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NavalOverboard Rescue: Drill and Gear
Twenty flashcards on the state man-overboard drill and the flotation and signal gear a U.S. fishing vessel must carry.
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20 cards
- Step one of the 5 steps to recover a person overboard?
- Signal and notify the captain and crew.
- Step two?
- Communicate with the crew and the Coast Guard.
- Step three?
- Locate the person and approach.
- Which rescue devices go out in step four?
- A life ring, rope, ladder or sling.
- What is the last step?
- Assess the victim and follow the emergency action plan.
- Which 4 rope techniques does the drill teach?
- Over-the-shoulder toss, stirrup ladder, cleat-ladder loop and parbuckle.
- You are the one who fell in: what comes first?
- Stay calm and stay afloat.
- How do you wait for rescue in the water?
- Take the HELP position and make yourself big and loud when needed.
- What is the third step for the person in the water?
- Keep a positive mental state.
- What share of fatal falls overboard happen when no one sees the fall?
- 50%, according to NIOSH.
- What did NIOSH find about fatal falls overboard from 2000 to 2014?
- 210 fatal falls overboard, and none of the victims had a PFD.
- How many people died on watercraft in the U.S. from 2020 to 2022?
- 1,500, according to the CDC (2024).
- How many flotation devices must a fishing vessel carry?
- At least one immersion suit, exposure suit or wearable PFD of the right size for each person on board.
- Where is each wearable PFD stowed?
- Within easy reach of both the person's work station and berthing area; if no spot serves both, one in each.
- Where must every vessel carry immersion or exposure suits instead of plain PFDs?
- In West Coast coastal waters north of Point Reyes, CA, in cold water beyond coastal waters, and on Lake Superior.
- How long must the line on the ring life buoy be?
- At least 60 feet on a vessel under 65 feet, and 90 feet on one of 65 feet or more.
- What ring buoys does a fishing vessel of 65 feet or more carry?
- 3 orange ring life buoys, at least 24 inches in size.
- Which throwable device do the smallest vessels need?
- None under 16 feet; from 16 to under 26 feet, 1 buoyant cushion or ring life buoy.
- What distress signals are needed more than 50 miles from the coastline?
- 3 parachute flares, 6 hand flares and 3 smoke signals.
- Which beacon must every fishing vessel carry?
- An EPIRB, an emergency position indicating radio beacon.
Official sources
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
Man Overboard Training and Drill, NCDMF Safety Week 2025 (class handout)
U.S. Coast Guard, via eCFR
46 CFR Part 28: Requirements for Commercial Fishing Industry Vessels
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