Te Kukupa crew attends overseas training
Four crew members on the Cook Islands Police Patrol Boat Te Kukupa left on Monday for Australia to study at the Australian Maritime College (AMC) in Tasmania.
Crew member Paku Poila an electrician on board the Patrol Boat is attending his level 2 Technical Electrician Course at the Maritime College for a period of three months. The course mainly focuses on maintaining and servicing all electrical equipments on board the ship including navigation aids communications and main switch boards.
Three out of those four crew members are trainees Rio Kavana, Denis Taripo and Kori Jnr Koroa who has been trainee crews on the CIPPB Te Kukupa for the pass five months.
The training they will attend is the Basic Seamanship training which will teach them the basic’s of being a seaman on the patrol boat. It is a two months intensive course, during which they will be trained in all safety aspects to work on boarding ships. This includes; the ability to control and contain fire and flood on board, ship’s husbandry, survival at sea, basic engineering skills, manoeuvring small vessels and 1st aid at sea. The course will be run at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston, Tasmania.
The experiences and on the job training that the trainees have undergone under the supervision of the Patrol Boat’s Command Team, has prepared them well to tackle the challenges of the course.
Upon the successful completion of the course, the trainees will gain their seamanship qualification which is really the first step in becoming qualified crew members on the patrol boat. All trainees are looking forward to the opportunity.
Acting Inspector Tuariki Henry’s comments:
I am confident that the boys will do well. We have taken them on a few trips already. The “on the job” training they have received from their supervisors has prepared them well for the training ahead. The training course will teach them the basics of seamanship. Once they qualify, they are required to put their skills to practice on return and it practically opens the door for them to specialise in areas of their interest or where they are best suited in the Maritime Division. - Police

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