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Rest In Peace -Jim Poplin
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very sad indeed he will be missed jeff and eve freeze frame
Ratickle
Founding Member / Super Moderator
For those of you who haven't been around as long as some of us, Jim was the past Director of Safety for APBA and last the Executive Director for STARS Powerboat Racing Rescue Team LLC. He's been involved in many of the safety improvements and rescues throughout the years in Offshore Racing. A few of his comments and accomplishments from past years:
Marathon, 2003 - "Water is most unforgiving," said Jim Poplin, national safety director for APBA Offshore. "It does not compress, so it's just like hitting a wall."
Since 1983, Poplin has coordinated almost 100 offshore racing rescues. There have been at least 19 deaths in the sport since that year, according to APBA Offshore officials, but they point to considerable safety advances, especially for Super Cat-class entries featuring boats 38 to 40 feet capable of going 140 mph.
Keys Racers Prepared For The Sport's Perils - Sun Sentinel
St Petersberg, 2000 - They call them angels.
When a powerboat flips at 90 mph and the driver and throttleman are trapped upside down gasping for air, these saviors descend and lead the way to safety.
"So you want to know what it's like?" Jim Poplin asked. "There is only one way, and that is to see for yourself."
Poplin, director of the STARS Powerboat Safety and Rescue Team, has been a fixture on the national race scene for almost two decades. His divers, all fire/rescue and emergency medical personnel, have flown to all APBA offshore races for five years.
"The rescues are the easy part," Poplin said. "It is the work that we do before the race ever begins that takes all the time."
Sports: 'Angels' accept great risks to protect boaters
Marathon, 2003 - "Water is most unforgiving," said Jim Poplin, national safety director for APBA Offshore. "It does not compress, so it's just like hitting a wall."
Since 1983, Poplin has coordinated almost 100 offshore racing rescues. There have been at least 19 deaths in the sport since that year, according to APBA Offshore officials, but they point to considerable safety advances, especially for Super Cat-class entries featuring boats 38 to 40 feet capable of going 140 mph.
Keys Racers Prepared For The Sport's Perils - Sun Sentinel
St Petersberg, 2000 - They call them angels.
When a powerboat flips at 90 mph and the driver and throttleman are trapped upside down gasping for air, these saviors descend and lead the way to safety.
"So you want to know what it's like?" Jim Poplin asked. "There is only one way, and that is to see for yourself."
Poplin, director of the STARS Powerboat Safety and Rescue Team, has been a fixture on the national race scene for almost two decades. His divers, all fire/rescue and emergency medical personnel, have flown to all APBA offshore races for five years.
"The rescues are the easy part," Poplin said. "It is the work that we do before the race ever begins that takes all the time."
Sports: 'Angels' accept great risks to protect boaters
Ratickle
Founding Member / Super Moderator
Jim and his team were also honored in 2010 for assisting with the flood rescues in Nashville.
The Nashville Fire Department honored Chief Jim Poplin and the entire Special Tactics and Rescue Services (STARS) team for their participation in the Nashville Floods on May 1.
STARS Team Honored For Helping During Nashville Floods - 09/13/2010 - Chattanoogan.com
The Nashville Fire Department honored Chief Jim Poplin and the entire Special Tactics and Rescue Services (STARS) team for their participation in the Nashville Floods on May 1.
STARS Team Honored For Helping During Nashville Floods - 09/13/2010 - Chattanoogan.com
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