Personal Survival Techniques (PST) (MARTPT-363)
Course 141

 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.