ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Novato-based Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, a national-level contingency response organization, lead fuel-transfer operations at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in Benicia, Calif., Wednesday as part of fuel conservation efforts and hands-on training for disaster response.

Thirty-two members of the team worked all week starting Feb. 6 and wrapped up Friday to prep, set-up and deploy equipment aboard the decommissioned Navy class fleet oiler Kawishiwi. As part of helping the Maritime Administration with recyling fuel, the strike team’s goal was to lighter approximately 30,000 gallons of fuel onto a shipyard fuel barge alongside the oiler.

“This operation allows our crew to train in a controlled environment for our all-hazards response; oil spill and HAZMAT response that we specialize in,” said Lt. j.g. Mandy Le Monde, the lightering team's operations manager. "In addition, we're helping provide a service to MARAD in removing fuel off these mothball vessels so they can re-use them for future operations.

Kawishiwi is one of several decommissioned vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet also known as its moniker of the “mothball fleet." The strike team has successfully lightered several ships in the fleet while using these real scenarios to keep their skills fresh and to increase their hands-on experience. 

As one of the three elements of the Coast Guard National Strike Force, the Pacific Strike Team’s military professionalism, logistics and management expertise and extensive training is critical to effective disaster response. They are recognized worldwide as expert authorities in preparing for, and responding to disasters resulting from oil emissions, hazardous substance discharges, weapons of mass destruction events, and many other contingencies.

JUNEAU, Alaska – Dave Cobb, mayor of Valdez, presents Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, Coast Guard District 17 commander, with a proclamation of appreciation during a meeting at D17 headquarters Feb. 14, 2012.

The proclamation recognized the role Coast Guard Forces Valdez personnel played in assisting the community of Valdez following a record snowfall in January.

For more information about Valdez snow removal, click here.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Grant DeVuyst.

JUNEAU, Alaska – Capt. Norman Custard, Coast Guard District 17 chief of staff, and Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, D17 commander, meet with John Hozey, Valdez city manager, and Dave Cobb, mayor of Valdez, at D17 headquarters Feb. 14, 2012.

Hozey and Cobb travelled to Juneau to present Ostebo with a proclamation of appreciation for the emergency snow removal efforts provided by Coast Guard Forces Valdez personnel in January.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Grant DeVuyst.

SEATTLE – U.S. Coast Guard and Wash. Dept of Ecology will host a town hall meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, to inform the public how oil spill incidents are jointly managed in Washington.

The meeting is open to the public and will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Seattle Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle, Washington Mutual Meeting Room - Level 4, Room 1.

There will be experts on hand to talk about:

• Geographic-based spill response plans
• Oil spill response equipment
• Volunteer opportunities, including vessels of opportunity
• Chemical agents to disperse oil from the water’s surface
• Computer modeling used to track spills

Every year, more than 20 billion gallons of oil and hazardous chemicals are transported through Washington by oil tankers and fuel barges, commercial cargo, fish-processing and passenger vessels, liquid fuel pipelines, rails and road.

Oil and chemical spills pose a direct threat to some of the most productive and valuable ecosystems in the nation. On average, state and federal authorities in Washington handle 3,800 spill reports and mount 1,200 rapid, aggressive and well-coordinated field responses annually.

During the past 10 years, the majority of oil spills to water in Washington have involved less than 100 gallons. But accidents, equipment failure and human error can lead to unintended and potentially disastrous consequences.

When spills occur in or threaten Washington’s thousands of miles of navigable waterways, the Coast Guard and Ecology work closely together to protect public health and safety, the environment, and the state’s economy and quality of life.

Ecology has determined a major spill could cost Washington’s economy $10.8 billion and adversely affect 165,000 jobs due to disruptions in maritime shipping and public port activities, recreation and tourism, and damage to state fish, shellfish and wildlife resources.

Coast Guard and Ecology are members of the Northwest Area Committee, a multi-agency, multi-state organization that helps ensure responses to oil spills and hazardous material releases in Washington, Oregon and Idaho are effectively coordinated among federal, state, tribal, local, and international agencies.

The committee is holding their work meeting tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Seattle at the Jackson Federal building, 915 Second Avenue, fourth floor.  The meeting is open to the public.

For more information on the town hall meeting or committee public work meeting, please contact Curt Hart with Ecology, 360-407-6990 (office) 360-480-7908 (cell) or, Heather Parker with the Coast Guard, 206-510-0943 (cell).

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/spills.html

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard rescued two men from a commercial shrimping vessel taking on water, Monday, about 600 yards offshore Freshwater Bayou.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a call at 8:05 a.m., that the 48-foot, Captain Kap, commercial shrimper ran hard aground and began to take on water with two men aboard.

An MH-65C Dolphin helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans hoisted and transported both men to awaiting Acadian Emergency Medical Services on shore in Intracoastal City.

"We had a good GPS position of the vessel and were able to locate it expending little or no time searching for the vessel," said Lt. j.g. Eric Turner, Air Station New Orleans pilot. "This rescue was a successful example of how we, as America's maritime first responders, are working alongside mariners who have the right equipment on board, such as marine-band radios and sufficient life jackets, can improve the chances of surviving whenever a disaster strikes." 

Both men reported no medical concerns.

The vessel remains beached in Freshwater Bayou, and there are no reports of pollution.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident.

For an official Coast Guard photo of a rescue swimmer responding to the vessel, click here.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague repatriated 21 Dominicans and one Haitian to the Dominican Republic Saturday, following an at-sea migrant interdiction Thursday by Caribbean Border Interagency Group law enforcement authorities, approximately 13 nautical miles off the coast of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.

The crew of the Chincoteague transferred custody of the 22 migrants to the crew of the Dominican Republic navy patrol boat Orion at 8 a.m. Saturday, during an at-sea transfer in Dominican Republic territorial seas.

“Migrants risk their lives by trusting ruthless and unscrupulous smugglers with their well being during a very dangerous and perilous voyage,” said Capt. Drew W. Pearson, Sector San Juan commander.  “They travel aboard unseaworthy vessels that are in serious danger of capsizing, which could cost the lives of the migrants onboard.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Puerto Rico agreed to prosecute nine other Dominicans of which six are to face charges for illegal entry and three others for illegal reentry into a United States Territory.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders received a radio transmission Thursday night from the crew of a Customs and Border Protection dash-8 aircraft, reporting they had located a migrant vessel transiting towards Cabo Rojo.

Coast Guard Watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague to interdict the migrant vessel, while Customs and Border Protection and Puerto Rico Police Joint Force of Rapid Action (FURA) marine units also responded. The crew of the Puerto Rico Police marine unit arrived on scene and interdicted the 27-foot migrant vessel with 31 people onboard; 27 men and four women.

The Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague arrived on scene shortly thereafter, embarked the migrants and collected their biographical information, including their digital fingerprints and facial photographs, to determine if they had any criminal or illegal immigration history in the United States or a U.S. Territory.

The Chincoteague rendezvoused with CBP Border Patrol agents in Añasco, Puerto Rico Friday afternoon, where Border Patrol agents took the nine Dominican men into custody.

The Chincoteague proceeded to transit to Dominican Republic territorial seas, where they rendezvoused with the Dominican navy patrol boat Orion and completed the repatriation of the remaining 22 migrants.

Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Border Patrol – Ramey Sector, the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant smuggling.

HOUSTON —The Coast Guard rescued a woman after she fell from a sailboat near Kemah, Sunday.

Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a distress call at approximately 10:30 a.m. reporting that a woman had fallen overboard from a rented sailboat in Galveston Bay near the Kemah Boardwalk. After several failed attempts to rescue the woman, passengers aboard the sailboat made a distress call via radio Channel 16. An MH-65C Dolphin helicopter and crew from Air Station Houston were in the area on a routine patrol and responded within 10 minutes of the call.

A rescue swimmer was lowered from the rescue helicopter, and the crew of the helicopter successfully hoisted the woman to safety. She was transported to awaiting emergency medical services at Ellington Field and then taken to Southeast Memorial Hospital to be treated for signs of mild hypothermia. 

"Considering that the air temperature was in the 30s, and the water temperature was in the 50s, this situation could have gone bad quickly," said Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Medina, who took the initial call and directed the operation from the command center. "This rescue was a classic case of being at the right place at the right time, and also of teamwork between Sector command center personnel and Air Station Houston."

Click here to learn more about the awards ceremony.

WILMOT, S.D. — Rear Adm. Michael Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District, presents Josie Green, a Wilmot resident, with the Coast Guard Silver Lifesaving Medal during a ceremony at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Feb. 11, 2012. Green was awarded the Silver Lifesaving Medal for her actions while attempting to rescue a man who fell into the Red River on Nov. 20, 2009. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener.

WILMOT, S.D. — The certificate signifying that Josie Green, a Wilmot resident, has been awarded the Coast Guard Silver Lifesaving Medal, sits on a table during a ceremony at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Feb. 11, 2012. Nov. 20, 2009, Green, then a student at Minnesota State University Moorehead, entered the Red River in an attempt to rescue a man who had fallen into the water. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener.

WILMOT, S.D. — Rear Adm. Michael Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District, speaks to the family and friends of Josie Green, a Wilmot resident, after a ceremony during which he presented Green with the Coast Guard Silver Lifesaving Medal, Feb. 11, 2012. The Silver Lifesaving Medal, as well as the Gold Lifesaving Medal, may be awarded to any person who rescues, or attempts to rescue, another person from drowning, shipwreck, or other peril of the water. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener.

WILMOT, S.D. - Josie Green, a Wilmot resident, wears the Coast Guard Silver Lifesaving Medal after it was awarded to her during a ceremony at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Feb. 11, 2012. Nov. 20, 2009, Green, then a student at Minnesota State University Moorehead, entered the Red River in an attempt to rescue a man who had fallen into the water. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard took delivery of its first fast response cutter, the Bernard C. Webber, Friday in Miami.Webber is the first of 58 planned Sentinel Class patrol boats replacing the Coast Guard’s venerable but aging Island Class patrol boat fleet. 

"Consistent with the Sentinel Class name, the cutter Webber will guard our coasts and its citizens and protect the nation's vital maritime interests," said Rear Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard director of governmental and public affairs.

Patrol boats like Webber are the workhorses of America’s littoral maritime fleet.  Possessing superior speed and flexibility, Coast Guard patrol boats deliver the Coast Guard’s unique blend of military capability, law enforcement authority and lifesaving expertise wherever needed along the coast.  The Sentinel Class patrol boat is one of many critical recapitalization efforts the Coast Guard is managing to responsibly rebuild the capabilities that make the service our nation’s frontline maritime first responder. 

“The United States is a maritime nation that depends heavily on the sea for commerce, security, sustenance and recreation and the new fast response cutter is an essential element of the Coast Guard’s offshore and coastal presence that America requires to protect its maritime interests,” said Schultz.

The Sentinel Class patrol boats carry the names of enlisted Coast Guard heroes to honor a long line of Coast Guard men and women who have distinguished themselves since the establishment of the nation’s Revenue Marine in 1790.

Bernie Webber, namesake of the fast response cutter Webber, led a crew of three Coast Guardsmen aboard a 36-foot rescue boat, in 60-foot seas, to rescue 33 mariners from the wreckage of the tanker Pendleton near Chatham, Mass, in 1952.  The skill and bravery he and his crew demonstrated that stormy evening epitomizes what it means to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard and are demonstrate the service’s values of honor, respect and devotion to duty.  The men and women of the Coast Guard still staff a nation-wide network of boat stations – just as Bernie Webber and his crew did – performing extraordinary life-saving and security operations for the nation.

The 154-foot fast response cutter is capable of speeds in excess of 28 knots and operating in seas up to 20-feet. It’s armed with a remotely-operated and stabilized 25-mm chain gun plus four, .50 caliber machine guns, modern C4ISR equipment, four-person berthing areas and a crew of 21 enlisted personnel and three officers.

The Bernard C. Webber will be homeported in Miami and is scheduled for commissioning April 14.  The Coast Guard’s first six fast response cutters will be stationed in Miami. Plans call for the first 18 fast response cutters to be homeported throughout the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean.   

HONOLULU –Three mariners have made it safely to Oahu aboard a container ship after their sailboat sank 280 miles northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, Thursday. 

The crew of the 38-foot sailboat Liahona contacted the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska Tuesday at approximately 5:30 p.m via satellite phone. The vessel became disabled in seas of 6-to-13 feet and winds of 34 mph. The vessel reportedly suffered damage to its top forestay and its engine overheated. The crew attempted to rig a makeshift sail but completely lost its mast in the extreme conditions. 

Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu contacted the 800-foot container ship Horizon Reliance to render assistance under the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System. The Horizon Reliance was 149 miles northeast of their Liahona’s location.         

At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning the Horizon Reliance reached the disabled vessel. As the Horizon Reliance approached the vessel, weather conditions caused the bow of the Horizon Reliance to strike the sailboat.  The Liahona began taking on water and sank, forcing the three passengers into the sea. 

The Horizon Reliance maneuvered and lowered a Jacobs’s ladder to reach the survivors. A 29-year-old man was rescued at 2:30 a.m. by the crew of the Horizon Reliance, but the others, a 32-year-old man and 9-year-old boy, drifted away. Both were rescued at 3:20 a.m.

All three mariners are reportedly in good condition.

“No rescue situation can be completely planned for, the sea is ever changing and un-forgiving,” said Cmdr. Mark Morin, district response manager. “The crew had life jackets with strobes lights on, which was critical in aiding to the Horizon Reliance to keep an eye on them and make the rescue.”  

The Liahona was traveling from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Oahu, Hawaii. 

The Kiska is a 110-foot patrol boat based in Hilo, Hawaii. 

AMVER, sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. With AMVER, rescue coordinators can identify participating ships in the area of distress and divert the best-suited ship or ships to respond.

For more information about AMVER visit www.amver.com.

For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.

 
MIAMI - A Good Samaritan located a mine in the water 1 mile east of Dania Beach, Fla., Thursday. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

MIAMI- Coast Guard crews from Station Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Coast Guard Cutter Dolphin are enforcing a safety zone, Thursday after a Good Samaritan located a mine in the water 1 mile east of Dania Beach, Fla.

Crewmembers from Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Six Detachment, Mayport, Fla., are en route to retrieve the ordnance.

A temporary safety zone will be established around the site near Dania Beach as Navy EOD Mobile Unit Six detachment Mayport personnel positively identify and determine proper disposition for the ordnance.

Vessels will be required to maintain a minimum 1,000 yard distance from the site while Navy EOD Unit Nine personnel conduct operations. Boaters are requested to make alternate transit arrangements during that time period.

For more information please contact Navy EOD personnel at 904-219-8114.

Click images for video

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber, the first Fast Response Cutter, arrives at its homeport of Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The cutter's commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Herb Eggert, and Coast Guard Sector Miami's commander, Capt. Chris Scraba, offer remarks about the significance of the Webber's arrival. U.S. Coast Guard multimedia presentation by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber, the first Fast Response Cutter, arrives at its homeport of Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber will be able to deploy independently to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense operations along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

Click images for high-resolution photos

 MIAMI — The Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, Bernard C. Webber, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Fast Response Cutter is capable of speeds of 28-plus knots, armed with one stabilized, remotely operated 25mm chain gun and four crew-served .50 caliber machine guns, and crew capabilities to hold 24 people. It will be able to perform independently for a minimum of five days at sea, and be underway for 2,500 hours annually. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket keeps pace with Miami's newest cutter, the Bernard C. Webber, during its arrival at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The Webber is named after Coast Guard hero Bernard C. Webber, who is credited for his assistance during the rescue of 33 of the tanker vessel Pendleton's 34 crewmembers. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard’s first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrived at Coast Guard Sector Miami Thursday.

The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter and will be able to deploy independently to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense operations along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean.

“I am very excited about the arrival of the Coast Guard Cutter Webber," said Rear Adm. Bill Baumgartner, commander of the 7th Coast Guard District. "It is the first of 18 Fast Response Cutters that are scheduled to be delivered to the 7th Coast Guard District over the next several years. This new cutter fleet will be a vital instrument in supporting illicit migrant and narcotic trafficking interdiction, but will only fill a portion of the critical gap we face in our operational capability. While the Fast Response Cutters are highly capable platforms, the Coast Guard is in need of an Offshore Patrol Cutter as well. These OPCs would be able to deploy greater distances, effectively extending our maritime border outward to prevent threats to our national security. The OPC would replace our aging Medium Endurance Cutter fleet, most of which are over 40 years old and in desperate need of recapitalization to meet the future security needs of America.”

The Webber is capable of speeds of 28-plus knots, armed with one stabilized, remotely operated 25mm chain gun and four crew-served .50 caliber machine guns, and crew capabilities to hold 24 people. It will be able to perform independently for a minimum of five days at sea, and be underway for 2,500 hours per year.

The new Sentinel Class patrol boats will all be named after Coast Guard heroes. The Webber is named after Coast Guard hero Bernard C. Webber. Webber is credited with helping make one of the greatest rescues in Coast Guard history. 

“This month will mark the 60th anniversary of the loss of the tanker Pendleton off the coast of Cape Cod on Feb. 18, 1952,” said Baumgartner. “Bernard C. Webber’s heroic actions that night saved 33 of Pendleton’s 34 crewmembers. Today’s event is an opportunity for us to reflect and honor the bravery of the Webber’s namesake, who truly was the embodiment of what it means to be a Coast Guardsman.”

To learn more about the Coast Guard Cutter Webber, please visit: http://goo.gl/vyxG5.

CLEVELAND ― The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to formally recognize a Wilmot, S.D., woman for her actions during the 2009 Red River Floods, during a ceremony at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Saturday.

During the ceremony, Rear Adm. Michael Parks, commander of the 9^th Coast Guard District, will present Josie Green with the Coast Guard Silver Lifesaving Medal for her actions while attempting to rescue a man who fell into the Red River.

While jogging along the bike path on the Moorehead side of the Red River on Nov. 20, 2009, Green, then a student at Minnesota State University Moorehead, heard two men calling for help on the riverbank and saw Lucas Littleghost being pulled by the river’s current. Green was told by the two men that neither could swim and that the man in the water had fallen from a nearby railroad bridge. Green entered the freezing water and swam to the then-unconscious Littleghost.

Once on shore, Littleghost was transferred to waiting emergency medical technicians and transported to a Fargo hospital.  Unfortunately, Littleghost died a few days later.

The Silver Lifesaving Medal, as well as the higher Gold Lifesaving Medal, may be awarded to any person who rescues, or attempts to rescue, another person from drowning, shipwreck, or other peril of the water.

Media are invited to attend the ceremony, scheduled to take place Saturday at 1 p.m., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 804 3^rd Ave., Wilmot, SD, 57279.

For more information contact Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener at 216-410-2910.

 Click on each image for a high-resolution version.

DULUTH, Minn. — Capt. Joseph McGuiness (left), commander of Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Rear Adm. Michael Parks (right), commander of the 9th Coast Guard District, present Chief Petty Officer Justin Olson, officer-in-charge of Aids to Navigation Team Duluth with the Sumner I. Kimball Readiness Award, Feb. 9, 2011. The Sumner I. Kimball Readiness Award is awarded for exceptional performance and a grade of 90 percent or higher during an arduous week-long inspection of response boats, crew knowledge tests, execution of practical drills and assessment of the unit’s training plan. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Kyle Weitzell.

DULUTH, Minn. — The crew of Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Duluth holds the Sumner I. Kimball Award Readiness Award, Feb. 9, 2011. This is the first time in ANT Duluth’s history that the unit has received this award. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Kyle Weitzell.

CLEVELAND — The crew of Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Duluth, Minn., were presented the Coast Guard’s esteemed Sumner I. Kimball Readiness Award, Feb. 9, 2011, at the unit.

This is the first time in the history of ANT Duluth that the unit has received this award.

The Sumner I. Kimball Readiness Award recognizes exceptional performance and a grade of 90 percent or higher during an arduous week-long inspection of their equipment, demonstration of the crew's knowledge through written tests, execution of practical drills, and assessment of the unit’s training plan.

“The fact that we received this award showcases the dedication the crew has to doing their jobs day-in and day-out,” said Chief Petty Officer Justin Olson, officer-in-charge of ANT Duluth.

Many of the unit's junior crewmembers weren’t even aware of the award’s existence until they were told that they had scored so high on the inspection, said Olson.

“They are simply that devoted to advancing their skills and maintaining their equipment," he said.

The award is named for the first General Superintendent of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, which was later incorporated into the U. S. Coast Guard. Sumner I. Kimball was appointed to the position of general superintendent in 1878 due to his persuasive efforts in convincing Congress to improve upon what was a system of volunteer-based life-saving stations. Kimball’s elevated standards laid the foundation for modern day Coast Guard smallboat stations.

"The Sumner Kimball Award recognizes those crews that, through an extraordinary dedication to mission execution, truly exemplify the Coast Guard's service motto of 'Always Ready'," said Rear Adm. Michael Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District.

"The talented crew here in Duluth, like the award that bears Sumner Kimball's name, embodies the spirit of one of the Coast Guard's greatest heroes."

For more infomation, contact Chief Petty Officer Justin Olson at 218-529-3114.

MUNISING BAY, Mich. — The ice of Munising Bay continues to recede Feb. 8, 2012, as the region continues to experience unusually warm temperatures and an abundance of sunlight. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy Station Marquette, Mich.

MARQUETTE, Mich. — The crew of Coast Guard Station Marquette is issuing a warning Thursday that the unusually warm temperatures observed this year have greatly increased the possibility of weakened ice.

"Ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly, and major wet cracks and ice floes have been recognized the last few days," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Kuhn, operations petty officer at Coast Guard Station Marquette.  "With forecasted temperatures climbing to the high 30s, this will only accelerate weakening ice."

The combination of warmer temperatures and shifting winds has caused extremely hazardous ice conditions in Munising Bay. The Coast Guard cautions those ice fishing and transiting on the ice due to the unpredictability of ice breaking apart into ice floes.

This is the second time this month that Coast Guard units have warned of dangerous ice conditions on Lake Superior. Click here to read about weakening ice near Bayfield, Wis.

Never venture out on the ice alone.  Proper precautions should always be taken before heading out on the water or the ice. When venturing out, a person should think I.C.E.:

Intelligence - know the weather and ice conditions, know where you are going, and know how to call for help. Never go out alone.

Clothing - have the proper clothing to prevent hypothermia. Wear a waterproof exposure suit and a life preserver.

Equipment - have the proper equipment. Carry two ice picks or screwdrivers, in case you fall in. Use these items to dig into the ice and pull yourself out. They are more effective than bare hands! Carry a whistle or noise maker to alert people that you are in distress. Carry a cellular phone or marine band radio in a waterproof container so that you can call for help if you come across trouble.

For more information, contact Lt. j.g. Adam Saurin, Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie public affairs officer, at 906-635-3277

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard continues to respond to a fuel spill after a barge ran aground Wednesday near Bayport, Thursday.

 Watchstanders at Sector Houston Galveston received a notification that the TM3, a barge being towed by the UTV Louis Vincent, had ran aground near Bayport. The master of the Louis Vincent reported diesel fuel leaking from a tank on the left side of the vessel.

The Coast Guard worked with representatives from the Texas General Land Office, as well as representatives from Talen Marine, the responsible party, and ES&H, the oil spill response organization. Responders deployed approximately 6,400-feet of sorbent boom around the barge in order to minimize environmental impact.

A lightering barge was brought onscene Thursday morning to remove the fuel from barge. The lightering operations were completed at 7:57 a.m. Officials estimated that approximately 500 gallons of diesel fuel leaked into the water before lightering operations were completed.

Once investigators determined that there is no further leakage, the barge will be transported to Texas International Terminal in Galveston, where crews will offload the remaining fuel from the damaged barge.

"Through quick reaction from our local partners and the responsible party, we were able to minimize the environmental impact of the spill and ensure the remaining fuel was safely offloaded from the barge," said Capt. James Whitehead, commander of Sector Houston-Galveston.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident.

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of two adults and one child aboard a disabled sailboat which sank 280 miles northeast of Hilo, Hawaii Wednesday. 

The crew of the 38-foot sailboat Liahona contacted the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska Tuesday at 5:26 p.m. after becoming disabled in seas of 6-to-13 feet and winds of 34 mph. The vessel reportedly suffered damage to its top forestay and it’s engine overheated. The crew attempted to rig a makeshift sail but completely lost its mast in the extreme conditions. 

Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu contacted the 800-foot container ship Horizon Reliance to request assistance under the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue Program. The Horizon Reliance was 149 miles northeast of the Liahona’s location.          

At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning the Horizon Reliance reached the disable vessel. As the Horizon Reliance approached the vessel a swell caused the sailboat to capsize and sink, throwing the three passengers into the sea. 

The Horizon Reliance maneuvered and lowered a Jacobs’s ladder to conduct the rescue. A 29-year-old man was rescued at 2:30 a.m. by the crew of the Horizon Reliance, but the others, a 32-year-old man and 9-year-old boy, drifted away. Both were rescued at 3:20 am. All passengers aboard the sailboat were wearing lifejackets with strobe lights, which enabled rescuers to keep them in sight. 

All three rescued are reportedly in good condition and will return to Honolulu Friday aboard the Horizon Reliance. 

The Liahona was traveling from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Hilo. 

The Kiska is a 110-foot patrol boat based in Hilo. 

AMVER, sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. With AMVER, rescue coordinators can identify participating ships in the area of distress and divert the best-suited ship or ships to respond.

For more information about AMVER visit www.amver.com.

There are no photos or video available of this rescue.    

WASHINGTON – A Coast Guard chief petty officer was honored Tuesday for his superior service while deployed in support of overseas combat operations.

Chief Petty Officer Lee Conroy, a maritime enforcement specialist, assigned to Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego, was presented the 2011 National Defense Industrial Association Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Award for his actions in support of the counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.

This award honors one member from each of the five armed services who has distinguished him or herself while supporting special operations, low-intensity conflicts or irregular warfare.

“I am honored to be recognized alongside our DOD brethren,” said Chief Petty Officer Lee Conroy. “But the true recognition belongs to my shipmates at MSST San Diego. Without their dedication and sacrifice I wouldn’t be receiving this award.”

Chief Conroy was sighted for his leadership, superior judgment and operational knowledge. He successfully led an eight-person advanced interdiction team during a 120-day overseas deployment to Central Command for operations Enduring Freedom and Riptide. As part of the anti-piracy Task Force 151Chief Conroy instructed training sessions with 80 Navy Vessel Board, Search and Seizure team members in Close Quarters Combat and mission planning in anticipation of joint boardings. Chief Conroy’s professionalism and leadership resulted in the removal of 18 pirates from the Gulf of Aden during four joint Coast Guard and Navy counter-piracy boardings.

“We are extremely proud of Chief Conroy,” said Coast Guard Capt. Jeffrey Novotny, Deputy Commander of the Coast Guard’s Deployable Operations Group. “His accomplishments epitomize the capability and adaptability our deployable specialized forces bring to operational commanders at home and abroad.”

Conroy and his fellow honorees were presented the award Tuesday evening before a crowd of nearly 600 special operations soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and their families. The banquet featured a number of distinguished guests, including Adm. James A. Winnefeld, Jr., USN, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, who delivered the keynote address.

WASHINGTON – Chief Petty Officer Lee Conroy (center), a maritime enforcement specialist, assigned to Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego, was presented the 2011 National Defense Industrial Association Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Award for his actions in support of the counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden Feb. 7, 2012. Conroy was presented his award by Gen. James E. "Hoss" Cartwright (center), USMC (Ret), former Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Ms. Irene H. Sanders, Chair, NDIA SO/LIC Division (right). Photo courtesy Scott Rekdal of NDIA.

GULF OF ADEN – Coast Guard and U.S. Navy Visit, Board, Search and Seize members (VBSS) members are shown enroute to a counter-piracy boarding, Feb. 5, 2011. The Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego (91109) detachment deployed for four months in support of Combined Task Force 151’s counter-piracy operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

GULF OF ADEN – Coast Guard and U.S. Navy Visit, Board, Search and Seize members (VBSS) members conduct training with U.S. Navy aerial assets, Feb. 4, 2011. The Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego (91109) detachment deployed for four months in support of Combined Task Force 151’s counter-piracy operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard, a good Samaritan and the Virginia Marine Police came to the aid of a boater in the Elizabeth River near Chesapeake, Va. Wednesday.

A Coast Guard crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., responded at approximately 2 p.m. to the boater’s call for assistance via VHF-FM channel 16 after his boat began taking on water due to a reportedly broken rudder post.

The helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer to assist, and the good Samaritan aboard the tugboat Maverick also responded after hearing the Coast Guard’s urgent marine information broadcast from Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads about the sinking sailboat.

The tugboat crew took the boater aboard their vessel, and the Virginia Marine Police crew who responded with their vessel towed the 28-foot sailboat to a nearby marina in Chesapeake, Va.

"Today's coordinated effort is representative of how we do business here in Hampton Roads," said Lt. Jack Smith of Sector Hampton Roads. "We work every case as a team alongside state, local and good Samaritans from the boating public."

Coast Guard crews from Station Portsmouth also responded to assist with a 41-foot Utility Boat and a 25-foot Response Boat-Small.

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard's search for the owner of a grounded sailboat in Maui has been suspended after he was located safely ashore.

The search for Randy Perez was initiated after his 29-foot recreational sailing vessel, the Little Lady, was found aground south of Lahaina, Maui Monday morning. Coast Guardsmen in Sector Honolulu were able to contact a friend of the owner, who reported Perez was not in distress.

Pacific Environmental Corporation has been hired to assess and remove any quantity of hazardous material found aboard the vessel.

For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard pollution investigators responded Tuesday to a report of an oil discharge at the active construction site between Piers 6 and 7 in San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Pollution investigators are actively monitoring cleanup and recovery efforts and investigating to find the origin and amount of the discharge.

Construction site personnel are conducting efforts to locate the unidentified underground point of discharge to shut down the source and prevent further oil from spilling into the water, and they have activated two Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSRO) to conduct cleanup and recovery operations.

OSRO contractors have deployed oil containment boom into the water across Piers 6 and 7 and have also placed containment boom in the immediate area of the discharge to avoid further spread of the material. They are also utilizing oil recovery equipment such as absorbent boom, absorbent pads and vacuum truck oil collectors to recover spilled material from the water.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan command center watchstanders were initially contacted by a National Response Center representative at approximately 3p.m. Tuesday, who reported that an unknown amount and type of oil was discharging from and unknown source at the construction site into San Juan Harbor.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders and pollution response personnel proceeded to contact federal, state and municipal emergency response authorities, to include the Environmental Protection Agency, the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, and San Juan Municipal Office of Emergency Management among others to advise them of the situation.