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Recently, NOAA has been working to promote recreational boating safety around whales, particularly in New England and the Mid-Atlantic areas. While focused on the species of whales located around the east coast area, these videos can demonstrate valuable lessons for boating safety around all whales. 

There are two videos are available to download. One is short, less than three minutes long and can be easily used in a boating class. The second video is longer, about 12minutes and although also useful in the classroom, could be viewed as part of a larger community presentation and discussion at yacht clubs, fishing clubs, and other community groups. Both videos convey the importance of recreational boaters staying away from large living marine mammals such as whales and dolphins, with the stated goals of maintaining safety of the boaters, their property, and the animals. These videos can be downloaded using the following links:

Short Video: Link

Long Video:  Link

There are two important updates to the COMO Daniel Maxim Award for Excellence in Education for  nominees. The first is in timing of due dates of nominees to the next level of review. As per the initial instructions, flotillas should consider their candidates and nominate their most deserving instructor based on performance during the entire year. Remember that this activity can include both Public Education and Member Training. Please look at the entirety of the nominee’s performance including how well they adapted to the virtual delivery of classes as well as their performance for any classroom sessions occurring prior to the suspension of classroom delivery.
 

PDF link to the full announcement noted above: Link

One of the most important missions we have is offering safe boating classes to the recreational boating public. This training course is designed for both the new Flotilla Staff Officer-Public Education (known as FSO-PE) and for those returning to the position and who want to learn best practices. It covers the “nuts and bolts” of effectively handling the appointed position of Public Education Officer.

PowerPoint Link

PDF Link 

2022 IT WORKSHOP 2022 - PDF file

2022 IT WORKSHOP 2022 - PowerPoint File

2022 IT-VE Workshop Self-Attestation from - PDF File

Introducing the E-Directorate Classroom Safety checklist.   The classroom safety list should be reviewed prior to classroom instruction.

Document Link

There are two important updates to the COMO Daniel Maxim Award for Excellence in Education for 2020 and future nominees. The first is in timing of due dates of nominees to the next level of review. As per the initial instructions, flotillas should consider their candidates and nominate their most deserving instructor based on performance during the entire year. Remember that this activity can include both Public Education and Member Training. Please look at the entirety of the nominee’s performance including how well they adapted to the virtual delivery of classes as well as their performance for any classroom sessions occurring prior to the suspension of classroom delivery.

Link the the full announcement  PDF

This presentation, provided as a PowerPoint and PDF, pulls together best practices that are working with the flotillas that are actively promoting virtual classes and succeeding in attracting more students than ever before. The presentation leads the Public Education Officer or Course Supervisor through the best practices to bring in a steady flow of students primarily from referrals and publicity. It explains why students benefit from CGAUX video classes rather than simply online courses, how to generate a steady source of referrals from specific marine vendors and service providers, public and private agencies, and the best time in the sales cycle to approach them, how and which publicity medium work best, organizing the flotilla team of staff officers, PE, PA, PB, VE, PV, FN, and HR for best results, and pricing and signing up the students.

Link  PPT     PDF

The Public Education Team wishes to offer Flotilla instructors and Public Education staff officers at every level the most current training and tools to give CGAUX Virtual PE Classes.

Below is a conveniently organized set of presentations and resources to help the FSO-PE to organize, train staff, create, set up, present, test, survey, and assess CGAUX Virtual PE Classes. The information is presented in modular form and is offered in PDF and PPT versions.

Link to Virtual PE Classes Training and Resources

This is a three-part Kick-Starting Virtual Video Public Education Classes PowerPoint presentation. This is designed for Public Education Staff Officers and Instructors to provide a step-by-step procedure and justification for conducting PE classes online via videoconferencing. The first part covers details on kick-starting virtual PE classes; the second part covers setting up Zoom to accommodate PE classes; and the last part provides numerous ideas and examples for marketing our PE classes. There are two files: the PowerPoint for presentations and a PDF of the Instructor Notes.

PPT File

PDF File

2020 New Life Jacket Labeling System 

PPT File 

PPT File

PDF File 

This presentation, provided as a PowerPoint and PDF, leads the Public Education Officer or Course Supervisor through the best practices when conducting online classes using a videoconferencing platform.

Download Link 

This presentation, available as a PowerPoint or PDF, describes in simple, logical steps how to get the most out of the Zoom platform via the settings feature to conduct virtual meetings and classes.

Download Link 

This presentation, available as both a PowerPoint and PDF, provides valuable information for instructors and staff officers offering member training and public education classes.

Download Link 

The Instructor Development team has compiled a checklist of items which will improve the quality of your class or meeting when you are the host.  The list is divided into three sections: pre-mission, during the mission, post-mission. The items listed reflect the experiences of those who compiled it. 

PDF Link 

 Sample ACLOC for COMO Maxim Award nominees instructions

Due to requests from districts, we are providing a sample ACLOC that can be used as a template to formally recognize COMO Maxim Award nominees for their accomplishment. Please follow guidance in the Auxiliary Manual for proper procedures on submission of formal awards. This suggested template only provides a starting point and will require appropriate accomplishments filled in by the person writing the award. The boilerplate wording, spacing, font, and other technical aspects meet the current standards for ACLOC awards. The second page provides additional ideas for different phrases for use in writing the award. This list is not all inclusive and is designed only to assist you crafting a formal award recognizing your Maxim Award nominee.

Sample Document Link 

Conducting classes electronically is one way we can continue to offer recreational boating education when the students and instructors are not in the same room. The Public Education team assembled a number of best practices into a guide for Holding Classes Electronically. Employing some of the suggestions can improve the quality of your distance-learning classes and of your electronic meetings, as well. Click on the link.

PDF File Link

PPT File Link 

To learn more about distance learning topics, download the Instructor Development 2020 Student Guide, also available on the Public Education website.

NACON 2019 Presentation: Public Education Marketing and Delivery. This workshop discusses and explores the marketing of our current and future education products. Learn about our products and how to customize them into seminars that meet local needs. In addition to delivering a wide variety of education products to the public, flotillas should generate revenue to further other RBS missions along with education. Flotillas have only two sources of income, and one of them continues to shrink - membership dues. We want to help grow the other source - income from Public Education while keeping our waterways safer.

Link to NACON 2019 presentation 

Inflatable Life Jackets: Everything You Need To Know (9 min)

Everyone who owns or would like to own an inflatable life jacket needs to watch this 9-minute video to learn all about care and maintenance of them. Proper care and maintenance will help ensure that your inflatable life jacket works when you need it.

Link to Video  

Instructions for downloading the inflatable Lifejacket video

 Introduction to Basic Boating Safety Seminar - Now Available in Spanish 

This seminar is now available in both English and Spanish language versions for outreach to a new demographic group with our RBS message.  Introduction to Basic Boating Safety Seminar was developed based on a request from Ski & boat manufacturers and a local boat dealer to deliver a one-hour presentation to their customers with little to no background or training in Boating Safety.

This presentation is designed to be highly customizable for local considerations and Flotillas are encouraged to modify as appropriate.  Examples would be to add local navigation considerations, local ordinances, local weather cautions, or any other local items that new boaters will need to know. It is important to modify the resource document to fit local needs with appropriate websites, contact information, or other local resources new boaters would find helpful.  

Link to Introduction to Basic Boating Safety Seminar - Now Available in Spanish