Volunteer Spotlight
Feb 13, 2025
John Brewster is Commander and Education Officer of RCAF Trenton Squadron. He was first elected to those positions in 2015 and elected as Quinte District Education Officer in 2022. He teaches our organization’s Safe Boating Courses for his Squadron throughout the Bay of Quinte area and assists, on an as requested basis, the other Squadrons in the District with their courses. He oversees Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks (RVCC) at the Quinte area marinas, including Trent Port and Victoria Harbour/Meyers Pier. John directed the preparation of a Dock Steward seminar to be used by marina and yacht club managers along with their individual position descriptions for the training of dock stewards. It has been successfully used by clubs and marinas from Cobourg to Belleville.
In 2008 he completed his Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) & DSC. In 2011 he successfully completed the Boating and PCOC course. John is a sailor, owning a Mirage 30 sailboat and has boated from early childhood.
Like all boaters, John is very concerned about the increasing pollution of our waterways. Plastic pollution is increasing rapidly. John noticed that our Safe Boating Course materials were being shipped in plastic bubble wrap and suggested that they be shipped in brown wrapping paper instead.
John has developed and fostered a long historical relationship between RCAF Trenton Squadron and 8 Wing, CFB Trenton as well as establishing close ties to the Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre (JRCC) at 8 Wing Trenton.
Under John’s direction, RCAF Trenton Squadron created and facilitates the FLAREX program every two years consisting of a usage demonstration and the safe disposal of expired incendiary flares. This is done with the full cooperation of the Base Commander of 8 Wing, CFB Trenton. As far as we know, CFB Trenton is the only military base permitting FLAREX.
He led the team that developed the documentary, “The Safe Handling And Deployment Of Pyrotechnic Flares (FLAREX)”, which outlines the safe use of incendiary flares in boating emergency situations. FLAREX is a live fire exercise for training purposes. The documentary has been provided to the United States Power Squadrons for their library, and our Canadian organization is going to offer it in the future as a seminar.
John lobbied for Canadian acceptance of the electronic flares.
John served in the Royal Canadian Navy as a ship’s engineering officer and worked for many years as an engineer in a large number of industries as a consultant for improvement in the interface between operations and maintenance and retired as Director Technical Support Services of a biowaste to energy company.
In October 2024, John was recognized as Officer of the Year at the CPS National Conference and AGM.
He continues to provide quality education for his Squadron and across Quinte District.
