# Translating the Fisherman First Aid and Safety Training (FFAST) for Commercial Fishermen in the Southeastern United States

> **NIH ALLCDC T03** · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · 2024 · $688,980

## Abstract

Abstract
Commercial fishing is a dangerous occupation due to challenging work conditions, long work hours, harsh
weather conditions and chronic diseases that result from these exposures. Georgia’s commercial fishermen
represent an aging workforce at risk for penetrating wounds, slips and falls, musculoskeletal strain, and opioid
use and abuse. Although non-fatal injuries are rarely reported, our team has documented a clear need for
relevant first aid and safety training that addresses these risks and improves the safety culture among
commercial fishermen. Existing first aid courses are either not specific to the fishing environment or were
designed for different climates and working conditions than in Georgia. Besides operating in a warm-water
climate, Georgia’s commercial fishermen also target different species and generally operate differently than the
commercial fishing industry in the Pacific northwest. Fishing operations are generally small-scale and are
owned and operated independently, with many fishermen working alone. We intend to focus our regional
adaptation of FFAST (Southeast and Gulf Coast FFAST; SGC-FFAST) for participants in the two largest
commercial fisheries in the state (shrimp and blue crab). The proposed training program will employ a
systematic, community-based approach to translate the existing Fishermen First Aid and Safety Training
(FFAST) designed for fishermen in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest into a program with potential for broad
dissemination in the Southeast and Gulf Coast (SGC-FFAST). Georgia fishermen and additional relevant
stakeholders will be engaged throughout the process. First, we will conduct key informant interviews and focus
groups to translate the FFAST content, implementation, and evaluation methodology for fishermen in Georgia
(Aim 1). Our second aim is to pilot test and refine SGC-FFAST content, activities, and assessment materials
with a core group of fishermen. Finally, we will implement and evaluate SGC-FFAST across coastal Georgia,
assessing participant knowledge and skill competency (Aim 3). Our approach is centered on respect for the
fishing community and their autonomy in the translation of FFAST. Our methodology is clearly aligned with the
Research to Practice (r2p) approach. We will leverage long-established relationships with commercial
fishermen, their families, dock workers, the US Coast Guard, and other stakeholders to partner on the
adaptation of content, activities, and assessment (Aim 1). We also will invite members of the fishing community
to observe and provide feedback on the pilot test (Aim 2) and final course (Aim 3), keeping open lines of
communication. High levels of community engagement will help to cultivate a culture of safety and meet the
training needs of commercial fishermen in Georgia. Our systematic and robust methodology optimizes the
potential for scalability across the Southeast and Gulf Coast with long-term impacts of reducing injury and
mortality among Georgia c...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11017445
- **Project number:** 1T03OH012806-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Bryan Fluech
- **Activity code:** T03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $688,980
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11017445

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11017445, Translating the Fisherman First Aid and Safety Training (FFAST) for Commercial Fishermen in the Southeastern United States (1T03OH012806-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11017445. Licensed CC0.

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