SET SAIL FOR VACATION Take Your Next Trip Offshore
If you’re lucky enough to have been aboard a ship under full sail, chances are you know the thrill and serenity sailing can give you. If you’ve never been but have always wanted to know what it’s like to get out on the wind and waves, there are many great options available for beginners. Here are some ideas to inspire your next waterside vacation. START SMALL For those who dream of becoming a skipper one day, a great way to start is by sailing dinghies. These one-sail, beach-launch boats fit 1–2 people and can be rented at most water sports shops. If you want to make it a family experience, shops usually have 16-foot catamarans for rent as well. Catamarans have two hulls rather than one, making for a smoother, more spacious ride. If you’ve never sailed before, inquire about lessons. Most rental operations have instructors on hand who can show you the ropes. The great thing about sailing is that whether you’re in a 12-foot dinghy or a 60-foot sloop, the same basic principles, rules, and skills apply.
TAKE A DAY SAIL Many day-sail charters exist for those who want to go out a little farther than a dinghy would permit. If you’ve captained a boat and are familiar with the waters, you can apply for a bareboat charter. However, if you are inexperienced or simply don’t want a local guide at the helm, signing up for a day trip with a skipper and crew is a great option. DO A FULL CHARTER Short of owning your own vessel, chartering a boat for multiple nights is the closest you can get to living out your nautical dreams. Some of the most beautiful destinations on earth — from the Caribbean Sea to the Mediterranean — are best experienced from the deck of a sailboat. Letting the sea guide you to amazing snorkeling destinations, remote cays, and bustling harbors is the stuff of real adventure.
EMS IS A BUSINESS
I realize that the title of this article has probably already pissed off some readers. If I made you mad, I’m sorry, but the truth is that every EMS organization is a business, regardless of size or structure. Municipal fire departments, hospital-based services, investor-owned organizations, and even the thousands of small- and mid-sized volunteer or hybrid agencies — they are all businesses. Now, regardless of your personal feelings on the issue, stick with me for a couple of minutes while we go through the 12 basics: 1. Businesses have staff, clients, customers, or patients. 2. Businesses get funds for their services through fees, subsidies, donations, or grants. 3. Businesses have to buy supplies. 4. Businesses need state and/or local permits/licenses to operate.
5. Businesses complete tax/accounting paperwork, tax returns, budgets, and nonprofit 990 forms. 6. Businesses promote themselves to clients to recruit staff or do damage control if something bad happens. 7. Businesses must make a profit to stay 8. Businesses maintain insurance and abide by labor laws. 9. Businesses pay attention to benefit, wage, and hour laws. 10. Businesses plan for continuity during crisis and disaster situations. 11. Businesses need strong, effective leaders to attract quality staff members and keep them. in business. (Yes, even nonprofits have to stay within budget and have enough left over to operate.)
12. Businesses fail due to lack of money, lack of trained staff, poor legal management, or lousy leadership. Every single one of these 12 points applies to every EMS agency just as much as they apply to the local hardware store, law practice, or auto dealer. We are a business. I chose to write this article because, in just the first couple months of the year, it has already become apparent that many EMS agencies still believe they can rest on their laurels and the communities they serve will let them slide by on some of these issues. You can’t, and they won’t. You will lose support, funding, staff, and eventually your ability to operate. Send me an email at bob@holdsworth.com for more info on evaluating your business. I look forward to hearing from you!
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