Archive for the ‘Coast Guard’ Category
Coast Guard Members Maintain Cutter James Rankin
April 1st, 2009 | 
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Seaman Jenna Seyjagat paints the railings on the Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin
Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Wiedenfeld takes pictures
Seaman Jenna Seyjagat paints the railings on the Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin in Baltimore,
Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Seyjagat and other unit members are responsible for the up keep of the boat throughout the year. The James Rankin is a 175-foot buoy tender that is responsible for maintaining aids to navigation in the Chesapeake Bay.
(Coast Guard photo/ Ensign Jerome Brown)Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Wiedenfeld takes pictures of spots were possible corrosion could occur in the bottom of the Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Wiedenfeld is a part of the corrosion inspection team from the Naval Engineering Support Unit in Portsmouth, Va.; he and other Coast Guard members inspected the James Rankin for rust and watertight integrity. (Coast Guard photo/ Petty Officer 3rd Class Ayla Kelley.)
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentVessel Safety Checks Not Affected By Recession – They Are Still Free
United States Coast Guard Press Release March 27, 2009: LOS ANGELES – As the weather in Southern California gets warmer and with the increase in daylight hours more and more recreational boaters are getting out on the water. “Before hitting the water, the Coast Guard urges boaters to make sure they have the required safety equipment and that it is in working order by taking advantage of a free Vessel Safety Check offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary,” said Anthony Turner a spokesman for the Coast Guard in Los Angeles.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary has been conducting free Vessel Safety Checks since 1947. Unaffected by recession or inflation they were free then and still free today.
Vessel Safety Checks are conducted by qualified members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and are the best way of learning about problems that might be a violation of state or federal laws and provide the boating public with additional safety tips that could possibly mitigate or eliminate preventable danger on the water. To find a Vessel Examiner go to www.safetyseal.org. Vessel Safety Checks can be conducted on any type of watercraft from boats, personal watercraft, to kayaks.
Lifejackets, fire extinguishers, and distress signals are just some of the items that are required by federal regulations. The Coast Guard also suggests boaters equip their vessels with a marine VHF radio, GPS device, and 406 MHz EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon).
Aside from being prepared for an emergency, another advantage of getting the free Vessel Safety Check from the Coast Guard Auxiliary is that there aren’t any penalties associated with not passing. Those who do pass will be able to display this year’s Vessel Safety Check decal on their boat.
According to Turner, the U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement also conduct their own inspections.
Vessel Safety Check Decal
Now is also a great time to take advantage of one of the many boating safety courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and become acquainted or reacquainted with basic boating skills, seamanship and the most current rules and regulations that may also save a live or prevent and accident.
For more information about boating safety visit the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division website at: www.uscgboating.org/.
To locate a boating education course offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary visit http://www.d11s.org/PDF_files/PEclasses.pdf.
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Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790.
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Posted in Boating Safety | 
Tags: Auxiliary, boat, boating, Coast Guard, safety, vessel | 
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Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay Prepares for Boating Season
Fulmer and Kitchin pull rescue dummy from water
Seaman Danielle Fulmer and Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Kitchin pull a rescue dummy out of the water in Curtis Bay, Md., Thursday, March 26, 2009. Coast Guard members from Station Curtis Bay conduct training throughout the year to be prepared for an increase in boating accidents during the summer.
The Coast Guard urges all mariners to wear lifejackets while on their boats. A majority of boaters who drown were not wearing their lifejackets. In an emergency there may not be enough time to put one on, so wearing one at all times may save your life. (Coast Guard photo/ Petty Officer 3rd Class Ayla Kelley.)
America’s Guardians! Semper Peratus
Thank you for your service!
Coast Guard NOPR for TWIC
Coast Guard announces advance notice of proposed rulemaking for Transportation Worker Identification Credential.
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentDon’t be a “Gilligan” on the Water
(Coast Guard Auxiliary Press Release – 032309) – Click and read how not be a “Gilligan” this boating season.
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentCoast Guard: Letter to the Editor
Reproduced here in its entirety is a Letter to the Editor written by Captain Timothy M. Close USCG 9th District. Click here to see the official Coast Guard Release.
Letter to the Editor from Capt. Timothy M. Close
Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla.
——————————————————+
CLEVELAND – The following letter to the editor written by Capt. Timothy M. Close, Commanding Officer of U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. Capt. Close is the Coast Guard officer who led this week’s search for the missing boaters off the Florida coast:
March 6, 2009
This past week, a strong group of elite gentlemen set off confident in their knowledge and skill, but were overpowered by forces of nature. It is essential that the majority of us who are no match for their strength must take utmost care before setting out on the ocean in even the best of conditions.
One of the most important things a boater can do before leaving the dock is to provide a detailed float plan to a family member or friend. Float plans should indicate exactly where you’re going and when you’ll be home. This information is crucial to the Coast Guard should we need to find you. An accurate weather forecast for the area you’ll be in is also crucial. Many times, weather near shore is significantly calmer than weather offshore and knowing the forecast for your intended destination can help you decide whether to leave the dock, stay in more protected areas or even stay at home.
An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is the single most important piece of emergency equipment a boater can have. EPIRBs are life savers. When an EPIRB gets activated, it sends a signal to the Coast Guard telling us you are in distress and providing us your exact location. A marine band VHF-FM radio can be extremely valuable, but has limited range. Additionally, cell phones become less effective the further you are from shore and may receive no signal at all beyond 15-20 miles.
Flares, strobe lights and other signaling devices allow us to quickly locate people who are already in the water and need help. We will search at night as well as during daylight and anything that will make you more visible aids us significantly.
Finally, always wear a life jacket.
As we all continue to pray for Nick Schuyler’s speedy recovery and for the families of Marquis Cooper, William Bleakley and Corey Smith around the country, I hope those who cared about Corey Smith in the Greater Detroit area can honor his legacy with a renewed commitment toward personal safety and a respect for the raw power of the open waters whether they be in the Gulf of Mexico or the Great Lakes. If so, I believe that some good can come out of this heartbreaking tragedy.
Capt. Timothy M. Close
Sector Commander
Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Fla.
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Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentCoast Guard Station St. Inigoes – Unit Spotlight
Our local Coast Guard Station at St. Inigoes, MD is featured in this Coast Guard Public Affairs Release. Take a moment to get to know the brave young men and women saving lives in the waters of Southern Maryland, our Guardians of the Potomac. Semper Paratus – Always ready!
Station St. Inigoes Unit Spotlight
The Public Affairs Release contains a video of our Guardians at St. Inigoes.
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentCoast Guard News: A Life Remembered
(Coast Guard News Video 022709) – Coast Guard Commander Keith Willis was laid to rest on Monday, February 23, 2009. Commander Willis was the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma until his death last week. (Boston.com reported the passing was duw to natural causes.)
(Ed note: God bless you Commander Willis and God bless and keep your family. Our Auxiliary family has each of you and especially the Guardians and crew of the Tahoma in our prayers. Semper Paratus, Sir!)
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentCoast Guard Rescue: the importance of vessel safety
(coastguardnews.com)–The rescue of two crewmembers from the sunken fishing vessel Della C on Saturday off of Pt Ano Nuevo, Calif, was largely a result of the required safety equipment maintained on board.
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Coast Guard Searches for Missing Fisherman
MONTEREY, Calif. – The Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast, home ported in Warrenton, Ore., Coast Guard Station Monterey, and Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco conducted a rescue of two people and are searching for a third person, after the fishing vessel Della C sunk near Point Ano Nuevo, Calif.,.
(Ed Note: New 406 MHz Beacon saves the day. Have you purchased a 406 MHz EPIRB for your vessel? Click read more to see the rest of the story.)
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“Without Rescue 21, they’d all be dead.”
(CGBlog – by Peter A. Stinson CGBlog.org 021909) Many of us cynics have poo-pooed various Coast Guard acquisition projects. Perhaps rightly so, perhaps not. Most of the time, our negative comments are on the implementation process, not so much the item which, in the end, is acquired. Here’s a tale of the acquired product saving lives. Four lives.
Lon Wagner at The Virginian-Pilot tells us of a tale from this past January: ‘Mayday! Mayday!’ The real-life drama of the Bay rescue
Click through to the CGBlog to read the story of this riveting Coast guard rescue and about Rescue 21.
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentMarine Insurers Meeting with Coast Guard Commandant
(iCommandant – Web Journal of Admiral Thad Allen U.S. Coast Guard 021908) Admiral Thad Allen met with executives of the marine insurance industry in New York City recently. Read the Admiral’s account of that meeting at his personal blog.
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related Content121.5 and 243 MHz ELT’s are No More
(Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009) – Today is the day. Satellites are no longer listening for Emergency Locator Transmitters on 121.5 and 243 MHz. This means if you put off purchasing a new 406 MHz EPIRB go purchase one. Activating your old ELT will not produce a search and rescue response. You must have the new 406 MHz EPIRB on your water vessel.
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentPower Boating Safety Classes – Calvert County
Each year the Drum Point Flotilla of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary offers complete boating safety classes that meet Coast Guard and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police requirements. All persons born on or after July 1, 1972, must successfully complete a boating safety course to operate a numbered or documented vessel, including personal watercraft on Maryland’s public waters. (No one under 16 years of age may operate a PWC and no one under 12 may operate a vessel towing persons on water skis etc.)
The course covers boating rules, seamanship, safety, boat types and hulls, piloting, boat engines, marine weather, marine radio operation, PWC (Personal Water Craft) operation and more. This Coast Guard Auxiliary course is the most comprehensive boating safety course available. When you complete the course and successfully pass the final examination, you will have earned your U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Skills and Seamanship Course card as well as your Maryland DNR Certificate of Boating Safety Education.
You must always have the DNR card in your possession when operating any numbered or documented vessel including a PWC!
Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Drum Point Flotilla 23-06 teach each section of the course. The Auxiliary members are well versed in boating safety and in the local area’s marine environment. Attending this boating safety course is an excellent way to become familiar with the Auxiliary if you are considering membership. You will learn more about the Auxiliary and can then decide if you would like to become one of America’s volunteer life savers as well! Completing this course is one of the first steps toward becoming a Basically Qualified member of the Auxiliary.
Coast Guard Auxiliary Drum Point Flotilla 23-06
The Boating Skills and Seamanship course is held at Calvert High School, 600 Dare’s Beach Road in Prince Frederick, MD. The class begins on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 and runs from 7:00 – 9:00 PM. The cost is just $35.00 per student. This price covers the cost of the course manual.
To register ahead of time or to get more information please call Coast Guard Auxiliary member:
Bill Noyes 410-535-0450
or
Ray Feller 301-358-0837
The boating safety courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary are exciting and fun for members of the whole family. A boating-safely family is a happy family!
Coast Guard encourages boaters to go digital with new emerge
(coastguardnews.com)– The Coast Guard is encouraging mariners and aviators to make the switch to digital 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) to keep pace with search and rescue technology. Beginning Feb. 1, 2009, the Coast Guard and other search and rescue personnel will only receive distress alert broadcasts using digita
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Coast Guard urges boaters to take precautions while viewing
coastguardnews.com)–Los Angeles – With the holiday boat parade season just around the corner the U.S. Coast Guard reminds recreational boaters that in order to carry any passengers for hire a Coast Guard issued license is required. In addition to having a Coast Guard issued license, federal regulations also require each vessel carrying passengers
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Coast Guard announces proposed vessel requirements for NOAD,
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday that it submitted to the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled “Vessel Requirements for Notices of Arrival and Departure and Automatic Identification System,” a rule designed to increase navigation safety and raise maritime domain awareness
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Inside the Coast Guard’s Dirtiest Job (with Video!)
Buoys guide ships into port–but who maintains these crucial floating beacons? PM editor Joe Pappalardo spent a night and two days on a Coast Guard boat off the coast of New York watching a young crew labor to keep our maritime infrastructure afloat.
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Coast Guard Cutter LeGare
What a thrill to see the Coast Guard Cutter Legare (912) sail by Plum Point, MD today. America’s life-savers! What a beautiful ship. A blog salute to Coast Guard Cutter 912!
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentSailing Safety
Sailing is a wonderful hobby, but as with any sport it can be dangerous. From novices to the most experienced sailors, it’s vital that you’re safe on the water. With 54% of lifeboat services carried out for pleasure craft, you cannot afford to take risks on the water.
[Excellent article on sailing safety. Click read more to see the entire article.]
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentCoast Guard Searching for Man in Patuxent – Southern Maryland
TheBayNet.com: The Coast Guard is searching for a missing man in the Patuxent River after a boating accident Sunday.
Four people were ejected from a 35-foot cigarette boat after reportedly striking a sand bar in the vicinity of Point Patient. It was was also reported that it was not a sand bar but a wave.
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Dogs and water safety
I love when i see a dog on a boat, but I do get nervous. what if something happens to that poor little fellow?
(Editor: An excellent article on pet safety around bodies of water. Click read more to see the entire article.)
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentStand-up paddleboarder’s dealt blow by U.S. Coast Guard
The USCG has recently stated that it now officially recognizes both stand up paddleboards and traditional paddleboards as “vessels”. This means that they are subject to all applicable laws and regulations that go along with being classified as a vessel; such as wearing lifejackets and getting necessary registration.
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related Content3 Killed/1 Missing in USCG Helo Crash off HI
At least three US Coast Guard crewmembers were killed when their helo crashed in waters about five miles S of Hono: a LCDR co-pilot, 1 AST1, & 1 AMT2. The pilot, a CDR (& XO of Barbers Pt AirSta) is missing.
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(Doug: Whatever your faith, this weekend when you visit your place of worship please remember these men and all of the full-time and part-time reserve Coast Guard. In Southern Maryland we rely very heavily on these valiant folks, as I am sure they do in Hawaii. This event is particularly sad and it should not go unnoticed by the millions of us that use America’s waterways and depend so much on our Coast Guard. The next time you see a Coast Guardsman thank them for their service. God bless our Coast Guard and God bless the victims of this horrible accident.)
Enjoy the read? Support DougWeb with coffee money ;) Sphere: Related ContentCoast Guard Searches for Two Missing Men
The Coast Guard is also searching Dares Beach in the Chesapeake Bay for a 73-year-old man. Officials say the man disappeared Saturday evening from a catamaran that capsized. One man on the boat was rescued by the Calvert County Sheriff’s Department. (WTOP News)
(My wife and I watched the Coast Guard and DNR helicopters conduct this search Saturday night and Sunday morning for hours. Thanks to WTOP for finally writing about the details. We have been looking for the news on this all weekend. We understand the body of a 73 year old man was found on Sunday. A tragic end to a long rescue effort.)
read more | digg story
