Fishermen taught life saving measures in free safety at sea training
Organizers of a health and wellness event performed free health screenings and gave out Naloxone kits, life jacket rebates, and immunizations to those working in the commercial fishing industry.
With schedules that change week to week or day to day, it can be difficult to plan ahead, but the Greater New Bedford Waterfront Task Force was committed to accommodating the fishermen’s schedules knowing that the information they share can have a real impact on their lives.
This free event, held April 18 at Leonard’s Wharf, also allowed the host organization to get out the message that help is available.
Deb Kelsey, a recovery coach and one of two health insurance navigators with Fishing Partnership Support Services in New Bedford, said they want to bring services to the fishing community at waterfront locations on a more consistent basis.
Kelsey said the nonprofit organization promotes supports the health, safety and economic security of commercial fishermen and their families as well as shoreside workers who deliver fuel, ice or other kinds of supplies. There are also two navigators in Gloucester, two in Chatham and two in Plymouth.
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“We try to offer services to our fishermen such as free safety at sea training and free drill conducting training,” she said. “We offer free CPR courses that are tailored to the disasters that they may see out to sea knowing that if they make a call, it could take hours before medical responders can reach them.”
Fishermen are likely to be the first responders at sea, she said. When there’s a mayday call, odds are a fishing vessel may likely be able to reach the caller in distress before the Coast Guard can be deployed. When it’s the fishermen who get hurt, they don’t get sick or vacation time.
What Fishing Partnership navigators do
Fishing Partnership navigators are trained and certified by the state’s Health Connector and MassHealth and don’t just support the fishing community. Kelsey said they can assist any Massachusetts resident under the age of 65 with filling out applications, shopping for health plans and updating their apps.
As community health workers, she said they can also connect people to other types of services. As a recovery coach, Kelsey said she’s happy to connect family, friends and community members to whatever pathway to recovery they choose.
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Kelsey explained that the Greater New Bedford Waterfront Task Force that meets once a month was formed out of the Greater New Bedford Opioid Task Force with the goal of branching out and focusing on the waterfront.
Part of the outreach to the fishing community was focused on overdose education and Narcan, or Naloxone, distribution. The medication is used for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose.
She said awareness is key.
Kelsey said with all the physical work they do and the long hours on land and at sea, it’s important for the community to understand why fishermen are likely to need and be prescribed opioids while understanding that it could potentially lead to a substance abuse disorder.
She said it’s not a moral failure or a lifestyle choice.
Task force focuses on health and safety
Taking into account the physical nature of the work they do, the New Bedford Health Department offered tetanus shots along with blood pressure screenings, COVID immunizations and health education on nutrition and alcohol use.
The Coast Guard, based in the New Bedford area, answered questions about current regulations and shared information about the safety examinations for vessels. Other agencies included the Massachusetts Environmental Police, the New Bedford Marine Unit and the New Bedford Fire Marine Unit.
With the goal of keeping them safe, participants could look at different life jackets and purchase one of their choosing with a 50% rebate through the Fishing Partnership.
“We want to bring some services to the waterfront, and that was the group that was present,” Kelsey said. “It’s also all about promoting health equity and understanding that their schedules don’t really allow them to access health interventions.”
Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at kgallerani@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Task force offers safety and wellness services focusing on fishermen
