R 221617Z MAY 03 ZUI ASN-A00142000139
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//G-C//
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS //N10470//
ALCOAST 243/03
COMDTNOTE 10470
SUBJ: FOCUS ON PEOPLE: PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT POLICIES
A. COMMANDANTS DIRECTION - COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 312323Z MAY
2002, ALCOAST 269/02
B. CG PUB 1 PAGE 80
C. BOATING STATISTICS 2000, COMDTPUB P16754.14
D. RESCUE AND SURVIVAL SYSTEMS MANUAL, COMDTINST M10470.10 (SERIES)
E. ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS MANUAL, COMDTINST M5830.1 (SERIES)
F. SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MANUAL, COMDTINST M5100.47
(SERIES)
1. THIS MESSAGE OUTLINES MY PERSONAL CONCERN AND DIRECTS ACTION TO
ADDRESS A DISTURBING TREND I HAVE NOTED IN AN INCREASING NUMBER OF
BOAT AND CUTTER BOAT MISHAPS. THOSE MISHAPS, AND FEEDBACK FROM A
RECENT COMMANDANT BOAT SAFETY BOARD, INDICATE THAT SOME COAST GUARD
MEN AND WOMEN MAY HAVE BECOME COMPLACENT OR HAVE NOT BEEN
SUFFICIENTLY TRAINED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WEARING AND
INSPECTING ALL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) AND CREW MEMBER
SURVIVAL ITEMS, SUCH AS ANTI-EXPOSURE ENSEMBLES AND PYROTECHNICS.
2. BACKGROUND-
A. IN REF A, I ESTABLISHED "PEOPLE" AS A TOP PRIORITY IN MY FIRST
ACTION AS YOUR COMMANDANT. IN DOING SO, I MADE YOUR PERSONAL
SAFETY, SECURITY AND WELL-BEING A TOP PRIORITY FOR COAST GUARD
LEADERSHIP. THROUGH THE PROGRAM MANAGER, FY-03 OPSTAGE
REALLOCATIONS, AND THE FY-03 OMNIBUS APPROPRIATION AND OTHER
SUPPLEMENTALS, I HAVE ALLOCATED OVER 13 MILLION DOLLARS TO SURVIVAL
PPE. WITH THIS COMES RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THOSE IN LEADERSHIP
POSITIONS AND FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TO ENSURE EVERYONE IN THEIR TEAM
DOES HIS OR HER PART. IN REF B, I DISCUSS RISK BASED DECISION
MAKING AND HOW IT PERTAINS TO THE SAFETY OF CG OPERATIONS. WE
CANNOT ASSESS THE MISSION CAPABILITY OF OUR CREWS IN ANY GIVEN
SITUATION WITHOUT CONSIDERING SAFETY EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO THEM.
BUT AVAILABILITY IS NOT ENOUGH. THAT EQUIPMENT MUST BE USED
APPROPRIATELY AND WORN CORRECTLY. IT MUST FIT PROPERLY AND BE
SUITABLY MAINTAINED. OTHERWISE, THE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY AND
SAFETY OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE IS UNNECESSARILY COMPROMISED.
B. WE ARE THE WORLDS BEST COAST GUARD. AS SUCH, WE ARE CHARGED WITH
ENFORCING REGULATIONS ENACTED TO SAFEGUARD LIFE AT SEA. IT MUST BE
OUR PASSION TO ACTIVELY PROMOTE SAFETY THROUGH EDUCATION AND
ENFORCEMENT. SETTING A PROPER EXAMPLE MUST BE SECOND NATURE. OUR
ACTIONS WILL CERTAINLY SAVE LIVES AMONG THE BOATING PUBLIC AND
WITHIN THE COAST GUARD FAMILY. REF D REPORTS THAT 86 PERCENT OF
BOATING FATALITIES IN CY 2000 INVOLVED PEOPLE NOT WEARING THEIR
PFD. IT ALSO REPORTS THAT 273 FATALITIES OCCURRED IN WATER
TEMPERATURES LESS THAN 69 DEGREES. A RECENT CG RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT CENTER ANALYSIS DISCOVERED THAT 20 PERCENT OF OUR BOAT
MISHAPS OCCURRED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF EXPOSURE TO EXTREME
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. WHAT WE DO IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. THE
MARITIME ENVIRONMENT IS UNFORGIVING, AND OUR SERVICE REQUIRES THAT
WE OFTEN VENTURE INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT UNDER THE WORST CONDITIONS.
WE MUST BE CONSUMMATE SAFE OPERATORS. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE
COMPLACENT. I VIEW THIS VERY CLEARLY AS A LEADERSHIP ISSUE.
C. THE COXSWAIN OF ANY BOAT HAS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
CREW AND PASSENGERS. HOWEVER, RESPONSIBILITY IS ULTIMATELY SHARED
BY EACH PERSON ON THE BOAT, AND BY THE OPERATIONAL CHAIN OF COMMAND
THROUGH PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF ALL RELATED POLICIES. FOR CREW
MEMBERS, BOARDING PERSONNEL AND SCHEDULED PASSENGERS EMBARKED ON
ALL CG BOATS, REQUIREMENTS FOR WEARING SURVIVAL PPE AND POLICY
DEPARTURE WAIVERS ARE CLEARLY SPELLED OUT IN CHAPTER 3 OF REF D.
SUFFICIENT CHECKS AND BALANCES ARE BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM TO ENSURE
THAT NO ONE GETS UNDERWAY WITHOUT DONNING PPE APPROPRIATE TO THE
ENVIRONMENT AND MISSION.
3. ACTION-
A. ALL REPORTABLE WATER BORNE MISHAPS OCCURRING ON CG BOATS, SHALL
INCLUDE A STATEMENT INDICATING WHETHER THE APPROPRIATE PPE WAS
PROPERLY WORN. THE STANDARDIZED BOAT MISHAP REPORT WILL BE MODIFIED
TO INCLUDE FEATURES THAT ALLOW ENTERING PPE DATA FOR BOAT CREW
MEMBERS AND PASSENGERS.
B. COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY POLICY IS A PRIORITY FOR THE ENTIRE CHAIN
OF COMMAND. IT IS INCUMBENT ON OUR LEADERS AND OPERATORS TO
IDENTIFY THE REASONS (FUNDING, TRAINING, COMPLACENCE) FOR NON-
COMPLIANCE WHEN IT OCCURS AND ADDRESS THEM APPROPRIATELY. EFFECTIVE
IMMEDIATELY, ALL INCIDENTS OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH ESTABLISHED PPE
POLICY SHALL BE CONSIDERED A TRIGGER TO CONDUCT AN ADMIN
INVESTIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF E.
C. THROUGHOUT THIS ALCOAST, I HAVE USED BOAT CREW SURVIVAL PPE TO
CONVEY THIS SAFETY MESSAGE. HOWEVER, THE SAME PRINCIPLES APPLY FOR
ALL PPE REQUIRED BY OTHER DIRECTION (E.G., BODY ARMOR, CBRN
EQUIPMENT, EYE AND HEARING PROTECTION). I AM DIRECTING HEADQUARTERS
PROGRAM MANAGERS WITH PPE RESPONSIBILITIES TO UPDATE REFERENCES TO
REFLECT THIS NEW ADMIN INVESTIGATION REQUIREMENT. FUTURE ALCOAST
MESSAGES WILL PROMULGATE SUCH CHANGES.
D. RETAIN A COPY OF THIS MESSAGE IN THE FRONT OF REFS D, E AND F
PENDING PROMULGATION OF THE NEXT CHANGE TO EACH.
4. I PERSONALLY CHARGE THOSE IN COMMAND TO REINFORCE THE CONTENTS
OF THIS MESSAGE WITH THOSE SUBORDINATE IN YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND.
REMAIN VIGILANT THROUGH PERIODIC SAFETY REMINDERS AND CONTINUED
LEADERSHIP EMPHASIS. SEMPER PARATUS.
5. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
6. ADM T. H. COLLINS, COMMANDANT, SENDS
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