IN THIS ISSUE – JULY 2022

• SCI Chaplains and Critical Incident Stress Management Training
• New Dedicated Examiner Course at SCI's Center for Maritime Education
• Center for Mariner Advocacy Director attends WISTA/New Orleans Luncheon
• From The SCI Archives: NS Savannah

SCI Chaplains and Critical Incident Stress Management Training

Recently, on June 28-30, SCI chaplains Tom Rhoades and David Shirk welcomed a group of SCI chaplain associates for Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training in Texas City, TX. CISM is emotional first aid that reduces stressors which can adversely affect the brain following unexpected traumatic experiences. For mariners and seafarers, this could include workplace injury, fire, explosions, collisions, piracy, witnessing accidental death or suicide, or being left on an abandoned vessel, among other things. Working on the water certainly has its dangerous and difficult moments, and SCI chaplains are called to respond to mariners in crisis, whatever form that crisis may take. For this reason, SCI requires individual and group CISM training for all chaplains and chaplain associates.

SCI chaplains will be on panels at the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association seminar (GICA) on August 3–5 in New Orleans, and the American Waterways Operators (AWO) Summer Safety Meeting in Chicago on August 17–18. The goal for chaplains participating on these panels is to encourage maritime companies to 1) clearly define incidents with trauma potential for their mariners, and 2) add SCI CISM to their Towing Safety Management Plans, so our chaplains can be immediately called when needed. 

NEW

Dial 988: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is Live

"The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, can be more reached by calling or texting 988, or chatting on https://988lifeline.org."

New Center for Maritime Education Dedicated Examiner Course

A Dedicated Examiner (DE) is a specific type of assessor - a USCG licensed mariner, authorized to appraise a mariner's ability to meet a set of standards outlined by the USCG for completion of the Towing Officer Assessment Record (TOAR). DE’s are often in-company assessors, reviewing and certifying apprentice mates seeking to be trained as mate-pilots, who can then stand their own watch. In early 2021, however, several SCI customers advised our Center for Maritime Education that their training captains were finding it difficult to renew their DE status due to updated USCG regulations. Right away, CME got to work designing a new class to meet the necessary requirements so our training partners and supporters could close the certification gap for their DEs and resume steersman training onboard.

As of June 2022, CME was able to offer their first DE course—a mix of in-class instruction and simulator training, with CME instructors evaluating trainer effectiveness. Key educational goals for CME’s DE certification are:

1. An understanding of the role of a Designated Examiner.
2. Knowledge of the five-step assessment process and how to apply the process in practice in the simulator.
3. The ability to complete a TOAR assessment on a candidate.
4. The ability to conduct effective, thorough, and objective assessments.

For more information, email us at cme@seamenschurch.org

Center for Mariner Advocacy Director attends WISTA-New Orleans Luncheon

Earlier this month, the Director of SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy Philip Schifflin, Esq. was asked to be a guest speaker at a luncheon hosted by the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association’s (WISTA) US/New Orleans Chapter at Turn Services. Director Schifflin introduced the group to the three mission areas of SCI–Pastoral Care, Maritime Education, and Mariner Advocacy–and pointed out that SCI is the only mariner welfare organization that provides pastoral care to the brown-water industry. He then outlined what CMA does and shared a couple of brief case studies when CMA had assisted mariners.

Photo: WISTA LinkedIN

SCI is Hiring

The Seamen's Church Institute is currently hiring for four open positions:

• Human Resources and Board Liaison, NYC-based
• Instructor, CME Paducah
• Maritime Chaplain, Houston/Gulf Coast Region
• Chaplain Associate, Port of NY & NJ

For requirements and additional information about this position, click here. Kindly share these positions with anyone who you may think might be interested.

From the SCI Archives

On this date–July 1959–the NS SAVANNAH, America's first nuclear-powered merchant vessel, was launched. Named after the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, the Savannah was expected to lead a new generation of motorized shipping, but only four nuclear-powered cargo vessels were ever built worldwide, and the NS SAVANNAH was decommissioned in 1971. Efforts to turn it into a museum persist.

The October 1958 issue of The Lookout covered both Savannahs: the search for the remains of the steamship and preparations for the new Savannah's entry into service. Read the 10/1958 Lookout

In Print: The 2021 Annual Report & The Lookout

Thank you to our corporate sponsors