|
The CSBC returned to Whistler for the annual Symposium from October 1 to 3 this year, with a program that was focused on boating safety with a West Coast flavour, and extending across the Pacific to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Many of the Symposium presentations highlighted the involvement of indigenous communities in search and rescue and boating safety. Promoting and supporting safety on the water is a collaborative effort, and the presentations demonstrated many ways in which partnerships and collaboration are making a difference in boating safety. U.S. colleagues from south of the border and also north of the border in Alaska contributed their always-valuable perspectives. The Lifejacket Forum we held as part of last year’s Symposium in St. John’s generated a lot of interest, and we were pleased to welcome Transport Canada back to give us an update in Whistler this year. Don’t forget to have your say on Transport Canada’s consultations on mandatory lifejacket wear (see article in this News Splash issue).
Be cold water safe is one of the CSBC’s key safety messages, and two in-person two day Cold Water Workshops were held in Victoria and Vancouver right before the Symposium. With the support of Presenting Sponsor Mustang Survival, we were able to persuade Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht to stay on and share his expertise and research findings at the Whistler Symposium.
The popular Coffee and Challenges session brought people together to share insights and suggestions on how we can work together as a community to make Canada’s waters even safer. We also took the opportunity in Whistler to showcase some of the CSBC’s partner-based activities and accomplishments over the years, and to invite Symposium attendees and the broader boating safety community to get involved in our organization and our work.
A highlight of the Symposium was a visit to Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre, which strongly showed the value of community and echoed the theme of the Symposium.
Following is an outline of the program. The presentations will be posted on the CSBC website - https://csbc.ca/en/events/annual-symposium/2024-symposium-presentations.
Boat Safe BC Campaign
Bruce Hayne, Executive Director, Boating B.C.
Boating Safety in the Pacific
Baz Kirk, Pacific Maritime Safety Advisor, Maritime New Zealand
Search and Rescue in the Central Mediterranean
Amber Sheasgreen, Volunteer, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue
Maritime SAR in the Canadian West – Organizational Partnerships that Underpin Positive Outcomes
Stephen Adam, Acting Operations Manager, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue
Alex Baildham, Manager of Operations and Training, Coastal Nations Search and Rescue
Geoff Carrow, Deputy Superintendent of Search and Rescue, Canadian Coast Guard Western Region
Boating Trends and Future Challenges in the United States
Jeffrey Decker, A/Chief Programs and Ops Management Branch, US Coast Guard
Influencing Boater Behavior: Creating a Cultural Shift
Peg Phillips, Executive Director, National Safe Boating Council
Using our PFDs Wisely in Alaska
Joe McCullough, Boating Law Administrator, State of-Alaska
Transport Canada:
Office of Boating Safety Activities 2024
Honey Walsh, Manager, Office of Boating Safety
Lifejacket Wear: Latest Developments
Geoffrey Tasker, Senior Policy Analyst, Marine Safety and Security, TC HQ
Parks Wardens in the Marine Waters of British Columbia
Tanya Dowdall, Warden, Parks Canada
Jericho Sailing Centre: How Vancouver’s Ocean Community Centre stays “Boaty McBoatSafe”
Mike Cotter, Manager, Jericho Sailing Centre
Port Safe
Jason Krott, Manager of Marine Operations and Chris Nilsson, Senior Harbour Patrol Officer, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Working Together to Keep our Waters Safe
Carl Vinet, Unit Commander and Rod Pick, Operations Commander, West Coast Marine Services, RCMP
Safety and Security on the Water During Major Events: a Partnership Approach
Darin McDougal, Sergeant, Emergency Response Section, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
CSBC Showcase : a Partnership Approach
Mike Dean, CSBC Chair and Michelle McShane, CSBC Director and Chair, Communications Committee
Cold Water Immersion: What, So What, Now What?
Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba
CSBC Research and Education Projects:
The Shock Factor
Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba and
Cheryl Gallagher, PlaySafe Productions
Building the Brand: Safe Boating Awareness Week
Cheryl Gallagher, PlaySafe Productions
The CSBC and You
Mike Dean, CSBC Chair and Michelle McShane, CSBC Director and Chair, Communications Committee
Coffee and Challenges
Facilitators: John McMullen, CSBC Executive Support Officer and Jason Krott, CSBC Director and Manager of Marine Operations, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Harnessing the Power of Storytelling to Spread the Safety Message
Steve Bull, President, Water Ways TV
Working Together : Multi-sectoral Drowning Prevention Coalitions
Lisa Hanson Ouellette, Senior Research Officer, Drowning Prevention Research Centre, Lifesaving Society Ontario
Nunavik Marine Challenges
Craig Lingard, Director Civil Security, Kativik Regional Government and Nunavik Search and Rescue.
Many thanks to the Symposium Committee, led by Chair Lawrence Jacobs, Jason Krott, Sean Arbour, Michele Fung, Cheryl Gallagher, Joe Gatfield, Ian Gilson, John Gullick, Ron Kroeker, John McMullen, Michelle McShane, Jean Murray and Rod Pick. Special thanks to Jason Krott for running the audiovisual side of the Symposium, to Ron Kroeker, photographer extraordinaire and to Mike Dean, who as MC kept the program running smoothly.
Thank you as well to the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre for hosting the much-appreciated off-site visit.
And a big thank you and our deep appreciation to the following sponsors, without whom this event would not have been possible:
| 
