Douglass Marine Company Surveyors Attend The Society of Accredited Surveyors (SAMS)® International Meeting & Educational Conference (IMEC) in New Orleans

Accredited Marine Surveyors® Keith and Diane attended the SAMS® International Meeting & Educational Conference in New Orleans held at the Sheridan New Orleans, September 11th through September 14th, , 2024. The Douglasses also attended the Florida Regional Caucus at the conclusion of the annual international meeting.

There was concern regarding whether the conference would take place as Hurricane Francine was heading directly for the city. It was determined that the hotel was prepared for the storm and was able to both house the needed hotel staff to accommodate the needs of the several hundred participants and guests and had all the food and other provisions purchased. The hotel was built to withstand what became a category 2 hurricane, which passed directly over the city Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM while the attendees were enjoying the opening “President’s Banquet” on the hotel’s 8th floor.

“It was a bit eerie looking out the large banquet ballroom’s windows at Canal Street and seeing the effects of the 100 mile per hour winds 8 stories below” remarked Keith to wife Diane and was agreed upon by others at their banquet table. “What also was different was not hearing a sound due to the thick panes of glass. The hotel management knew their facilities would be fine and they were”. The sun came out the next day and the conference proceeded as scheduled.

Keith and Diane attended all the scheduled seminars and received continuing education course credits for doing so. Among the sessions were a review of the latest standards by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), a presentation on Ethics for SAMS® marine surveyors, How Surveyors and Insurance Adjusters can Peacefully Coexist, How to Investigate Marine Salvage Claims, Commercial Fishing Vessel Surveys, Rebuilding Metal Fuel Tanks, and Thermal Imaging, among others. Also, presentations were given by the President of the New Orleans Pilot’s Association and an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).