel
Canada/US Standards Harmonization
Nicolette Weeks, Underwriters Laborator
Breaking News! PFD Update
Lili Colby, Mustang Survival and Steve Wagner and Lauren McFarlane, Salus Marine
How to Fit and Maintain Your Lifejacket
Lili Colby
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