District Public Education Office

Thanks to each of you for your interest in advancing boating safety through public education in District 7. We have a significant number of changes and innovations to propose for this year.

The D7 PE staff is available to help you. While all state boating safety laws adhere to the Federal laws, each state has some unique provisions or may have higher standards. Each state also has a unique organization (DNR or FWC), testing and course reporting requirements. Please work through your FSO-PE, SO-PE and ADSO-PE’s for CG Aux PE or state questions. The ADSO-PE also works closely with their CG Aux State Liaison Officers (SLOs) on state related issues. The ADSO-PEs and their geographical areas of responsibility are:

Class Scheduling: Flotillas are encouraged to continue PE planning, class scheduling and publicity campaigns in local media, with marine dealer partners and PA events.

Continue to look at expanding the range of classes offered. Many flotillas have more instructors willing and ready to teach; is full utilization being made of them? Likewise our target audience may be expandable. Besides teaching ABS and BS&S, are we covering paddle sports - the fastest growing and most dangerous area of watersports? The full variety of our current courses is:

CG Auxiliary Courses: The CG Auxiliary course lists is available at http://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/. Course materials are available from the CG Auxiliary Association (AUXCEN) at http://auxiliarycenter.mybigcommerce.com/public-education/?sort=featured&page=1.

Consider having additional items available to sell to students. These include aids which will allow students to take more of the course on-the-water. The CG Aux “Course Graduate-Safe Boating Course” decal is a way for boater’s to ‘advertise their pride at attending an excellently conducted NASBLA approved course (available at https://www.cgauxa.org/shopauxiliary/login/signin.php?q=store). Other student aids such as knot tying CD-ROM or Student Aids are available which could be offered for sale during or following the class, and while there is cost not a lot of inventory would be required to provide the opportunity for students to purchase items of interest. Not in the ‘for sale’ category consider laminating the ABS, BS&S or SS&S course cards.

Please note that the course materials are all copywrited to the publisher, Boat ED which is a subsidiary of McGraw-Hill, and may not be reproduced locally. In the event that a free course (other than a state course in FL or GA where books are provided) for which materials are available the course books should still be available for purchase if desired. Course slides are available from the National Public Education Directorate website e-Lib page (http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=E-DEPT&category=elib-resource-center)when logged in to the Member Zone.

E-Book courses: Please keep these in mind if you have ABS classes with attendees expressing interest in more advanced courses.

State Courses in Georgia: Arrangements have been made for flotillas to teach the Boat Georgia course. These are ideal for audiences that are unable to pay to attend our courses. Additional information will follow for divisions/flotillas desiring to teach this no-cost/no revenue course.

Uniforms: By definition teaching Public Education courses means that we are representing the Coast Guard and Coast guard Auxiliary to the public. Proper uniforms are always required, for all instructors and support personnel. This also applies when teaching state courses.

NSBW: Please keep in mind that National Safe Boating Week will be from May 20 to 26 and plan some PE or PE Outreach activity during that period.

Reports: are important to your assisting Flotilla PE programs, as well as my and senior District staff monitoring our progress. The process is not complicated, just a short narrative of what is happening, plans and share your successes. Your and your FSO’s highlights (or significant problems) will be forwarded.

PE Resources: Are all of the Flotillas in your Division providing public boating safety courses? If your Flotilla does not have an active PE program or needs support qualifying instructors contact you’re SO-PE for assistance. Likewise the AUXMAN. CH 4 B.2. states “… all steps shall be taken to ensure that Auxiliary services are available and provided for every geographic portion of the region. There are no prohibitions that prevent any Auxiliary unit from conducting activities in another’s area. Auxiliary units in close proximity are expected to cooperate with each other in the coordination of Auxiliary unit activities. Locations for VSC stations, setting up PE courses, … require flexibility and inter-unit coordination.”

Some Flotillas have had excellent results by pairing with local schools to reach a large number of students. We want to gather and provide additional promotional ideas, and would appreciate hearing or seeing what has worked well for you. Many brochures, flyers, posters and articles have already been prepared; please share yours for addition to our on-line promotional library.

Additional Information: Click on the links below for additional specific topics:

For additional information please contact your FSO-PE, SO-PE, ADSO-PE or DSO-PE.  We will get a response to you within 48 hours.

George Peek, DSO-PE