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STCW Basic Training Revalidation

USCG-Approved STCW Basic Training Revalidation in Seattle

  • Length: 2 Days
  • Prerequisite: Successful completion a 5-Day Basic Training program (comprised of: Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting; Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities; Personal Survival Techniques; and First Aid and CPR). This course includes strenuous physical activity. Good health and the physical ability to safely carry out rigorous activities during live firefighting exercises. Ability to tread water for 1 minute without assistance. For Mariners renewing their credentials, you must have 360+ days of sea service in the last 5 years.

Note: Participants in this program will be required to participate in rigorous physical activity which will include, but is not limited to, the following activities:

  • Jumping into pool from height of approximately one meter.
  • Swimming a distance of approximately 20 feet while wearing a PFD or immersion suit.
  • Staying afloat for approximately 1 minute without the use of a PFD or similar aid.
  • Deploying and entering a life raft and righting a capsized life raft while wearing a PFD or immersion suit.
  • Conducting search & rescue of simulated personnel casualties weighing approximately 150 pounds from an enclosed space-smoke/fire environment while wearing breathing apparatus and protective clothing.
  • Extinguishing fires with and without the aid of breathing apparatus. This will include moving quickly and climbing up and down ladders while holding fire fighting equipment such as heavy hoses.
  • Bending, stooping, lifting, and turning real or simulated patients.
  • Performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on a mannequin.

Course Description

The Basic Training Revalidation course (MITAGS-718), previously known as a Basic Safety Training (BST) Revalidation course, is a sixteen-hour course. It provides you with a refresher of basic maritime personal survival and fire prevention/firefighting skills, which fulfills the 2010 Amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Code, as amended, training requirements as listed in CG-CVC Policy Letter No. 12-07.

If you complete this STCW Revalidation course, you will satisfy the minimum standard of competence in personal survival techniques and fire prevention and firefighting of Table A-VI/1-1 and Table A-VI/1-2 of the STCW Code, as amended. You must, however, have been previously certified per Section VI/1 of the STCW Code, as amended, and present evidence of one year of service within the past five years to the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

This STCW Revalidation course is for mariners who have had 360 Days of sea time within the last five years.

Important Safety Notice:

This course includes strenuous physical activity and requires good health and the physical ability to safely carry out rigorous activities during live firefighting exercises. You must be clean-shaven to ensure a proper seal with SCBA gear. Facial hair that breaks the mask seal is not permitted.

Swim Ability Policy:

All participants must be able to swim and tread water confidently for 1 minute without assistance. If you are unable to meet this requirement, you will be disenrolled from the course until swimming training is completed

Are you not sure which course is needed to renew your license?

Revalidations (REVS) – For Mariners with 360+ days in the last 5 years. Will need to take: BT-REV (2 Day). Also, if you have an Advanced Firefighting Endorsement, you will need FF-ADV-REV (1 Day). This is a separate registration.

Refreshers (REFS) – For Mariners without 360+ days in the last 5 years. Will need to take: BT-REF (3 Day). If you have an Advanced Firefighting Endorsement, you will need FF-ADV-REF (2 Day). If you have a Proficiency in Survival Craft Endorsement, you will need PSC-REF (2 Day). And a Radar Renewal. These are separate registrations.

What will you learn:

The student who completes the STCW Revalidation course will understand the use of firefighting equipment, SCBA, survival craft and other equipment normally carried aboard U.S. commercial vessels. You will also know how to react properly during maritime emergency situations and take appropriate measures to enhance your survival, as well as your shipmates and ship.

Attendees will:

  • Know and demonstrate donning and using an immersion suit
  • Understand and demonstrate safely jumping from a height into the water
  • Know and demonstrate righting an inverted liferaft while wearing a lifejacket
  • Demonstrate swimming while wearing a lifejacket
  • Demonstrate keeping afloat without wearing a lifejacket
  • Understand and show the use of portable fire extinguishers
  • Know and demonstrate how to extinguish small fires
  • Understand and show how to extinguish extensive fires with water
  • Know and illustrate the extinguishing of a fire in a simulated engine room
  • Understand and demonstrate extinguishing oil fire with fog applicator and spray nozzles, dry chemical powder, or foam applicators

What You Should Bring:

Prepare for your BT revalidation classes by arriving with the following:

  • Swimsuit
  • Comfortable clothing
  • Clothing that can be worn into the pool in addition to a swimsuit
  • Clothes that are suitable for firefighting class
  • Closed toed shoes
  • Students to be clean-shaven in order to ensure a proper seal with the self-contained breathing apparatus

Prerequisites

To take the Basic Training Revalidation Course, you need to have completed the full mariner Basic Program in the past. In addition, you need to meet all the requirements for STCW certification and have spent at least 360 days in service aboard a commercial vessel in the last five years.

Required Materials

When you arrive at our Basic Training Revalidation course, we ask that you bring a few materials that you will need during the course. These will help you prepare for and take part in activities and assessments. These required materials include:

  • A swimsuit
  • Closed-toed shoes
  • Water-friendly clothes
  • Clothes you can wear for firefighting class

We also require all our students to be clean-shaven when they arrive for the class so that they can stay safe as they use the self-contained breathing apparatus.

STCW Requirements Outside the United States

Even if you are from outside the United States, there are many cases in which you can still take the Basic Training Revalidation Course. Anyone with the necessary certification and sea time can sign up for this training session. However, make sure to check with your agency first so that you know whether or not they will accept the credentials.

Some maritime agencies from other countries may have different requirements for safety training and revalidation courses. Make the most of your time and expenses by ensuring that the course you take will provide you with the credentials you need to move forward.

This class is offered through our partnership with MITAGS.

Member Price: $1095
Non-Member Price: $1120

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Frequently Asked Questions About STCW Basic Training Revalidation

What's the difference between STCW Revalidation and Refresher courses?

STCW Basic Training Revalidation (2 days) is for active mariners with 360+ days of qualifying sea service in the past 5 years. It focuses on Personal Survival Techniques and Fire Prevention/Firefighting only. STCW Basic Training Refresher (3 days) is for mariners who haven’t been sailing regularly or have less than 360 days of sea service and covers all four elements of Basic Training. If you’re unsure which applies to you, contact us for guidance.

How often do I need to revalidate my STCW Basic Training?

STCW Basic Training endorsements must be renewed every 5 years when you renew your Merchant Mariner Credential. Active mariners with qualifying sea service can take the shorter 2-day Revalidation course, while those with limited or no recent sea service must take the 3-day Refresher course.

Can I take STCW Revalidation if I've been working on fishing vessels?

It depends on your vessel type. Most commercial fishing vessels are exempt from STCW requirements, which means sea service on fishing vessels typically does not count as “qualifying sea service” for STCW revalidation purposes. If you work on fishing vessels, you’ll likely need the 3-day STCW Refresher course instead. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.

What happens if I don't have 360 days of qualifying sea service?

If you don’t meet the 360-day sea service requirement, you must take the 3-day STCW Basic Training Refresher course instead of the 2-day Revalidation. The Refresher course covers all four elements of Basic Training (survival, firefighting, first aid, and personal safety) rather than just the two covered in Revalidation.

Where is the STCW Revalidation course held in Seattle?

The STCW Revalidation course primarily takes place at NPFVOA’s facility at Fishermen’s Terminal in Seattle, pool survival training is at a local Seattle pool, and live firefighting exercises are at a regional fire training center.

All locations are easily accessible from throughout Puget Sound, including Tacoma, Everett, and Bellingham. We often serve crews from Juneau, Alaska and Portland, Oregon as well.

We’ll provide exact addresses and directions upon registration.

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NPFVOA: A Leader in Maritime Safety Training for Over 40 Years

Since 1985, NPFVOA has provided maritime safety training courses to over 56,000 commercial fishing industry professionals from Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham, Everett, Edmonds, Juneau, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Based at Seattle’s Fishermen’s Terminal, we offer Coast Guard-approved/accepted training courses and STCW certification courses that meet the industry’s evolving demands.

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