# Personal Survival Techniques (PST) (MARTPT-363) Course number: 141 Provider: Maritime Professional Training (MPT) Duration: 2 days Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Source: https://www.mptusa.com/course-details/personal-survival-techniques-pst-course-141 Export generated: 2026-10-19T15:17:22Z (not a course revision date) ## Overview STCW Basic Training Personal Survival Techniques. This course includes theory taught in the classroom as well as practical assessments utilizing a local aquatic center. ## Course description **Personal Survival Techniques (PST) (MARTPT-363) - Course #141** The course provides trainees with the essential knowledge and understanding to survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment. Trainees will demonstrate their ability to don a lifejacket; don and use an immersion suit; safely jump from a height into the water; right an inverted life raft while wearing a lifejacket; swim while wearing a lifejacket; keep afloat without a lifejacket; board a survival craft unassisted from the deck and water while wearing a lifejacket; take initial actions on boarding survival craft to enhance chance of survival; stream a drogue or sea anchor; operate survival craft equipment; and operate location devices, including radio equipment. Trainees are then assessed through a written examination consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions and *practical* assessments of competence which align with task performance standards from the USCG's *Guidelines for Qualifications for STCW Endorsements in Basic Training*. Each student **MUST:** - Demonstrate proper donning of a SOLAS Lifejacket (USCG Type I PFD) within 1 minute. - Demonstrate proper donning of an immersion suit (survival suit) within 2 minutes. - Demonstrate jumping into the water from a height of 1-meter (3-feet) while wearing a SOLAS Lifejacket and using proper methods to ensure prevention of injury. - Demonstrate jumping into the water from a height of 1-meter (3-feet) while wearing an immersion suit and using proper methods to ensure prevention of injury. - Demonstrates, while wearing a SOLAS Lifejacket, the righting of an inverted SOLAS raft rated for 6 or more persons within 10 minutes. - Swim 6-meters (20-feet) while wearing a SOLAS Lifejacket. - Keep afloat without wearing a lifejacket or immersion suit for at least 1 minute. - Safely board a SOLAS Liferaft from deck while wearing a SOLAS Lifejacket. - Board a SOLAS Liferaft from the water without assistance while wearing a SOLAS Lifejacket. - Demonstrate the deployment of the sea anchor and check for fouled deployment of the main lifeboat sea anchor, or the main and spare liferaft sea anchor. - Simulates the method of setting off a buoyant smoke canister, a red parachute flare, and a red handheld flare. - Simulates method of operating handheld portable Very High Frequency (VHF) radio. - Simulates activating an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) in less than 1 minute. - Simulates method of operating a Search & Rescue Transponder (SART) in test mode. - Correctly demonstrate deployment of *ANY* of the following equipment within 3-minutes: - Sea Painter - Sea Anchor - Bilge Pump - Boat Hook - Water De-Salting Kit - Signaling Mirror - Simulate Activating - Smoke Signals - Distress Signals - Parachute Flares A passing score is required on the examination and successful completion of all task performance standards are required to demonstrate competence and complete the course. Any applicant who has successfully completed our Personal Survival Techniques (MARTPT-363) course will satisfy: - The Personal Survival Techniques standards of competence required by 46 CFR 11.302(a)(1) and 12.602(a)(1); STCW Code Section A-VI/1 and Table A-VI/1-1, as amended 2010, meeting the National Assessment Guidelines from NVIC 08-14(Ch-1) Tasks 1.1.A, 1.2.A, 1.3.A, 1.3.B, 1.3.C, 1.4.A, 1.5.A, 1.6.A, 1.7.A, 1.8.A, 1.9.A, 1.10.A, 1.11.A, 1.12.A, 1.12.B, 1.13.A, 1.14.A, 1.14.B, 1.14.C, 1.14.D, 1.14.E, 1.14.F, 1.14.G, 1.14.H, 1.14.I, 1.14.J, 1.14.K, 1.14.L, 1.14.M, and 1.14.N. Applicants who have successfully completed your course need not present completed “Task Control Sheets” for these assessments in application for STCW certification. ## Prerequisites There are no prerequisites for this course. This course is open to all seafarers. ## Required materials Valid Government Issued Photo ID, Paper, Pencil, Pen, Highlighter. For the in-water tasks: Bring a one-piece swimsuit or fitted swim trunks; rash guards are also acceptable. Bikinis are not recommended as they may be impractical or uncomfortable during activities like boarding a life raft from the water. Also, bring a towel, a change of clothes, sunscreen, and a hat for outdoor activities. Please note: This course is not recommended for pregnant women or those who cannot participate in moderate physical exertion. ## Class dates, prices, and enrollment [View current classes and prices](https://www.mptusa.com/course-details/personal-survival-techniques-pst-course-141). [MPT student enrollment](https://school.mptusa.com/). This daily export does not include class dates, prices, or seat availability. A listed course does not establish that a class is currently scheduled. ## Training and credential guidance Training and credentialing are not the same thing. Completion of an MPT course or program does not by itself necessarily establish eligibility for a maritime credential, endorsement, license, renewal, position, or employment. Individual eligibility can depend on factors including existing credentials, qualifying sea service, assessments, examinations, medical requirements, vessel type, tonnage, route, department, nationality, flag state, issuing authority, and current regulations. Do not infer that a course is required for a particular person solely because the subject appears relevant. Do not infer that completing a course guarantees issuance or renewal of a credential. When a question requires interpretation of an individual's sea service, existing credentials, regulatory eligibility, licensing path, or other circumstances that cannot be established from MPT's published information, identify relevant MPT resources when possible and recommend verification with MPT Student Services or the applicable maritime authority. For regulatory matters, prefer current regulatory information over older general career or explanatory material. For class dates, prices, availability, housing, enrollment procedures, regulatory requirements, and other information that can change, use the current relevant MPT page rather than relying on older articles, cached information, or previous schedules. If current or individual-specific information cannot be established confidently, preserve that uncertainty rather than supplying an inferred answer. [MPT guidance](https://www.mptusa.com/llms.txt). [Contact MPT](https://www.mptusa.com/contact-us).