CPS-ECP Members win Safe Boating Awards!

Casba

Jan 25, 2018

The Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) celebrated the 20th Annual Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBA), that recognize the efforts of the public, volunteers, professionals, agencies and organizations who have distinguished themselves in the fields of boating safety and environmental stewardship. 

This year CPS-ECP members were the recipients of the Top Volunteer Dedicated to Boating Safety and the Best Boating Safety Initiative.

Carolyn Reid, Top Volunteer Dedicated to Boating Safety

In recognition of her commitment and dedication to advancing boating education throughout Canada.

Since joining CPS-ECP in 1989 Carolyn has worked at the Squadron, District and National levels to improve the course material that CPS-ECP gives to students. As a former teacher, Carolyn has held positions in the Educational Department including being National Educational Officer 2011-2014. During that time she worked tirelessly to move the Educational Department forward and improve all CPS- ECP courses.

Carolyn retired from the top job in the Educational Department at CPS-ECP in October 2014. She then took on the position of Committee Chair for Outreach Education and the unenviable job of developing the online program for CPS-ECP.

This committee had originally done some work on Distance Education but the new terms of reference for the committee expanded its’ role in the organization. Carolyn’s task is to develop online courses to meet the needs of the current generation of students who cannot and will not sit in classroom one night a week for 4, 8 or 12 weeks to take a course. Thankfully Carolyn was assisted in this task by some willing volunteers from Rideau District in Ontario who jumped right in with the Seamanship course online.

The courses which have been developed in the online world during her tenure as Committee Chair for Outreach Education are Seamanship, Pleasure Craft Operator Card, Junior Navigator, Introduction to Weather for Recreational Boaters and more.

Norm Dyck and ICOM Canada’s Eric Meth Best Boating Safety Initiative

For promoting boating safety through the creation of the VHF DSC Simulator in support of training across Canada.

Norm and Eric worked together for several years to come up with a VHF DSC radio set up thatcould be safely used at our Maritime Radio courses. In the past there were VHF Maritime Radio setupsthat Squadrons used but you could not demonstrate a DSC Distress call without the CoastGuard receiving the distress signal.

The radios in the new ICOM VHF DSC Simulator have been modified so that the output amps onboth VHF-DSC radios transmit less than 1mw which means the Coast Guard will not pick up the signal.

Through hands on experience students can now learn the importance MMSI/MI number, DSC calls and setup, how to make Urgency and Safety calls using DSC and how to make a regular DSC call without using channel 16.

Sadly, Eric passed away just after the first VHF DSC Simulators were shipped in the spring of 2017.

Other CASBA winners included:

• Stearns – Rescue of the Year
BC Ferries

• Best Media Contribution to Boating Safety
Lorne Edwards

• Marine Professional of the Year
Arlene Christiansen and Alan Connelly

• Visible PFD Wear in Advertising
Angelo Viola

• Marine Industry
Canada Rope and Twine

• Special Recognition
Rob Patterson

• Special Recognition
Carl Wolfe

• Lifetime Achievement Award
Karen Harrington

The CASBA Awards Gala is made possible thanks to the support of our amazing sponsors and volunteers who are committed to the promotion of boating safety and environmental awareness. For details visit: www.csbc.ca

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