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Even when you are the stand-on vessel you must always watch the give-way vessel. Know the rules of the road and be safe.
Archive for July 2010
July 18, 2010 | 
Author DEWEY BEACH — As summer thrill-seekers venture out on personal watercraft, officials hope the number of injuries and fatalities remains low.
Read the ENTIRE story at delamarvanow.com:
via Officials aim to keep watercraft users safe | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times.
(Own a PWC? You might want to read this article.)
ABINGTON — Witnesses called Maryland Natural Resources Police on Thursday to report a boat, apparently with no one on board, going around in circles on Monks Creek at the Bush River in Harford County.
Read the ENTIRE story at DelMarVaNow.com:
R 131650Z JUL 10
ALCOAST 371/10
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: 2009 USCG AUXILIARIST OF THE YEAR
1. I AM VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE SELECTION OF MR. RYAN C. BANK OF FLOTILLA 39-6 IN THE NINTH DISTRICT (WESTERN REGION) AS THE 2009
AUXILIARIST OF THE YEAR.
2. MR. BANK ENROLLED IN THE AUXILIARY IN AUGUST 2007 AND IMMEDIATELY BECAME AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT DEMONSTRATING EXTRAORDINARY ENTHUSIASM AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. HE COMPLETED THE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING QUALIFICATION AS COMMUNICATIONS WATCHSTANDER AT COAST GUARD STATION WILMETTE HARBOR, ILLINOIS, AND HE HAS BEGUN QUALIFICATION AS HIS SHORT AUXILIARY TENURE, MR. BANK DEDICATED OVER 535 HOURS OF SERVICE ACROSS SEVERAL AUXILIARY MISSION AREAS.
3. MR. BANK MADE TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COAST GUARD THROUGH APPLICATION OF HIS INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA SKILLS. HE RECOGNIZED THAT THE LACK OF PHONE LINES AND CELL TOWERS DURING TIMES OF DISTRESS AND NATURAL DISASTER, COUPLED WITH OVERLOADED NETWORKS, COULD CAUSE HUGE BARRIERS TO FINDING PEOPLE IN NEED. DRAWING UPON HIS EXTENSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE AND CREATIVITY, MR. BANK DEVELOPED A UNIQUE SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING APPLICATION. THIS SYSTEM EFFECTIVELY SEARCHED AND MONITORED CONTENT SUBMITTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SUCH AS TEXT MESSAGES, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND OTHER OUTLETS. CONTENT OR POSTS COULD THEN BE COMBINED WITH THE GPS LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE OF THE ORIGINAL MESSAGES AND SENT TO A CENTRAL COMPUTER LOCATION. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY USING THIS APPLICATION IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF 2009 IN SUPPORT OF COAST GUARD SAR CASES, MR. BANK EXERCISED SUPERB INITIATIVE BY APPLYING IT ON A MASSIVE SCALE IN RESPONSE TO THE JANUARY 2010 EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI. HE WAS ABLE TO SCAN SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS, TARGET TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DISTRESS MESSAGES, AND HELP DIRECT RESCUE RESOURCES TO SAVE AT LEAST 80 LIVES.
4. MR. BANK APPLIED REMARKABLE SKILL AND EXCEPTIONAL SELF-MOTIVATION TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT AND VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COAST GUARD, COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, AND MANY PEOPLE IN DISTRESS. I APPLAUD HIS EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE AND SPIRIT OF SERVICE. HE WILL BE RECOGNIZED FOR SUCH DURING CEREMONIES AT THE AUXILIARY NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN PHOENIX, AZ ON 28 AUG 10.
5. THE FOLLOWING AUXILIARISTS WERE FINALISTS FOR SELECTION AND ARE CONGRATULATED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT:
A. MS. DEBORAH A. SAWIN, FLOTILLA 46, D1-NORTHERN REGION.
B. MR. STEPHEN C. JOHNSON, FLOTILLA 12-4, D11-SOUTHERN REGION.
6. RELEASED BY RADM B.M. SALERNO, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR OPERATIONS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
NEW BERN, N.C. – The Coast Guard is seeking the public’s help to identify individuals responsible for recent false distress calls in North Carolina.
Sector North Carolina watchstanders overheard two men talking on their marine VHF radios about making false distress calls to the Coast Guard. One of the men admitted to previously making a false distress call to the Coast Guard.
False distress calls limit the Coast Guard’s ability to respond to actual emergencies. They also unnecessarily endanger the lives of responders and waste thousands of tax payer dollars annually.
Making a false distress call is a felony punishable by law. The maximum penalty for making a false distress call is five to ten years in prison, a $5,000 civil fine, a $250,000 criminal fine and reimbursement to the Coast Guard.
In March 2010, three Raleigh natives were charged and found guilty of making false distress calls. Jeremy C. Fisher, 25, of Holly Ridge, N.C., plead guilty to conspiring to make false distress messages, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Co-defendants William H. Yates, 22, of Sneads Ferry, N.C., and Steven G. Medina, 21, of Onslow County, each pled guilty to one count of aiding and abetting false distress messages, in violation of Title 14, United States Code, Section 88(c). Each defendant will pay restitution to the Coast Guard for all search and rescue costs associated with the various hoax calls attributable to them individually. Fisher agreed to pay $234,111; Medina agreed to pay $233.48 and Yates agreed to pay $506.80.
If anyone can identify a voice in the audio clip, they should contact the Coast Guard at 252-247-4571 .
Listen to the radio communication
119KB MP3
(edited to censor F-word)
###
Posted in VHF Marine Radio | 
Tags: Coast Guard, Distress, distress calls, false, marine vhf radios, maximum penalty, mayday, restitution, search and rescue, sneads ferry, tax payer dollars, title 18, united states code | 
Comments Closed
A new mobile device program was installed in the website today. There are some improvements. Using the default mobile interface there is now access to the lengthy blog roll under the “Links” button.
Mobile devices like the Blackberry and iPhone and iPod Touch are supported. Some devices like the Kindle are only partially supported. The footers of the site’s mobile pages have a link to toggle back and forth between regular site view and mobile site view.
Use the Contact Form above to let me know if you have issues or if you have comments.
Member dues letters were mailed by Jack Margolis, Flotilla Commander some weeks ago. Members have until July 31, 2010 to send their dues to the finance FSO.
Please get your dues in.
Moments ago, the Coast Guard announced that a memorial service will be held next Tuesday for the fallen Coast Guardsmen of CG 6017 which crashed off the coast of Washington state earlier this week. The service will be held in Sitka, Alaska, where LT Sean Krueger, AMT1 Adam Hoke and AMT2 Brett Banks served as members of Air Station Sitka.
This week has been one of tragedy and resilience for the U.S. Coast Guard. Even as the Service mourned the loss of three of the four crew members from CG 6017, Coast Guard aviators were in the air searching for survivors of the collision between a duck boat and barge on the Delaware River.
(Read the ENTIRE story at the Coast Guard Compass blog, including how you can assist the families of the fallen Guardians. Just last year this site told you about Lt. Sean Kreuger who had earned a prestigious aircraft rescue award in the UK while serving there with UK rescuers. The Drum Point Flotilla is deeply saddened by the loss of our three brave Guardians. We pray for them and their families:
Date: 03 June 2010
Contact: Kirk Scarborough
USCG Auxiliary Public Affairs Dept.
Email: [email protected]
www.auxpa.org
Press Release
Los Angeles, Calif….. Spring has officially arrived and most boaters have started the process of Dewinterizing their boats. The most overlooked item is the fuel system. Since your boat has been sitting all winter, it is imperative to clean and maintain your fuel system prior to running the motor. Clean fuel is essential to insure your boat is always running at its peak performance.
Pour a small amount of fuel into a glass jar and let it set for a while. If you see contaminants or dirt settle at the bottom of the jar make sure to filter your gas prior to putting it in your boat motor. Approximately 90% of engine problems can be directly attributed to dirty, contaminated fuel.
A small amount of water in gasoline will not damage the motor. But any amount of water in diesel fuel could spell catastrophe and destroy your engine.
A few things to remember:
· Check for contaminated fuel
· Check fuel cap for leaks
· Check vent fittings
· If fuel is dirty, remove all of it and start over with clean fuel
· Maintaining boat fuel systems will save money on costly repairs
· The last thing you want is to be stranded without a motor working
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer Component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America’s Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service’s missions.
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Date: 03 June 2010
Contact: Kirk Scarborough
CG Auxiliary Public Affairs Dept.
Email: [email protected]
Press Release
Los Angeles, Calif. …. A boat operator should never take a boat on the water with too many people or too much gear on board. Boats loaded beyond their capacity will swamp or capsize more easily and will be more difficult to control. Although federal law requires capacity plates on boats less than 20 feet in length, the National Marine Manufactures Association (NMMA) requires a capacity plate on all boats less than 26 feet in order to be certified by NMMA.
Look for a capacity plate near the operator’s position or on the transom of the boat. This plate indicates the maximum weight capacity and/or the maximum number of people that the boat can carry safely in good weather.
A few things to remember:
- Do not exceed either state max. weight capacity or number of people
- Max. weight is the combined weight of passengers, gear & motor.
- In many states it is a violation to exceed weight capacity
- Always follow the recommended capacity in the owner’s manual
- Never exceed capacity recommendations.
- For additional information go to: www.auxpa.org.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer Component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America’s Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service’s missions.
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BALTIMORE – Due to a high number of boaters in distress through the holiday weekend, the Coast Guard urges boaters to be safe and prepared this weekend.
The Coast Guard, with assistance from partnering agencies, responded to 13 search and rescue cases this holiday weekend in the upper Chesapeake Bay. The 13 cases included capsized canoes, disabled boats, flare sightings and several boats taking on water.
“Boating can be fun for everyone, if one takes the time and plans accordingly,” said Lt. Cmdr. Patricia Mitrowski, Coast Guard Sector Baltimore’s chief of response. “Boating incidents are very tragic, not just for individuals involved, but for the family members as well. Please think safety for yourself and others next time you’re out on to the water.”
In an effort to reduce the number of incidents on the water and to increase the safety of people on the water, the Coast Guard recommends the following:
* Make sure a friend or relative knows your float plan. A float plan states where you are going and how many people are aboard your vessel, gives a complete vessel description, and details your destination and when you plan to return. Float plans aid rescuers in identifying a search area in the event of an emergency while on the water.
* Be sure to check the local weather prior to departing the dock. Weather can change very rapidly and boaters should keep a watchful eye on the forecasted conditions.
* The Coast Guard urges mariners to outfit their boat with a functioning marine-band radio as cell phones are typically an unreliable source of communication due to gaps in coverage and limited battery life. Using channel 16 on a marine-band radio is the most reliable way to communicate a distress to search and rescue personnel in the event of an emergency while on the water.
* In the event you contact the Coast Guard to request assistance and circumstances change that no longer requires emergency personnel to respond, the Coast Guard requests that you follow up to indicate the change in your status so as to eliminate a needless search effort.
* All passengers should remain seated in designated seating areas when the boat is underway. Bow riding is extremely dangerous and increases the potential for passengers falling overboard, causing injury or even death.
According to Coast Guard statistics in 2002, 85 percent of those who drowned were not wearing a life jacket. In an emergency, there is no time to put on a life jacket, so wearing one at all times is very important. Forget the image of life jackets being orange, bulky and uncomfortable, today’s technologically advanced life jackets are inconspicuous; some even double as fishing vests or jackets.
State of Maryland health officials have stated that there have been eight heat-related deaths in 2010, surpassing the total for all of 2009. Due to increased temperatures, boaters should ensure they remain hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids to help prevent heat-related illnesses while on the water.
According to Maryland Natural Resources Police statistics, nine boaters died throughout Maryland in 2008. Two-thirds of these deaths can be attributed to boating under the influence, drowning and weather conditions. The Coast Guard asks boat operators to take preventative measures to ensure their own safety, safety of passengers as well as other boaters.
Being educated about safe boating could save a life. Most boating fatalities occur on boats where the operator had not completed a boating safety education course. Courses given by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadrons cover many aspects of boating safety, from boat handling to reading the weather.
Another aspect of boating safety is not operating a boat under the influence. Last month alone, the Coast Guard, with assistance from NRP, issued 14 BUI citations. Boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs is just as deadly as drinking and driving and is illegal in every state. There are stringent penalties for violating BUI/BWI laws, which can include large fines, suspension or revocation of boat operator privileges and jail terms.
For further boating safety information, check online at one of the following Web sites:
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary http://www.cgaux.org
Vessel Safety Checks http://www.vesselsafetycheck.org
Coast Guard Boating Safety page at http://www.uscgboating.org/
National Safe Boating Council http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org
U.S. Power Squadrons http://www.usps.org/
via Busy holiday weekend for rescuers puts focus on boating safety.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadrons also inspect kayaks and other paddle craft.
Boat Safe. Boat Smart. Get the Decal!
“You wouldn’t allow your kids to sit on the hood of your car, so why would you allow them to sit on the bow of your boat?”
Rear Admiral Dean Lee, 5th District commander, United States Coast Guard
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The Division 23 Chesapeake Chatter is available at the Division 23 website.
The Blinker Newsletter is available at the Fabulous 5th Southern Website.
The weekly CGUAX Newsletter is available at SITREP.
THE RBS Department's newsletter WAVES - Watercraft and Vessel Safety is available at the RBS website.
The CGAUXA eBeacon Magazine.
UPTOP in Operations Newsletter
