PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE SAFETY ADVISORY

ALCOAST 335/11COMDTNOTE 5100SUBJ: PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE SAFETY ADVISORYA. RESCUE AND SURVIVAL SYSTEMS MANUAL, COMDTINST M10470.10(SERIES)B. COAST GUARD AVIATION LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT (ALSE) MANUAL,COMDTINST M13520.1(SERIES)C. SHIPBOARD-HELICOPTER OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES MANUAL, COMDTINSTM3710.2(SERIES)D. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 152252Z NOV 10/ALCOAST 554/10E. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 172146Z DEC 10/ALCOAST 597/101. DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO MITIGATE THE RISKS INHERENT IN OUROPERATIONS, WE EXPERIENCED 34 MISHAPS IN THE PAST YEAR THAT INVOLVEDCG PERSONS IN THE WATER. THE SAFETY OF OUR MEMBERS IS A SERVICE WIDEIMPERATIVE - INVOLVING ALL HANDS FROM THE COMMANDANT TO THOSE ON THEDECK PLATES. OPERATING SAFELY IS PARAMOUNT AND DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THECOMMANDANT OF THE COAST GUARD GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF HONORING OURPROFESSION AND RESPECTING OUR SHIPMATES. THIS ALCOAST IS INTENDED TOAFFIRM THE NEED FOR ENGAGEMENT AT ALL LEVELS TO IMPROVE OUR SAFETYRECORD AND PARTICULARLY TO REEMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPERLYMAINTAINING, MANAGING AND WEARING PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES (PFDS)2. DISCUSSION: A. SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. PROGRAM MANAGERS, COMMANDS, TEAM LEADS,UNIT RESCUE AND SURVIVAL SYSTEMS MANAGERS, AND ULTIMATELY EVERY COASTGUARD MEMBER SHARES IN THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSURING THAT PERSONALPROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) IS PROPERLY USED AND IN GOOD WORKINGCONDITION. PROPER USE OF PPE REQUIRES A TEAM EFFORT AND FAILURE TOMAINTAIN PPE CAN RESULT IN MISSION FAILURE AND LOSS OF LIFE. B. PFDS ARE AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF PPE AND THE FIRST LINE OFDEFENSE FOR POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO RISK IN ANY HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTINVOLVING WORKING ON OR OVER THE WATER. IT IS CRITICAL THAT PFDS AREPROPERLY MANAGED BY EACH UNIT, TO INCLUDE SEGREGATING OUT OF SERVICEPFDS TO PREVENT INADVERTENT USE. AUTHORIZED EQUIPMENT AND MANAGEMENTOF PFDS ARE DESCRIBED IN REFS A THRU C. ADDITIONAL RECENT PFDGUIDANCE IS PROVIDED IN REFS D AND E. ALL PFDS REQUIRE RIGOROUSINSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE TO ENSURE GOOD WORKING CONDITION.3. ACTION: ALL UNITS THAT USE PFDS SHALL: A. NLT 7 AUG 2011, COMPLETE A VISUAL INSPECTION OF ALL PFDS IAWREFS B THRU D AND VERIFY THE BUILD UP/ACCEPTANCE INSPECTION ON ALLPFDS UNDER THEIR CONTROL IAW THE APPLICABLE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURECARD/MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS. THE CURRENT MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONSCAN BE FOUND AT IN TMAPS AND ON THE BOAT FORCES INTRANET SITE. FORINFLATABLE PFDS, CONDUCT THE APPLICABLE QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUALINSPECTION, INCLUDING THE LEAK TEST PORTION OF THE INSPECTION.DOCUMENT THE INSPECTION IAW CURRENT PROCEDURES. REPORT ANYDISCREPANCIES WITH THE INFLATION ASSEMBLY TO: (1) AVIATION UNITS: COMDT(CG-711) ASTCM DAVE HOOVER,DAVID.A.HOOVER(AT)USCG.MIL (2) CUTTERS: COMDT(CG-751) CWO ROGER ASHLEY,ROGER.D.ASHLEY(AT)USCG.MIL (3) ALL OTHERS: COMDT(CG-731) CWO DON SLOWIK,DONALD.J.SLOWIK(AT)USCG.MIL B. ANY PFD THAT DOES NOT PASS THE ABOVE INSPECTIONS OR SUBSEQUENTINSPECTIONS SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM SERVICE AND CLEARLYTAGGED AND/OR PHYSICALLY SEGREGATED FROM IN-SERVICE PFDS UNTIL MADESERVICEABLE. WHERE OUT OF SERVICE PFDS CAN NOT BE LOCKED IN ASEPARATE STORAGE AREA, STORAGE AREAS SHALL BE CLEARLY MARKED AS TOPFD CONDITION (I.E., IN-SERVICE OR OUT OF SERVICE). C. IMPLEMENT UNIT LEVEL CONTROLS (PQS, SAFETY BRIEFS, REFRESHERTRAINING, ETC.) TO ENSURE ALL PERSONNEL ARE PROPERLY TRAINED ON PFDWEAR AND USE, INCLUDING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, BEFORE BEING AUTHORIZEDTO ENGAGE IN OPERATIONS WHERE PFDS ARE REQUIRED. D. ENCOURAGE THE USE OF SELF-CHECKS AND SHIPMATE-CHECKS OF PPEPRIOR TO ALL EVOLUTIONS, AND INCORPORATE THESE CHECKS INTOPRE-EVOLUTION BRIEFINGS AND/OR OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS.4. NEXT STEPS A. DCMS AND DCO PLAN TO CONDUCT A JOINT REVIEW OF THE VARIOUSPROGRAMS AND POLICY DOCUMENTS THAT GOVERN THE USE OF PFD AND OTHERPPE, LOOKING TO IMPROVE ADEQUACY OF GUIDANCE AND CONSISTENCY OFPOLICY ACROSS COMMUNITIES. B. DCMS AND DCO WILL ALSO JOINTLY REVIEW ALTERNATIVES TO IMPROVESERVICE-WIDE PPE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO THE FIELD TO MAKE ITEASIER TO MEET SAFETY STANDARDS AND PROTECT OUR SHIPMATES.5. POCS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: A. AFLOAT SAFETY COMDT(CG-113): CWO TOM DARDIS,THOMAS.J.DARDIS(AT)USCG.MIL, (202)475-5208. B. RESCUE AND SURVIVAL SYSTEMS: CWO DON SLOWIK,DONALD.J.SLOWIK(AT)USCG.MIL, (202) 372-2459. C. AVIATION FORCES: ASTCM DAVE HOOVER, DAVID.A.HOOVER(AT)USCG.MIL,(202) 372-2219.6. VADM J. P. CURRIER, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MISSION SUPPORT AND VADMBRIAN M. SALERNO, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR OPERATIONS, SEND.7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.