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From the early 1900s to the 1960s, the 36-foot MLB was the primary heavy-weather coastal rescue craft. The crews manning these boats typically had extensive experience operating these boats in their local area, with highly capable leadership from seasoned veterans whose boathandling skills were passed on directly to each new crew member. Training was conducted on the local level at each unit, which allowed these crews to share their experiences and techniques. As the venerable 36-footer was replaced in the 1960s by the new 44-foot MLB, crews came to realize that these steel-hulled craft were more capable and more complicated than the wooden lifeboats they replaced, and a gradual trend in decreasing experience levels among the boat crews soon became evident as stations transitioned to the 44-footer. In Coast Guard District 13 (comprised of the stations in Oregon and Washington), severe surf conditions are routinely encountered by lifeboat crews. By the late 1960s, the District became concerned that there was no readily available means of sharing lessons learned and practical experience with the new 44-foot MLBs. As a result, the Cape Disappointment station was selected as a site where 44-foot MLB boat crews could meet and practice operations in heavy weather and surf. This initially informal training proved to be so successful that staff positions were later added to the station crew at Cape Disappointment specifically for this lifeboat training. As this arrangement continued to evolve, it gained Service-wide recognition as a valuable tool for training lifeboat coxswains and crews. Ultimately, in 1980, the Coast Guard assigned lifeboat resources, staff, and funding to permanently establish a formal school, along with a standardized curriculum, to be known as the National Motor Lifeboat School (NMLBS), co-located with Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Washington. Increased training needs and a focus on standardization have caused the lifeboat school to expand through the years, including new shore maintenance facilities, offices, and classrooms that were added in 1993. The primary purpose of the National Motor Lifeboat School is to teach coxswains standard practices and procedures to use in operating lifeboats and carrying out rescue missions, especially under conditions of extreme weather and surf. The school also teaches proper maintenance procedures for both the hull and engine systems, with the goal of promoting the highest degree of professionalism and competence. The school is located at the mouth of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment. Since 1878, this area known as the “Graveyard of the Paci fic” has been home to USLSS and USCG coastal rescue facilities. The Columbia River runs headlong into Pacific Ocean and, coupled with frequent storms, creates some of the roughest sea conditions in the world. The river current collides with strong tides at the mouth of the river (usually referred to as the “bar”), often causing 10- to 20foot breaking waves and wind/sea state extremes. When formally established, the school had five 44foot MLBs in its inventory, with school staff responsible for boat maintenance. Student coxswains learned operating skills and maintenance techniques specific to this boat. When the 30-foot SRB was introduced in the mid1980s , several were assigned to the school, and similar skills were taught on this faster response supplement to the lifeboat fleet. The inventory of school boats continues to change today to reflect actual Coast Guard station boat resources. The 30-foot SRB has been completely removed from Coast Guard inventory, as well as from the school’s boat inventory. The school was an integral part of the testing and development of the new 47-foot MLB, with a team assigned to the school conducting extensive operational tests of the prototype lifeboat. Their input was invaluable in improving and finalizing design details before full production was begun in 1996. The school now operates a fleet of five 47-foot MLBs. The school today has a permanent staff of sixty-eight active-duty Coast Guard personnel, including a Chief Warrant Officer as Commanding Officer, a Chief Boatswains Mate as Executive Petty Officer, and a Chief MaAPPENDIX B. THE U.S. COAST GUARD NATIONAL MOTOR LIFEBOAT SCHOOL USLSS/USCG METHODS OF BOAT LAUNCH 168 Appendix B. The U.S. Coast Guard National Motor Lifeboat School chinery Technician as Engineer Petty Officer. A support staff of two administrative personnel along with a nineteen-person maintenance staff (nine deck rates and ten engineering rates) ensures the lifeboats are always ready for training missions...

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