Maritime Education Associates (MEA)

Marine Emergency Duties A1, A2 - MED A1, A2

As of July 30th 2000, everybody working at sea on any vessel must, within six months of first joining a vessel, have passed a MED A1 Basic Safety Certificate. The Canada Shipping Act - Canadian Crewing Regulations state: "Training" Cl 21. (1) Every member of the complement of a ship shall, before the member has completed six months on board ships, obtain a certificate of the member's successful completion of training, at a recognized institution, in marine emergency duties with respect to basic safety. (2) Until July 30, 2000, subsection (1) does not apply to a member of the complement who is not required to hold a certificate or is not assigned to a fire team on the muster list or similar emergency plan.

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Course Goals

• To provide all seafarers with basic understanding of the hazards associated with the marine environment and their own vessel; the prevention of shipboard incidents including fire.
• To provide seafarers with the knowledge necessary to raise and to react to alarms and to deal with emergencies.
• To ensure that all seafarers are able to provide assistance in fire and abandonment emergency situations.
• To provide seafarers with the knowledge and skills which will enable them to assist in their own survival and rescue.

Introduction and Safety

• Introduction
• Principles of Safety

Hazards and Emergencies

• Types of emergencies
• Problems and affects

Firefighting

• Nature of Fire
• Fire Tetrahedron
• Principals of extinguishment
• Classes of fire and their symbols
• Extinguishing agents
• Safety rules
• Practical exercises

Emergency response

• Signals and Alarms
• Muster Lists
• Drills and Training
• Action upon discovering emergency
• Action when called to an emergency

Lifesaving appliances and Abandonment

• Life jackets
• Immersion suits
• Life buoy
• Life raft and equipment
• Survival craft and launching devices

Survival

• Factors relating to survival
• Actions to increase chances of survival and rescue
• Actions taken after abandoning in a survival craft

Rescue

• Rescue by civilian or military personnel
• Rescue Equipment
• Recognition and operation of signalling devices
• E.P.I.R.B.s
• Pyrotechnics
• Helicopter rescue

Course Duration

The MED A1 & A2 course is 26 hours in duration. Courses generally run from 0830 to 1600 hours daily. (8:30 am to 4:00 pm) However applicants should check on course times when registering.

Clothing

Approximately 2/3's of the course will be delivered in the classroom. Approximately three (3) hours will be a practical demonstration in a swimming pool. The learner should have swimming gear available for this period.

A further three (3) hours will be delivered in the open in association with the fire extinguisher training. Older clothes should be worn at this time.

Attendance

The learner is required to attend a minimum of 90% of the theory course. Learners must attend 100% or 6 hours of the practical course and on successfully passing a multiple choice test at the completion of the course will be awarded a Transport Canada Training Certificate

Class Size

Maritime Education Associates MED A1 & A2 courses will have a maximum of 12 persons in all practical components of the course. Up to a maximum of 24 persons may attend the classroom portion of the course.