There are many courses that a mariner must take. We are now going to discuss one such course that is considered of utmost importance for a sea farer. Personal Survival Techniques (PST) is a course under STCW (The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers) for mariners.

About PST or Personal Survival Techniques

This is the course that we are going to discuss now. This course is divided into two parts of theory and practical studies. The course fees are about two hundred and thirty euros. It can change from person to person and as per the level of the course. It is a one day course that at times includes launching and entering a life raft too. This activity is mostly done in a designated pool that is used for training.

As the name suggests Personal Survival Techniques (PST) train the mariners on what they can do to ensure that they are safe and can protect themselves at times of emergency on the ship. It also trains the mariners on how to use safety equipment. The course is very essential and all mariners must take it. It is mandatory for all mariners who are going to high sea. The sea can be very dangerous at times. There are many hazards that one can face as a mariner.

This course prepares them to handle any situation in the sea. When there is an emergency and if the mariner is not well trained then they might not be able to handle the situation and survive. In the past and in the history of mariners there have been many incidents that have proved fatal.

The lesson learned was that if a little more training was given and the mariners were equipped with safety training, they could have handled the situation better and the causalities would have been much lesser. When disasters in sea happens there is hardly much that anyone can do. The time that one gets to react to the situation is also quite limited. This is exactly why being prepared for the worst helps.

If you are planning to take up the course then you must book a training slot for yourself. Once you apply for the course you will be allotted a slot as per the availability. On the day of the training you must carry your national id proof, your swim gear, clothes to change into, and soft shoes for the pool, a coin for the locker that you will be getting for your stuff and a towel for yourself. These are required as there is quite a lot of practical training also involved in the same.

A medical certificate declaring you fit for the training must be carried with you. Even before the training commences you will have to fill a health questionnaire to prove that you can take up the training. The course always starts at 8:30 in the morning so you must ensure that you reach the venue at the given time.

This course will prepare you to face any challenging situation when on the ship. This will ensure that you can protect yourself in times of emergency without panicking and that you do the right things in a crisis situation. You can also take up Personal Safety & Social Responsibility course later.

This is also an important course as it prepares you to handle the social responsibilities that are assigned to you when at the sea. The most important social responsibility that you have as a mariner is to ensure that the pollution caused in the sea is minimal when you are at the sea. This too is a one day course. Considering how important marine life and its safety is this course too is a mandatory one. You need to pay an amount of about one hundred and forty euros for this course. The amount may vary as per situations.

The pollution prevention training that is given under the Personal Safety & Social Responsibility course is a very vital one indeed and ensures that you not only understand your responsibility but also do the job assigned to you well and with dedication. This will also help you understand the importance of the role you are playing socially when at the sea. Like the Personal Survival Techniques training in this case too you will have to book a training slot and ensure that you get a confirmation for the training. You will definitely need to carry your national identification proof for the training.

There is not much practical training involved in this course unlike the other course discussed before. Ensure that you reach the venue of training at least half an hour before the training starts. After the training you will need to appear for a test so that your trainer understands how much of the training you could pick up. You will also be given a certificate to prove that you completed the training.
For both the courses pdf files can be found online and you can also download the same. This will help you to understand the content of the course better. These files will also give you a preview of what you can expect from the training. We recommend that you must read these files before you reach the training venue.

Keeping this experience is mind the Personal Survival Techniques was designed. It is now made a compulsory course. Every mariner has to take it. Refresher courses are also arranged for the same from time to time. A short test is taken after the course. The test is both written and oral. When the candidate successfully completes the course he or she is granted a certificate that states they have successfully completed the course. This certificate is very important for the mariners.

This is a general idea of this course. It is very important. Every mariner must understand the importance of this and ensure that they take it up seriously. This will definitely help you to handle a panic situation and also understand the social responsibilities that you have been assigned. Bon Voyage!!

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