THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411010127
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Dressed in futuristic dry suits, seven men jumped from the Nauticus Pier.
They weren't from the Army Corps of Engineers nor were they Navy divers.
They were the crew of the tugboat Osprey taking part in a water survival and safety exercise.
``An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,'' said Chuck Ferrer, traffic manager for Allied Towing Corp., a Norfolk-based company that operates the Osprey and a fleet of tugboats and barges.
``Preparedness is crucial, especially at sea,'' Ferrer said. ``A suit or life raft may be in the locker, but unless you know how to properly use them, they won't do you any good.''
The tug's crew practiced in-water skills for about an hour, followed by a class on fire safety at sea. The daylong seminar was given by Bill Burket, a Virginia Beach firefighter and president of Hampton Roads Marine Fire and Safety Consultants. This was the first chance the crew had had to try the equipment.
``This is the only time we've had the suits and raft in the water,'' said Phil Spoerle, captain of the Osprey. ``It gives you the hands-on experience you need. If we do have an emergency, the guys will be a lot more comfortable about it.''
Spoerle experienced such an emergency in 1992, when the Osprey caught fire in the Savannah River in Georgia. No one was injured, but the boat sustained significant damage. Spoerle received the Admiral of the Ocean Award for Bravery at Sea. The incident heightened Ferrer's awareness of safety.
``The fire precipitated us to become more safety conscious,'' Ferrer said. ``We wanted to be confident that the whole fleet could respond in any situation.''
To achieve that kind of readiness, the Allied crews are trained in several ways. Experts such as Burket are brought in to provide one-on-one instruction in areas such as fire fighting, CPR, ocean survival, hazardous waste management and pollution response. Crew members also are sent to the Harry Lundenberg School of Seamanship at Piney Point, Md., where they receive simulator training and education in radar operation.
``We provide a multifaceted program for the crews,'' Ferrer said.
Though safety is a top priority with most towing companies, recent accidents have put the industry under a microscope, according to Burket. Concern has been raised about towing practices, especially in the wake of the 1993 Amtrak catastrophe when a barge damaged a rail bridge near Mobile, Ala., resulting in the deaths of 47 people.
``Some of the public might think the industry is going off half-cocked, but a lot of companies are spending big bucks on safety,'' said Burket, who provides training throughout Virginia and Maryland.
However, many safety programs are not required by law. The special suits are mandated only for operators south of Hatteras, though hypothermia is a major cause of fatalities at sea in all waters. Industry requirements are set by the Department of Transportation and the Coast Guard.
``A good company will supply these suits and special training regardless,'' Burket said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SCOTT McCASKEY
The crew of the tugboat Osprey practices boarding its new life
raft.
by CNB