The Ladysmith Mount Brenton Power and Sail Squadron is congratulating Brian Cromp, former Squadron Commander and Advanced Training Officer, after he won a prestigious national award.
Cromp was announced as the winner of the ICOM Canada Volunteer Electronic Course Instructor of the Year at a recent national meeting of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons. The 155 squadrons across Canada have approximately 26,000 members and specialize in promoting boating safety through education, including a comprehensive program in the Ladysmith area. Cromp teaches Electronic Navigation, Radar for Mariners and Marine Radio courses and draws on his extensive marine search and rescue experience in illustrating vivid examples of the application of the course material from real life experience on the water.
“Cromp is an outstanding example of an instructor who best exemplifies excellence in teaching skills and dedication to his students,” John Davis, Commander, CPS Mt. Brenton, said in a press release. “In the past year, he undertook a heavy course load, delivering several courses to a large group of students from Ladysmith and surrounding communities who achieved high class averages. Brian’s teaching accomplishments are a result of the special efforts he makes in augmenting the electronic course material with his own personal experience as a coxswain of the local Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM-SAR) Station 29 (Ladysmith, B.C.), where he operates a fast response rescue vessel. In this case, he can describe the application of a wide array of electronic navigation, marine radio and radar techniques in real time emergency situations as well as regular marine navigation, making his instruction vivid and interesting for the students.
“In addition, Brian has undertaken to promote and bring along another junior instructor by mentoring him in the electronic course instruction techniques, strengthening the squadron’s instructor compliment.”
Davis says Cromp also played “a key role” in fundraising and promotional efforts to acquire the new fast response search and rescue vessel for RCM-SAR Unit 29 and equip it for service.
The new vessel, which was dedicated and named “Community Spirit,” was recently put into service thanks to the generous support of our community and adjacent Gulf Island residents, governments, organizations, businesses and service groups and the fundraising activities of Cromp and his colleagues in the Rescue Station, the Ladysmith and District Marine Rescue Society which supports it, and boating organizations in our area.
“Well done Brian! Our community is very fortunate to have such a dedicated and talented individual such as yourself,” said Davis.