The webinar is accessible upon registration at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-and-innovative-life-saving-devices-tickets-
144904167265?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch ; contact ferrysafety@gmail.com

Dr. Roberta Weisbrod, WFSA’s Executive Director, said, “This webinar was formulated in
response to real world problems. For example, there have been accidents and even deaths during training and deployment of life boats. Rescuing a man overboard in rough waters from a moving vessel is difficult and uncertain and can be unsafe. Personal floatation devices are important but there are questions about how to make them accessible when a vessel is in distress – and passengers have no time to access them.” Dr. Weisbrod added: “Another issue is how to keep passengers together in the water even when wearing personal floatation devices.

Finally, in parts of the developing world where WFSA works, floatation devices are relatively expensive and subject to pilferage; there is a perennial question of how to provide low-cost sustainable alternatives.”

The webinar’s agenda includes the following topics:
• Maritime evacuation slides. Lifeboats, and concerns about accidents and even deaths
during training and deployment, are an important agenda item: Heath Gehrke the
operator of the Cape May –Lewes Ferry (which crosses the Delaware River between
New Jersey and Delaware in the US) will speak about an alternative to conventional
lifeboats- maritime evacuation slides. The ferry company is the first in the United
States, to employ maritime evacuation slides- which funnel people into waiting floatable
vessels.

• Remotely operated rescue devices. Rescuing a man overboard in rough waters from a
moving vessel will also be discussed. John Dalziel, who is very active with the
International Maritime Rescue Federation and its Future Technology Panel will present a
review of remotely operated rescue devices – and other emerging technologies.

• Personal floatation devices, and supplements. They can’t always be available for
passengers when they need them. Sally Dale will discuss Life Cell- a supplemental
device. It allows people with or without life jackets to hold onto a buoyant device – and
also allow passengers to keep together for moral support and ease of rescue.

In parts of the developing world where Worldwide Ferry Safety Association works, the
affordability of devices is an issue. John Powell is the International Lifesaving Manager
(Innovation) of the UK Royal National Life Boat Institution, has been engaged in finding
sustainable – and ingenious --alternatives to commercial devices.

Two experienced operators will lead the panel discussion, Malcolm Ormiston, the owner
and operator of Waterbus Online, a successful ferry operation on Lake Victoria in Kenya,
and Captain James DeSimone, who until recently led the Staten Island Ferry in New York
City.