ALCOAST 657/09 - Auxiliary Vessel Salvage Funding Procedures

This one is a bit obscure but very important to those members who generously offer their facilities for use in as operational facilities. The ALCOAST clarifies the salvage funding for Auxiliary facilities operating under orders. Previous policy addressed damage but did not clearly address salvage funding potentially exposing members and their insurers to liability for salvage.

The policy can be found here: http://www.uscg.mil/announcements/ALCOAST/657-09_alcoast.txt

This was only a potential issue and once the gap was identified the Coast Guard acted to address the issue. We operate by policy in the Coast Guard and policies do not always anticipate every eventuality. I am heartened and I very much appreciate the commitment shown by our leadership on both the gold and silver sides to assure our members are protected in a salvage situation.

As operators (pilots and coxswains) and facility owners we have an obligation to operate our facilities with care and to operate within the capabilities of the crew and the facility. Most incidents which would require this policy are preventable and we all need to do our part in the prevention of salvage incidents.

The formal roles of the DIRAUX, Order Issuing Authority, facility owner, facility operator and Auxiliary staff/leaders are set out in the Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual. Broken down to everyday practice there are a number of steps we can take to prevent facility incidents:

1. Talk about the potential risks and make such discussions part of a continuous ongoing dialog aboard, in the cockpit and ashore.
2. Practice risk management in all aspects of the operations program.
3. Use the TCT model and encourage all members of the program and your crew to participate through proper application of the model.
4. Update your GAR as conditions change.
5. Understand the capabilities of the crew and facility - don't ask more than can be given.
6. Slow down or stand down. At times the pace of operations begins to exceed our ability to apply risk management. Learn to recognize these times and slow down or simply stand down for awhile. This applies to individual missions, to a multi-asset mission, an event and our whole operations program.
7. Train, train, train. 
8. Do not discount crew comfort. Fatigue is a major cause of incidents. We do not need to maximize the hours we spend on the water, in the air or on the road. We want to do what can be done safely.
9. Our responsibility extends well beyond the time the mission is complete until everyone is home safely and rested. We are not taking care of our shipmates if they drive home to four hours of sleep and work the next day after eight hours on the water.

What other steps would you propose?

[Hat tip to Brian Rollins of Flotilla73.org for the reminder to post on this topic]