2010.06 - city of portland rbs presentation
TRANSCRIPT
Boating safety in & around Portland
10 JUN 2010
A very brief introduction to the USCG and USCG Auxiliary
Some of our local activities
The US Coast Guard40,000 active duty
8,100 reservists7,000 civilians
33,000 auxiliarists
250Auxiliarists in Division 7
170Active, Reserve & Civilians
Surface Operations
Air Operations
Communications
Public education: classes
Public education: outreach
Vessel examinations
Augmenting at Sector Portland & Station Portland
…and much more
Boating in and around Portland
Many major waterside facilities
Numerous major ports
Narrow fairways
Cold water and unexpected weather
Critical environmental habitat
Critical highways, bridges, pipelines…
Year round boating, angling & events
Significant history of natural disasters
ThousandRegisteredVessels*
Our world of work
80+Million citizens
2.25Thousand
Kayakers** & 66K Canoeists
66Port calls to
Columbia River Ports
2500
LifeJacket
ALWAYSwearyour
Boating fatalities 2008
Drowning
Trauma
Hypothermia
CO Poisoning
Other/Unknown
510
124
12
11
52
90% no life jacket
It can’t happen to me
Think again – there are many ways end up in the
water
It can happen to youcapsizingFalls overboard
ejected
missed step
sinking
Let’s look at some
LifeJackets
Snow fed rivers
Creative Commons by Flickr user uyen.tran http://flickr.com/photos/dopeshit/339228636/sizes/l/
• Less than 60°F most of the year
• Less than 50°F 4-6 months
…make for cold rivers
It can happen to you
Once you are in……things can go downhill very
quickly
Gasp reflex
Cold water causes a gasp on contact which often results in inhalation of water
…and you can drown with only 5 ounces of water in your lungs
Cold shock
In seconds to minutes you will begin to experience shock with very rapid breathing while your heart rate and blood pressure will increase.
Cold shock
These factors reduce your physical and mental abilities making it very difficult to rescue yourself
Swim failure
After as little as 3 minutes there is a loss of coordination in your limbs.
Swim failure
You will be unable to maintain a body position that allows swimming
Hypothermia
At some point your body is no longer able to regulate your core temperature which, untreated will result in death
Truth: If you are not wearing a life jacket
you are unlikely to survive to the point
you need worry about hypothermia
Hypothermia
Post rescue collapse
Even after rescue the effects of hypothermia can cause death, seek medical attention after any prolonged cold water exposure
LifeJacket
ALWAYSwearyour
Q&ADivision7.orgDaren [email protected]