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Updated April 2, 2010

Distress Signaling (Marine Flare) Seminar 

Do you know what mandatory distress signals are required for your boat? 
  • Do you know how to choose, carry, use and dispose of flares and other marine distress signals? 
  • Can you signal a distress situation in all conditions (day and night)?
  • The CPS-ECP Distress Signaling seminar will train you to use flares as well as alternate non-pyrotechnic signals. 
  • Use the DVD to train your family.
  • Don’t wait until an emergency occurs: Be trained in Distress Signaling today!  

Date: See our What's New page for details.

The practice white flare live firing exercise is dependent on weather and safety conditions.  Tuition includes DVD, book classroom seminar and firing two flares. Additional family member: $35 includes flare-firing and Seminar, but not the book or DVD. Here are our costs:

Pre-Registration is mandatory, to ensure we have enough practice flares and student kits:
Registration cut-off: See What's New page..

Agenda: 

  1. Pay registration and flare fees on arrival.  Cash or cheque only, please.
  2. Seminar indoors (see topics below).
  3. Weather and safety conditions permitting: firing white flares.  No person is to fire a flare without specific supervision of the range officer.  SAFETY FIRST.  OBEY THE RANGE OFFICER.

Course Content

When to call a distress
When to signal with flares
When to use aerial flares
When to use hand-held flares
Principles of Signaling
Rules of Signaling
Regulations governing the use of distress flares
Approval numbers
Date of manufacture
Suggested distress signals to be carried on board
Purchase of flares
Storage of flares
Disposal of flares
Other distress signals
Daytime signals
Night-time signals
Mandatory Canadian flare requirements
Fines for contravention of the Canada Shipping Act
Mandatory US flare requirements
Assisting a vessel in distress 
Types of flares and their operation
Type A–Aerial parachute flares
Correct use of parachute flares
Type B–Multi-star red aerial flares
Correct use of hand-held multi-star flares
Correct use of 12 gauge flare launchers
Pen launchers
Type C–Hand-held flares
Correct use of hand-held flares
Type D–Smoke flares
Correct use of water immersion smoke flares
Correct use of hand-held smoke flares
SOLAS approved flares
Flares used for illumination
Type A–Aerial illuminating white parachute flares
Correct use of white parachute flares
Type C–Hand-held white illuminating flares
Correct use of white hand-held flares