Before this past November’s Pacific Marine Expo fades into distant memory, we thought we should share what were a couple of highlights for us. As usual, we met lots of friends, old and new at the AMSEA booth and among the visitors and other exhibitors.

Each year AMSEA gives a presentation on a pertinent marine safety topic. However, this year we wanted to try something different from the usual “pundit with a slide deck” presentation. AMSEA is known for hands-on training, so we set up skills stations where visitors could practice various marine safety skills.

In all, we had stations practicing four skills, donning an immersion suit, making an effective mayday call, CPR and use of an AED (automatic electronic defibrillator), and wound suturing.

The wound suturing station was staffed by Dr. Helene Lhamon, of Discovery Health MD. Using pigs’ feet, participants practiced closing wounds, a skill sometimes needed when fishing or sailing long distances from medical attention. Thank you to Dr. Lhamon and Discovery Health MD for joining our marine safety skills session.

Those participating in skills practice were entered into a drawing for a Garmin InReach satellite communication device, Regatta flotation oilskins, a variety of Kent personal flotation devices, and an immersion suit. Thank you to Garmin International, Kent Safety Products, LFS Inc., and Work Wear Inc. for their generous donation of prizes for the drawing.

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that Sitka’s Steve Ramp was the winner of PME’s Fisherman of the Year award. Steve won the honor by besting the competition in demonstrations of rope splicing, net mending and blindfolded knot tying. The final event was donning and immersion suit in only 37 seconds! Check out the video to see how to don your immersion suit by the book.