Cleaning the environment
PAX TOWN HALL
Page 3
Commissary resets layout
May 7, 6 p.m.
Center Stage Theater
Page 4
• Learn about the upcoming housing energy program • Talk with station leaders • Q&As
Services, energy reductions Page 5 NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, MARYLAND
VOLUME 70, NUMBER 16
Celebrating 70 years of community partnership
April 25, 2013
SAR crew joins rescue efforts in Chesapeake Bay emergency By Connie Hempel NAS Patuxent River Public Affairs
U.S. Navy photo by Kelly Schindler
Search and Rescue crews practice water recovery near the East Basin, skills they used during a mutual aid rescue April 20.
It was a brisk, windy Saturday morning as anglers, including a group of six trying their luck in a 25-foot fishing boat, headed out on the Chesapeake Bay for opening day of rockfish season. Battling waves of 3-5 feet, 2 miles from Point Lookout State Park on April 20, the boat’s owner/ operator made a phone call for help as the vessel began to take on water. At 8:30 a.m., not too long after that emergency call, communications with the vessel were lost — the boat had capsized. Hearing the chatter over the maritime radio, Pax’s Search and Rescue (SAR) crew were at the ready. “The nearest units capable of airborne water rescue are the Coast Guard units in Atlantic City [N.J.] and Elizabeth City [N.C.],” said Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Rowland, an NAS Patuxent River SAR pilot. “But that’s pretty far off. We’re the only ones with that capability in
this area because we can handle the medical issues and have rescue swimmers who can come to the aid of persons in the water.” On that day, the four-person SAR water rescue crew included: pilot Rowland, with 14 years experience; copilot Lt. Daniel Lefler, with 14 years experience; crew chief Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class John McCracken, with eight years experience, and the swimmer, Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 3rd Class Tanner Williams, with three years experience. Expediting their preflight checks, Lefler said Pax’s SAR crew were quick to join in the rescue efforts of Coast Guard St. Inigoes, the Maryland Natural Resources Police, Maryland State Police Trooper 7 helicopter, and the Ridge and Valley Lee volunteer fire companies. It took the crew just 7 minutes from Pax to arrive on scene where they immediately saw the overturned boat among the floating debris. As they hovered to assess the situation, they decided to back off a bit to not impede the rescue operations below.
The crew said they began surveying the scene’s surrounding waters, taking into consideration how winds and currents were shifting the wreckage and its items below. The crew focused in on some floating gear they noticed near the rescue boats earlier that had been carried off by the current. Hovering 70 feet over the gear, they decided to lower Williams, the rescue swimmer, to investigate. Donned in a dry suit with a thermal layer underneath, Williams dove into the 50-degree water. “I didn’t see anyone when I got in the water; just debris,” he said. “Then, I saw a nautical ladder with a life jacket wrapped around it.” But, after swimming to the ladder and inspecting the area around it, Williams found nothing. “Then, I looked underwater,” he said, “and there were rope lines descending down, but nothing attached them.” With his underwater visibility limited to just a foot, Williams began pulling the lines up.
See SAR, Page 11
NAVAIR’s Environmental Programs Department wins SECNAV award
Team advances from CNO level to DOD level By Paula A. Paige Program Management (AIR 1.0) Public Affairs
Building on its recent Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) recognition, the Environmental Programs Department at NAS Patuxent River, known as AIR 1.6, earned a fiscal 2012 Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) award April 10 for developing a software tool that helps users track and comply with environmental requirements. The team, aligned under Naval Air Systems Command’s (NAVAIR) Program Management organiza-
AIR 1.0: A one-stop shop for people, products, tools. See story on Pages 8-9.
tion (AIR 1.0), captured the Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition, Small Program, Individual or Team award category for developing the Programmatic Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Evaluation Document Authoring Tool, known as PESHE DAT. Launched in 2007, the webbased tool standardizes NAVAIR’s Environmental Safety and Occupational Health (ESOH) risk-assessment process and development of PESHE documents. Modules help acquisition managers and leaders ensure environmental requirements are properly assessed and managed at milestone events. Additionally, hazardous materials and waste are tracked and managed as ESOH risks as well as the development of a sound National Environmental Policy Act strategy. “Environmental stewardship is a key component of NAVAIR’s daily operations,” said Vice Adm. David Dunaway, who leads the command. “Tools such as PESHE
DAT not only support the program manager’s understanding and management of environmental risks, but also minimize the impact on fleet testing and training operations. PESHE DAT shows true innovation, customer focus and a commitment to environmental life cycle management.” The SECNAV Environmental Awards recognize Navy and Marine Corps ships, installations and people for outstanding performance in promoting environmental stewardship. All eligible SECNAV winners will advance to the 2012 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards competition. In a message congratulating the winners, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said, “Fiscal 2012 was a remarkable year for the Department of the Navy’s efforts to manage, protect and restore our natural and cultural resources. The tremendous successes showcased by all nominees are evidence of our continuing pursuit of environmental excellence.”
U.S. Navy photo by Paula A. Paige
The Naval Air Systems Command’s Environmental Programs Department (AIR 1.6) earned a fiscal 2012 Secretary of the Navy award for developing a software tool that helps users track and comply with environmental requirements. Members of the Environmental Programs Department include, from left, Herman Varmall, director of the Environmental Programs Department; Robert N. Hicks Jr., Programmatic Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Evaluation program manager; Paige Lehr, environmental policy program manager; and Nicholas Paraskevas, National Environmental Policy Act program manager.