|
New Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Manual
---------------------------------------------------------
A revised Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Manual (ABCTM) has been
released this month by USCG Headquarters that clarifies many BCQP
items and changes the process you follow to maintain certification
currency. This manual is key reading, as it covers all the process
details of how one becomes initially qualified, is certified, and how
one maintains certification in surface operations.
The overall summary is that annual tasks are gone starting January 1,
2007, the former 5-year process is now a 3-year process, minimum
annual underway hours are now 12, and that every 3 years a detailed
currency checkride (virtually identical to the initial qualification
checkride) is required with a QE. A refresher TCT workshop is now
required annually, with the existing 5-year requirement for a formal
class.
The new manual is available at
http://www.d1nr-bcqp.us/downloads.htm#BoatCrewTrainingManual
A Frequency Asked Question page on the updated currency program is
available at
http://www.d1nr-bcqp.us/currencyFAQ.htm
An immediate question is "when do I have to do the new 3-year
currency check ride?" Here is the transition plan from the new ABCTM:
Last QE ride was in 2003 or earlier: 3-year checkride due in 2007
Last QE ride was in 2004: 3-year checkride due in 2008
Last QE ride was in 2005 or 2006: 3 year checkride due in 2009
The currency checkride is complete and thorough. Do not plan on
"winging" this, but practice and train continuously in preparation.
The process does require demonstrating the "whole picture" of
competency and skills rather than the previous "parts" of only a few
items. The changes came from a Standardization Team that carefully
looked at performance and safety issues across the entire nation.
They were working on these particular changes for the past 18 months
or more.
The crewmember 3-year currency checkride contents extracted from the
new ABCTM can be found at
http://www.d1nr-bcqp.us/documents/CrewCurrency.pdf
All the district Qualification Examiners have been trained or have
received materials so they are ready to go for the 2007 season.
|
