Sixteen people from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and beyond are taking part in a 48-hour marine-safety instructor program this week at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center.
The course covers emergency preparation, cold water survival, sea survival and onboard drills, food and water in a survival situation, methods of instruction, risk assessment and management, fire fighting and cross-cultural communication. The Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Instructor Training is tailored for individuals who will work with commercial fishermen and their vessels.
Hands-on training for survival in open seas, including boarding a life raft, took place in a pool at e-Fitness and Wellness in Biloxi.
Jerry Dzugan, director of Alaska Marine Safety Education Association and Alaska Sea Grant affiliate faculty, and Robert Miller of AMSEA are the instructors.
“The purpose of the course is to build training infrastructure to help commercial fishermen meet required safety training,” Dzugan said.
The train-the-trainer course is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. Those who complete the course will be able to train others in safety procedures and more.
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium helped organize local logistics and support trainees’ expenses.