Division 7 Tampa Bay, District 7 United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Volume XXXVIII Issue 2 Summer 2015
INTERCOM
Newsle er for Division 7 Tampa Bay, District 7, USCG Auxiliary Volume XXXVIII Issue 2 Summer 2015
In this Issue... Click on tle to read ar cles. Use the "Home" bu on on the bo om of each page to return to this contents page.
From the Helm : Jeffrey Gines, DCDR
4
From the Helm: Gene Keller, VCDR
5
Flo lla 72 in the News
6
Flo lla 74 in the News
7
Flo lla 75 in the News
8
Flo lla 78 in the News
9
Flo lla 7-16 in the News
10
Division 7 Celebrates Na onal Safe Boa ng Week
11
Division 7 Holds Annual Award Ceremony Adver sements: NACON, DCON and Message from COMO Robert Weskerna, DCO D7
12-14 15
First Coast Guard Auxiliary Flo lla On Florida’s Gulf Coast Turns 75
16-17
Commissioning of USCGC RICHARD DIXON, WPC 1113
18-19
Sector St. Petersburg Fourth Annual Open House
20
The "Pu -Pu Navy"
21
Auxiliary Radio Comes to the Rescue
22-23
Staff Reports
24-27
Two Rescues on a Single Day
28-29
How to Submit a D7 Help Desk Ticket for ICS Course Comple on Cer ficates
30
US Coast Guard Releases Boa ng Safety App.
31
How to Write a Great Newsle er Ar cle
32
Hurricane Season Preparedness
33
Award Wri ng Service Available
34
Complete The Auxiliary Mandated Training---CURRENTS---Animated Knots
35
Flo lla 7-16 Visits Eckerd College
36-38
A Mission With More Ques ons Than Answers.
39
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Program
39
A Special Anniversary Gree ng for Flo lla 72 St. Petersburg
40
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 12
Summer 2015
Page 3
INTERCOM
Newsle er for Division 7 Tampa Bay, District 7, USCG Auxiliary
Div 7 Division Commander Div 7 Division Vice Commander Div 7 Immed. Past Division Commander
Jeffery Gines, DCDR Gene Keller, VCDR J. Michael Shea, IPDCDR
FL-72 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-74 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-75 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-78 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-79 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-7-16 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander
Jack Lee, FC Tony Hooper, VFC Dus n Buxton, FC Carlos Velez, VFC Gary Mull, FC Judith Clapp, VFC Tony Novellino, FC Eric Davis, VFC Michael Massimini, FC Darren Hart, VFC Tom Bodi, FC Bill Zinner, VFC
Communica ons Communica on Services Diversity Finance Informa on Services Human Resources Materials Marine Safety Member Training Naviga on Systems Opera ons Public Affairs Publica ons Public Educa on Program Visitor Secretary Vessel Examina ons Auxiliary Unit Coordinator
David Rockwell, SO-CM Franco Ripple, SO-CS Donald T. Hershman, SO-DV Linda Brandt, SO-FN Leonard A. Chiacchia, Jr., SO-IS Judith Clapp, SO-HR Guy Mandigo, SO-MA Conrad Palermo, SO-MS David Langdon, Jr., SO-MT David Perillo, SO-NS Linda Churchill, SO-OP George Papabeis, SO-PA Dorothy J. Riley, SO-PB James Fogle, SO-PE Darren Hart, SO-PV Heleyde Aponte, SO-SR Richard Smith, SO-VE John Simone
We’re on the web! h p://A07007.wow.uscgaux. info
The Intercom is a publica on of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Division Seven, District Seven. The cost of publica on is provided by dues-paying members of the Auxiliary, an organizaon of unpaid, civilian volunteers whose mission is to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in promo ng boa ng safety. Ar cles may be reprinted only with the express consent of the author or photographer, with proper credit given to same. For permissions or for more informaon, please contact the editor, Dorothy Joan Riley, SO-PB, Email address: do eriley1@verizon.net
Cover photo: The crew of ALL BOOKED UP from Flo lla 79 maintain a safety zone near the JBU OPAL, the 436-foot oil/ chemical tanker during its visit to Tampa Bay May 3, 2015. Kathleen Heide is at the helm with crewmembers, Be y Hagan, Richard Rioles and Valerie Fernandes, Flo lla 78 (photographer).
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Intercom
USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
From the Helm Jeffrey Gines, Division Commander Shipmates:
It’s difficult to believe that the first half of 2015 is behind us now. As a team, you have achieved much so far this year – achievements that could not have been realized without the tremendous focus, commitment, and sacrifice you make day in and day out. I want to take this moment to express my deepest apprecia on and gra tude not only for your outstanding efforts and contribu ons but also for your willingness to embrace exci ng opportuni es and new challenges to serve our communi es, the Coast Guard and Auxiliary, and this great country - all of which you have voluntarily taken upon yourself. I cannot thank you enough. All of that con nues to be exemplified by you across our many missions. From assis ng with B-0 SAR Standby and watch standing at the Command Center on a weekly basis, to your work at the Preven on Department, you con nue to elevate, enhance, and deliver valued support capabili es to Sta on and Sector St Petersburg. Your efforts in working the Sector Open House during Na onal Safe Boa ng Week to make it a safe and exci ng venue for Sector and the public were evidenced in a record number of volunteers from this division. The breadth and depth of your ac vi es and ini aves during Na onal Safe Boa ng Week (NSBW) was incredible and well beyond being able to highlight all of those many successes. For certain, the way in which you have embraced, expanded, and delivered on our NSBW campaign is outstanding. As well, the numerous Recrea onal Boa ng Safety Outreach and Public Affairs events with program partners and at boat shows is really driving home our message on boa ng safety and environmental protec on and ge ng great visibility and reach. One program that has recently made trac on is our “Life Jacket Zone” stencil program. Through diligence and leadership in partnering with the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the Marine Safety Unit, this division has gained approval for applying that signage at 19 boat ramps across Hillsborough County. As of this point, the Vessel Safety Checks given across the division represent a 4 percent increase over the same period last year, with some of our Flo llas mak-
ing tremendous improvements in their capabili es not just to sustain but also to increase their reach on this important mission. As well, to date the division has increased its Public Educa on class graduates by nearly 450 percent over the same period last year. This is remarkable. With con nuing successes such as that of Flo lla 75 Apollo Beach in delivering children boa ng classes to over 800 students, Flo lla 78 Pass-a-Grille with teaching boa ng safety to over 400 elementary school children, and the overall expansion of course offerings by all of our flo llas across the division, you are all achieving great results in this primary mission. , This will posi vely impact the lives of boaters and children for years to come. While I have only touched the surface when highligh ng the outstanding work you all are doing, the great thing is that we have a na onal and district level award winning newsle er that captures it the best. Please take me to read and enjoy the many great ar cles and photographs in this issue. Having said that, I want to con nue to reinforce with all of you the concept of the three “R’s”: doing the right things, doing them the right way, and ge ng the right results. This is not just a principle for us, but also a guide-on for the progress we will con nue to make throughout the year. In a recent conversa on with some of our members, we talked about various policy changes and some broader organiza onal challenges that we face. Certainly, these types of challenges are not new for us. However, one point made in speaking with those members about these challenges was that perfec on is not the expecta on, but rather focus and commitment to finding solu ons, repea ng our successes, and incrementally improving on what we do and how we do it - our shared mission of excellence. Please be assured that in the coming months and even years ahead, I have the highest confidence we will con nue to overcome any challenge before us in our pursuit of excellence, driven by your exper se, your energy and your convic on. Lastly, in celebra ng our love for this great country and what it means to be an American, I want to extend my best to all of you and your families for a safe and enjoyable Independence Day holiday weekend. Respec ully, Jeffrey Gines, DCDR
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 5
From the Helm Gene Keller, Division Vice Commander What do you love about being a member of Division 7? With all of the forms, reports, mee ngs and other, perhaps less than exci ng requirements that membership entails, one might wonder what the mo va on for our high level of dedica on, commitment and yes, love derives from. Of course, there are as many answers to that ques on as there are members; each of us has our own unique experiences and joy doing our jobs while answering the call to serve. I would observe that although the details might differ, we all share a great deal of commonality in why we chose to serve and excel in the Auxiliary. The desire to save lives is perhaps at the very heart of what mo vates each of us to join, serve and love what we do. When our members are teaching a class of grade school, students” how to have fun on the water safely” I see the joy and accomplishment that comes with knowing that for decades lives will in fact be saved. When Division 7 vessel examiners are working the ramp, observe the passion and boundless energy
New! Division 7 Challenge Coin Ask your Flotilla Commander what you can do to receive one FREE!
that can only come from knowing that a properly equipped vessel can mean the difference between life and death. Crews and coxswains never stop training so that they will be ready to act decisively saving lives and property. Division 7 public affairs and publica on folks save lives, by ge ng the word out encouraging both members and the public to con nue the ba le for safer waterways. So keep up the good work, and love what you do. Reach out to friends and family and tell them how much fun and accomplishment one can receive by being a member of the best volunteer lifesaving organiza on in the world. Respec ully, Gene Keller, VCDR
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Intercom
USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Flotilla 72 St. Petersburg
Jack Lee, Flotilla Commander
Fl lllla 72 member, Flo b Ji Jim Fogle represented Division 7 as a co-host of the Reel Animals Fishing Show May 16 on radio sta on 970 AM. During the show, he promoted the USCG Sector St Petersburg Open House and the Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 7 public educaon programs and schedules. Fogle talked about the importance of Vessel Safety Checks and told listeners where to get them throughout the division. He also invited large organiza ons to call or email to schedule a one-day boa ng safety class at their places of business. Other topics discussed during the show included float plans, the value of briefing one’s crew and passengers before leaving the boat ramp, using a pre-departure
Nobody likes going to the dentist... unless it is 'Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day' and you can have some fun getting your dentist and staff to don a life jacket! That is just what Jim Fogle did. This is one dental appointment he will remember for all of the right reasons! Photo provided by Jim Fogle
Sector St. Petersburg South Moorings, USCGC Venturous by D. Riley
checklists, what do if one encounter b bad h kli h to d d weather, h and rules of the road. Listeners par cipated in live ques on and answer sessions. The Sector Open House was a success and several members of the flo lla assisted in landside and waterside ac vi es. Addi onally, members set up an outreach table at West Marine where they distributed Recrea onal Boa ng Safety pamphlets, answered boater safety ques ons, and promoted Auxiliary membership. Members of the flo lla provided Vessel Safety Checks to University of South Florida research vessels at their St. Petersburg campus.
Lest we forget- Flo lla 72 is celebra ng its 75th anniversary this year! ď ?
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 7
Flotilla 74 Brandon Dustin Buxton, Flotilla Commander
T
he Flo lla held an Open House Monday, May 26, to conclude Na onal Safe Boa ng Week. Despite radio adver sement and flyers disseminated by Public Educa on, Vessel Examina ons, and Program Visitor oďŹƒcers and members, no members of the public a ended. The day was not a total loss as members a ending enjoyed good fellowship and will keep most of the refreshments for the fellowship/Open House at
Flotilla 74 held an Open House on Memorial Day. The members and their spouses made the most of their time together with fellowship. Top row from left: Elaine Nabach, Jim Mulligan, Lucy Chiacchia, James and Lori Urbanawiz. Bottom row from left: Rochelle and Marty Seiden, Jim Nabach, Herb Wittnebert, Jeff Jones, Len Chiacchia and Gil Tomas. Kneeling: Frank Goyco. Photo by Claire Wittnebert. (Submitted by Len Chiacchia)
Williams Park, Riverview, Fla. by D. Riley
the conclusion of the July 4 parade. FLOT LINES is publishing once more. Check out our redesigned newsle er on our website! As ever, our Public Educa on program results are stellar!ď ?
Above: The National Safe Boating Week and recruiting display at Winter Haven Library. The display was maintained throughout the month of May by the Polk County detachment. Photo provided by Gil Thomas
Claire Wittnebert models a life jacket in support of National Safe Boating Week and the national "Wear It" campaign. Photo by Frank Goyco
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Intercom
USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Flotilla 75 Ruskin Gary Mull, Flotilla Commander
F
lo lla 75 Apollo Beach held an Open House at its new Flo lla mee ng loca on June 11 for prospecve members of Tampa Sailing Squadron. Congratula ons and many thanks to Flo lla 75 Apollo Beach members Gary Mull, Kevin Buckley, Maria Elena Taylor, Bob Be nger, and Pat Stone for presen ng the “Boa ng Fun” class to over 780 children and 40 adults at Ruskin Elementary School. An incredible amount
of planning and coordina on went into making this a great success. A remarkable achievement! The members presented to another 40 children at E.G. Simmons Guy Harvey Fish Camp Tuesday, June 23, and will present to another class of 40 older children July 9. Children love our program and seem to take it all in!
Just a few of the over 780 children...
Judith Clapp, Maria Elena Taylor, Pat Stone, Kevin Buckley and Gary Mull pose with one group of the over 780 elementary school students who attended the "Boating Fun" program at Ruskin Elementary School during National Safe Boating Week. Photo submitted by Pat Stone Note: The masks were added by the editor to obscure the children's faces.
E.G. Simmons Park, Ruskin, Fla., boat ramp by D. Riley
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 9
Flotilla 78 Pass-a-Grille Tony Novellino, Flotilla Commander
Flotilla 78 Celebrates NSBW Submitted by Tony Novellino
F
lo lla 78 members Mike Berkowitz, Tony Novellino and Tom Perry ended Na onal Safe Boa ng Campaign with 6 separate summer break safety on or around water presenta ons to Pinellas County elementary school students. They addressed different age categories so it was a combina on of slides, pictures and safety equipment demonstra ons. The theme focus was having summer break fun: “Think Safety,” “Act Safely,” “Be Safe.” What three messages were consistent for all the children regardless of age category?
Students were introduced to the importance of wearing sun screen and drinking plenty of fluids. They had the opportunity to find and try on a life jacket for the correct size and fit. When they le the session when asked, “What’s the first thing you do before ge ng on a boat? They all shouted out, “Wear a life jacket!” The Auxiliary team felt good the message to wear a life jacket was received with enthusiasm.
1) Never go near water without adult supervision, 2) When on a water cra wear a life jacket, 3) Reach…throw…don’t go…in the water. If someone is struggling in the water, throw a floata on device and call for help!! It was an interac ve learning discussion about what these children did on summer break. They men oned they spend a lot of me in pools, beaches, rivers and the Gulf of Mexico. Some said their family owned a boat but almost all said they o en are on a boat, kayak or personal water cra .
Flotilla 78 members Mike Berkowitz (rear) and Tony Novellino speak to students at Skyview Elementary School in Pinellas Park. Along with member, Tom Perry, they offered the students the opportunity try on life jackets while teaching them about safety on and around the water. Photo by Tom Perry
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Intercom
USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Flotilla 7-16 Gulfport Tom Bodi, Flotilla Commander
D
uring Na onal Safe Boa ng Week, members of Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport conducted Vessel Safety Checks at Gulfport Marina and Fort De Soto boat ramp and set up public informa on tables with Recrea onal Boa ng Safety literature. We also par cipated at the Sector Open House May 16, 2015.
Congratula ons to Gerald Hayward for earning Vessel Examiner and Program Visitor qualifica ons!
Gulfport Mayor Sam Henderson presented the Na onal Safe Boa ng Week proclama on to members Terry Hershman, Bill Zinner and Tom Bodi. We are ac vely recrui ng new member within the Hispanic community through local churches. Member Vern Lewis visits the churches, talks to the ministers and church members and brings recrui ng brochures to hand out in an a empt to diversify our membership. Our members a ended a hurricane seminar with the City of Gulfport and Opera on Lifeguard at Fort De Soto boat ramp. We con nue to visit Bay Pines Hospital on the second Tuesday each month as a part of our community outreach efforts. We also visited Eckerd College. (See ar cle this issue.) Gulfport Radio provided a radio watch May 31 and members William Zinner, Tom Bodi and Terry Hershman assisted during the Rescue 21 degrada on May 17, 2015. Members including Terry Hershman and Orrie Baffi flew on a C-130 Hercules from Clearwater June 22, 2015 during a prac ce mission. You cannot imagine the thrill of swooping to 65-70 feet above the water's surface!
Above: Gulfport Mayor Sam Henderson presents the National Safe Boating Week proclamation to members Terry Hershman, Bill Zinner and Tom Bodi. Photo submitted by Terry Hershman Below: Terry Hershman listens through his headset to the pilot's narration during the flight on the C-130 Hercules aircraft Jun 22, 2015. Tom Bodi, Terry Hershman and Orrie Baffi prepare to board the C-130 Hercules. Photos by Orrie Baffi
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 11
Division Di i i 7 Celebrates C l b National N i l Safe S f Boating B i Week W k By Darren Hart, National Safe Boating Week Coordinator efore the official start of Na onal Safe Boa ng Week, members of Division 7 promoted “Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day” May 15 through social media.
B
plays and brochures on over 20 vendor tables and booths. About 250 people visited the booth. Watchstanders walked the show grounds taking photos of people wearing our life jackets.
Individuals and agencies from all over the country responded by pos ng over 200 group photos and ‘selfies.’ Parcipants included local and na onal companies and partner agencies including Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservaon Commission, Alaska Coast Guard, American Canoe Associa on, Discover Boa ng, Mustang Survival, Boat US, US Fish and Wildlife, WFLA, Na onal Associa on of State Boa ng Law Administrators, Na onal Transporta on Board and others.
Jim Fogle of Flo lla 72 St. Petersburg co-hosted the Reel Animals Fishing Show May 16. During the show, he promoted the USCG Sector St Petersburg Open House, discussed many safe boa ng topics and informed listeners where to obtain Vessel Safety Checks or a end boa ng safety classes.
As an extension of the commi ee’s ini a ves on “Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day,” all division members were encouraged to take a “selfie.” Overall, the division reached over 10,000 people during Na onal Safe Boa ng Week on social media. There were over 1000 tweets during the month of Na onal Safe Boa ng Week with a following of approximately 400. The Facebook account www.facebook.com/ USCGAUXTAMPA received over 130 views per day. In addi on to the life jacket campaign, we promoted the new Coast Guard Boa ng Safety app at every event throughout the week and posted links to the app on division Facebook and Twi er accounts. Fortuitously, the Florida State Fairgrounds held the Tampa Bay Boat Show May 15-17 where division members staffed a public informa on booth. Darren Hart, Staff Officer-Program Visitor 7 did a vendor sweep of the en re show and placed life jacket dis-
Division 7 directly supported the Fourth Annual Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Open House held May 16. This event highlighted this Sector's missions to our local communi es by offering vessel tours, sta c displays, opera onal demonstraons, and Na onal Safe Boa ng Week proclama ons presented by several State and local government officials. Landside, Auxiliary volunteers coordinated safety and security for the event, stood posts throughout the base during the event, took photos of a endees wearing life jackets, and served as watchstanders at public educa on and informa on booths and displays. Waterside, several Auxiliary facili es and their crews conducted safety patrols and par cipated in Coast Guard demonstra ons.
A few of the many group photos and selfies posted on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Division 7 Holds Annual Award Ceremony Awards highlight unique strengths of individual flotillas and members.
TAMPA, April 18, 2015--John Simone from Flotilla 79 (center) poses with the Division 7 Auxiliarists of the Year Award flanked by Coast Guard and Auxiliary leadership. From left, are BMCS Eamon McCormack, Officer in Charge, USCG Station St Petersburg; CDR Sean Ryan, Deputy Commander, USCG Sector St. Petersburg: Paulette Parent, District Captain-West D7, USCG Auxiliary; Simone, COMO Robert Weskerna, Commander D7, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and Jeff Gines, Division 7 Commander, USCG Auxiliary. Inset photo and background 'frame' by Linda Brandt, Flotilla 74 Brandon
E
ach year, Division 7 honors flo llas and members for their contribu ons to the Auxiliary, the Coast Guard and to the safety of the recrea onal boa ng public. The strengths and contribu ons made by flo llas is as unique as are those of our individual members. Division 7 held its annual awards ceremony Saturday, April 18, 2015, at the Columbia Restaurant Centennial Museum Room in Tampa. Dis nguished guests included BMCS Eamon McCormack, Officer in Charge, Sta on St Petersburg; CDR Sean Ryan, Deputy Commander Sector St. Petersburg, ENS Nate Borders, USCG, Auxiliary Order Management Administrator and spouse, Emily. United States Coast Guard Auxiliary guests included COMO Robert Weskerna, District Commodore, 7th District and spouse, (and Auxiliary member) Jackie; Paule e Parent, District Captain-
West, 7th District; Donald Hoge, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator, Sector St Petersburg; and Ronald Howington, his replacement. While our strengths and areas of exper se vary from one flo lla to another, combined, Division 7 is a force to be reckoned with! We congratulate all of our winners, especially John Simone, Flo lla 79, Division 7 Auxiliarist of the Year. Flo lla and individual awards are listed on separate pages. The awards presented in 2015 are based on ac vi es logged in the Auxiliary database from Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2014.
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 13
Division 7 2014 Flotilla Awards
Individual Awards
Krough Award for Public Education Flotilla 74
Division 7 Auxiliarist of the Year John Simone, Flotilla 79
Oalman Award for Member Training Flotilla 72
Most Public Education Instructor Hours Galen Johnson, Flotilla 74 - 159 Hours
Mike Award for Membership Growth and Retention Flotilla 79
Most Public Education Aide Hours Louis Pfirrman, Flotilla 78 - 76 Hours
Prescott Award for Vessel Examinations Flotilla 7-16
Most Member Training Instructor Hours David Rockwell, Flotilla 72 - 35 Hours
Richie Award for Public Affairs Flotilla 72 Richie Award for Publications Flotilla 78 McKendree Award for Specialty Course Advancement Flotilla 72 Nettling Award for Operations Flotilla 79 Shingledecker Award for RBS Program Visits Flotilla 7-16 The Captain’s Jug Flotilla 74
Most Skipper Hours John Ryan, Flotilla 72 - 446 Hours Most Skipper Hours John Simone, Flotilla 79 - 305.5 Hours Most Crew Hours Richard Smith, Flotilla 72 - 146 Hours Most Search and Rescue Assist Hours Richard Short, Flotilla 72 - 16.3 Hours Most Search and Rescue Assist Hours John Simone, Flotilla 79 - 16.7 Hours Most Vessel Safety Checks Don Rimel, Flotilla 7-16 - 160 Hours Most RBS Program Visits Don Rimel, Flotilla 7-16 - 505
Flotilla 72 Celebrates 75th Anniversary Chartered in March 1940, Flotilla 72 St. Petersburg celebrates its 75th Anniversary this year. The flotilla proudly displayed some of its photos and other historical memorabilia at the Division 7 Annual Awards Ceremony April 18, 2015 in Tampa. A brief history of Flotilla 72 follows the award recognition pages. Photo by Linda Brandt, Flotilla 74
Vans Evers Award James and Zelda Troiano, Flotilla 78
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Intercom
USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Division 7 Honor Roll
Honoring our members who volunteered more than 500 hours to the Auxiliary during 2014. Martin, Clifford J Riley, Dorothy J Hooper, Anthony W Massimini, Michael P Hershman, Donald T Risk Jr, Richard B Simone, John V Gines, Jeffrey O Churchill, Linda L Smith, Richard J Fogle, James M Nelson, James S Holensworth, Clifford R Clapp, Judith M Clatworthy, Kathryn A Bell, Dean I Hart, Darren M Perillo, David D Hoskin, Dean W
79 79 72 79 7-16 72 79 74 79 72 72 72 72 75 72 79 79 72 72
1,877.00 1,769.00 1,656.60 1,528.70 1,425.50 1,332.30 1,314.75 1,244.80 1,113.30 1,106.40 1,091.25 1,064.00 1,043.50 1,036.20 1,016.40 1,013.90 983.7 930 881.8
Rockwell, David M Bodi, Thomas E Mcloughlin, John T Rimel, Donald E Novellino, Anthony R Prado, Patricia B Aponte, Heleyde M Rioles, Richard L Keller, Eugene S Chiacchia Jr, Leonard A Buckley, Kevin T Lee, Jack T Curry, Katherine Ryan, John J Fernandes, Valerie Mulligan, James W Zinner, William P Morningstar, Kenneth L
72 7-16 79 7-16 78 79 79 79 72 74 75 72 79 72 78 74 7-16 74
881.8 820.6 818.95 809 793 785.35 761.83 724 721.75 696 676.3 632.1 626 622.3 605.2 596 581.9 577.7
Left: COMO Robert Weskerna, District 7 Commodore, expresses his appreciation to Rick Short for his service as Division 7 Auxiliary Unit Coordinator at the Award Ceremony held April 18 in Tampa. Paulette Parent, District Captain-West stands at left with Jeff Gines, Division 7 Commander to the right. Right: Jack Lee, Flotilla Commander 72 and Anthony Hooper, Flotilla Vice Commander 72 (left) proudly display the Oalman Award for Member Training presented to the otilla at the award ceremony April 18, 2015. Photographs by Richard Risk, Flotilla 72
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Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 15
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
National Conference Aug. 27- 30, 2015 Hyatt Regency San Antonio on the Riverwalk, 123 Losoya St., San Antonio, TX 78205
The convention provides a great venue to enjoy fellowship, get the latest information on Auxiliary programs, and attend informative workshops. Online Registration is now open to attend NACON 2015 in San Antonio and enjoy the events. Friday night’s Fourth Cornerstone Fellowship - Deep in the Heart of Texas – along with the National Commodore’s Banquet Saturday evening are always enjoyable. Those preferring to mail in their registration may print and complete this Mail-in-Registration and mail it to the Registrar at the address indicated on the form.
For more information including schedule of planned activities visit: http://cgauxa.org/nacon-2015.php
Mark your calendars!
District 7 Annual Training Conference Sept. 17-20, 2015
A word from
Florida Mall Hotel
COMO Robert Weskerna
Orlando
District 7 Commodore
For more information visit the D7 website: http://www.uscga-district-7.org/index.html 2015 D-Train Information
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=UNz3qWMBl5s
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Intercom
USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
First Coast Guard Auxiliary Flo lla On Florida’s Gulf Coast Turns 75 St. Petersburg Unit Formed During Threat of World War By Dick Risk, Publications Staff Officer, Flotilla 72
A
uxiliary Flo lla 72, headquartered at U.S. Coast Guard Sta on St. Petersburg’s south mooring, the oldest unit on Florida’s Gulf Coast, is quietly observing its 75th anniversary this year by doing its job since 1940 of supporting the missions of the ac ve duty component—business as usual. In the 1940s, doing its job meant patrolling the home front’s coastline, bays and inlets to watch for submarines, saboteurs and spies, guarding the Coast Guard airfield near downtown St. Petersburg, and performing dangerous logis c missions like transporting people and supplies to Havana, Cuba, while German U-boats were sinking ships in the Florida Straits.
Jack T. Lee, commander, Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, holds a paddle commemorating the unit’s 75th anniversary at the Division 7 awards breakfast in Ybor City, Fla., April 18, 2015. He is flanked by members Tony Hooper, Dave Perillo, Gregory Horst, Hal Chase, Dave Rockwell, Marla Short, Alexandra Kaan, Dick Risk, Rick Short and Gene Keller. Jeff Gines, Division 7 Commander, is at right. Photo by Linda Brandt, Flotilla 74, Brandon, Fla.
In 1939, when the raging war in Europe threatened the security of the United States, a group of St. Petersburg yachtsmen responded to a new law, the Coast Guard Reserve Act of 1939 passed on June 23 of that year, crea ng the Coast Guard Reserve and allowing U.S. ci zens to volunteer themselves and their motorboats or yachts to the unpaid service of their country.
The St. Petersburg flo lla was officially chartered March 15, 1940, as part of Jacksonville Division III. Flolla 4 at St. Petersburg was the first flo lla chartered on Florida’s Gulf Coast. By November 1941, Flo lla 4 had 19 members and 19 vessels. Once the United States entered World War II following the Japanese surprise a ack on U.S. Navy ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941, the number of Auxiliary members and Temporary Reservists joining the war effort as military teams eventually grew to 50,000. This growth resulted in rapid reorganiza on
and by October 1943 the number of flo llas in Florida had grown to 27 and each division was given its own set of flo lla numbers. Flo lla 4 was combined with Flo lla 2 of nearby Pass-a-Grille in April 1943 and redesignated as Flo lla 2-4. The original headquarters for the St. Petersburg flo lla in the Armory at 1000 Central Avenue was relocated to the Coast Guard sta on, in the 1300 block of Bay Street, SE. In 1968, it moved a block east to its present building at 1300 Beach Drive. On Nov. 1, 1941, President Roosevelt signed an order transferring the Coast Guard from the Treasury Department to the Navy Department. The secretary of the Navy authorized uniforms for the Auxiliary in May 1942. Immediately a er the Japanese a ack on Pearl HarCon nued on page17
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 12 2
Con nued from page 16
Lt. Henry M. Amsler, TR, Auxiliary division captain, administers the induction oath to 21 new members of Flotilla 2-4, the predecessor to Flotilla 72, at the St. Petersburg Armory during World War II. Undated St. Petersburg Times photo by Hull, Flotilla 72 archives.
Local members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary stand for full-dress inspection at St. Petersburg’s Central Yacht Basin by Comdr. Paul W. Collins, Tampa’s Coast Guard captain of the port. This was the group’s first review since two flotillas, St. Petersburg and Pass-a-Grille, were united and renamed as Flotilla 2-4, which later became Flotilla 72. April 13, 1943, Flotilla 72 archives.
bor local Auxiliary units were pressed into service by the Coast Guard to patrol the bays and inlets 24 hours a day using their own vessels. When opera ng under orders, privately owned vessels become facili es of the Coast Guard. A document in Flo lla 72’s archives says these vessels “were used to ferry supplies and men, and other du es assigned by the Coast Guard. They were frequently used to transport men and materials to and from Havana. This was especially dangerous duty due to the German U-boat ac vity in the Straits of Florida.” By the end of 1943, the submarine menace had abated. Patrols con nued but the primary mission had
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shi ed back to search and rescue opera ons. On April 10, 1944, Flo lla 2-4 was tasked by the Coast Guard to replace the sentries at the gates to the air sta on, around the clock, on a permanent basis for the dura on of the war. This was to release regular Coast Guard personnel for sea duty or for more important assignments, according to the St. Petersburg Times. “These men, when on du es assigned by the Coast Guard, are in the regular service as reservists (temporary), with the same status as members of the regular Coast Guard, while on the same assignments,” reported The St. Petersburg Independent newspaper. Flo lla 2-4 had recently completed a year of service patrolling the Gulf. According to a post-war report tled “The Coast Guard at War, Auxiliary XIX,” prepared at Coast Guard headquarters, dated May 1, 1948, the work of the Auxiliary in Florida waters was described by a local historian as “not always efficient, but usually steady and reliable and willing to fight with whatever they had, on a ba lefront as grim as any faced by our forces overseas, the Coast Guard Auxiliary in the Seventh [District] provided the men and boats and guts needed to do the job. No one could ask more. The Florida coast men were almost amphibious by nature, most owning boats of one sort or another, and all could offer invaluable knowledge of the intricate chain of keys and the countless hiding places for enemy submarines.” Public Law 451 passed by Congress in September 1945, added owners of aircra and radio sta ons to the list of those eligible for membership in the Auxiliary. Today, several Auxiliarists in the Tampa Bay area, including those from Flo lla 72, par cipate in the Auxiliary Avia on program, which operates locally from Air Sta on Clearwater. Two members of Flo lla 72 operate official Auxiliary radio facili es from their homes to supplement Flo lla 72’s “Bayboro Radio One” and other radio sta ons based with the flo llas. On April 1, 1967, the Coast Guard was transferred from Treasury to the newly created Department of Transporta on. The Coast Guard was moved to the new Department of Homeland Security Nov. 25, 2002, While it is not a part of the Department of Defense, it is considered one of the armed services, unique because it has a dual mission of law enforcement and military. Other branches of the armed services do not have law enforcement missions. Flo lla 72, with 76 members today, has proudly adapted to the changes over the past 75 years. It is business as usual.
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
By Do e Riley
In
contrast to most official ceremonies, the commissioning of the USCGC RICHARD DIXON June 20, 2015, was such a proud and happy occasion that it was difficult to judge whose smile was the broadest. It may have been the smile worn by Lt. David M. Gilbert, the ship’s first commander, or that of Adm. Paul Zukun , Commandant of the Coast Guard, who presided over the commissioning ceremony. Possibly, it was the gra fied smile of Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, LLC, the ship’s builder, or the honored smile of Mrs. Virginia Dixon, the widow of the cu er’s namesake, Richard Dixon. Other members of the official party included the Congressman John Carter, Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommi ee on Appropria ons; Rear Adm. Sco A. Buschman, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District; Capt Herbert M. Goetz, USN, Na onal Chaplain of the Navy League; Lt. Marlin Williams, USN, Command Chaplain Coast Guard Sector San Juan; Master Chief Pe y Officer Jason D. Griffin, Command Master Chief, Seventh Coast Guard District; Ron Valique e, former captain/owner of M/V FANTASY ISLE; and Skip Witunski, Co-Chair of the USCGC RICHARD DIXON Commissioning Commi ee. Also present were Capt Gregory Case, Commander, Sector St. Petersburg
Photos: Upper photo- Adm. Paul Zukun . Commandant of the Coast Guard officiates at the commissioning of the USCGC RICHARD DIXON June 20, 2015, in Tampa. Lower images: Le : Patricia Prado and Heleyde Aponte from Flo lla 79 a end the recep on a er the ceremony. Middle: WPC 1113 at the Port of Tampa awaits its commissioning when it will officially become USCGC RICHARD DIXON and acquire its Coast Guard crew. Right: Lt. David M. Gilbert assumes command of the newest Sen nel-class cu er from Adm. Paul Zukun , Commandant of the Coast Guard. Photos by Do e Riley
and Capt. Robert Warren, Commander, Sector San Juan. Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary 7th District who also a ended included COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, former 7th District Commodore with his wife and Auxiliary member, Barbara; Braxton Ezell, Immediate Past District Captain-West District 7, Division 7 members Do e Riley, Flo lla 74; Heleyde Aponte and Patricia Prado, Flo lla 79 and others. Con nued on page19
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Con nued from page 18 The Navy League of the United States hosted the commissioning. Auxiliary member, Robert Easterday, also a member of the Navy League served on the Commissioning Commi ee that brought the ceremony to the Port of Tampa. The Navy League held their Na onal Conven on June 16-21, 2015, at the Grand Hya in Tampa and scheduled the ceremony to coincide with this event. This made it possible for visi ng Coast Guard officers and other dignitaries to a end honorary dinners and other special events. USCGC RICHARD DIXON, a Sen nel-class fast response cu er (FRC), is des ned for Sector San Juan where it will play a significant role in maintaining safety in the eastern Caribbean. Sen nel-class cu ers are the Coast Guard’s next genera on of patrol boat. The FRC is 154 feet long, displaces 353 long tons and draws 9.5 feet of water. Twin fixed-pitch propellers powered by two 20-cylinder MTU marine diesel engines enable the FRC to achieve speeds of more than 28 knots. The FRC is named a er Coast Guard enlisted heroes. This vessel’s namesake, Senior Chief Pe y Officer Richard Dixon accomplished what is rare in the history of the Coast Guard. He earned two Coast Guard Medals,
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and more uncommon is that the events in which he dis nguished himself occurred only a day apart. On July 3, 1980, during a rare weather phenomenon brought on by Hurricane Celia, the seas were breaking 30 feet high across the Tillamook Bay entrance bar along the Oregon coast. The yacht FANTASY ISLE with five people aboard were so badly ba ered by offshore winds that they feared they would all perish if they did not a empt to cross the bar. BM1 Dixon placed his 44-foot motor lifeboat behind the yacht and posi oned it broadside where it repeatedly took on the full force the massive breakers un l the yacht was safely in the bay. Ron Valique e, captain of the FANTASY ISLE was on hand for the commissioning ceremony and presented a long glass (nau cal telescope) to Lt. Gilbert, the first captain of the cu er named a er the Coast Guard captain who saved his life. The next day, July 4, 1980, BM1 Dixon was escor ng another vessel over the Tillamook Bar when a small pleasure cra dashed around the north je y directly into the path of 15- to 18-foot breaking seas. Two of the four occupants of the vessel went through the windshield and the vessel capsized. Despite the waves that threatened to dash his motor lifeboat onto the rocks, he maneuver his motor vessel near enough for his crew to rescue all four persons in the water from certain death. The Coast Guard Medal is the equivalent of the Gold Life Saving Medal, most o en bestowed posthumously. Only one who “performed a rescue or a empted rescue at the risk of his or her own life, and demonstrates extreme and heroic daring” should receive the honor. The crew of the DIXON has a namesake of which they can be proud.
Heleyde Aponte and Robert Easterday, members of Flotilla 79 Tampa attend the reception following the commissioning of the USCGC RICHARD DIXON June 20, 2015, at the Port of Tampa. Easterday is also a member of the Navy League and of the USCGC RICHARD DIXON Commissioning Committee that planned and hosted the ceremony. Photo by Dottie Riley
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Division 7 Members Support
Sector St. Petersburg Fourth Annual Open House
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ivision 7 members supported Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Fourth Annual Open House held May 16. The event highlighted Sector's missions to our local communi es by offering vessel tours, sta c displays, opera onal demonstra ons, and Na onal Safe Boa ng Week proclama ons presented by several state and local government officials. The event launched Na onal Safe Boa ng Week 2015 and kick-started ac vies planned by Divisions 7, 8 and 11 designed to draw the public’s a en on to safe boa ng prac ces. Featured events included tours of Coast Guard cu ers, Coast Guard helicopter and HC-130 Hercules aerial displays, narrated helicopter rescues and Auxiliary facility demonstra ons. Auxiliary members staffed two Public Educa on Boa ng Safety booths, a Coast Guard Academy recrui ng booth, and the introduc on of the new Coast Guard boa ng safety app. Over 100 children received face paint and Coas e ta oos.
A visitor to the Sector St Petersburg Open House tries out sitting in the rescue basket of an HH-65 Dolphin from Coast Guard Air Station Miami. The May 16 event highlighted the many Coast Guard missions and kicked off National Safe Boating Week. Photo by George Papabeis, SO-PA 7 Below: Members of the Coast Guard and Auxiliary staff public information booths at Secor St. Petersburg Open House. One display featured the new Coast Guard boating safety app launched on May 16 in conjunction with National Safe Boating Week. Photo by Martha Rodriguez, Flotilla 11-10
With over 700 visitors a ending this year’s Open House, landside, Auxiliary volunteers coordinated safety and security for the event, served as watchstanders at public educa on and informa on booth, and photographed members of the public wearing life jackets. Waterside, several Auxiliary facili es with coxswains and crew provided safety patrols and par cipated in demonstra ons. Throughout the day, Division 7 members posted to Facebook and Twi er offering ‘live’, real- me event coverage. Source: Reports by Jeff Gines, Division Commander and Darren Hart Flo lla Vice Commander 79
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The “Putt-Putt Navy” Our Nations Response to German U-Boats Off America’s Coastline By Dick Risk, Staff Officer-Publications 72 St. Petersburg
Shell Key muster, St. Petersburg, Oct. 10, 1943. The Auxiliary unit in St. Petersburg was one of the first units formed in response to the need for increased safety in our coastal regions. Photo source: Flotilla 72 historical archives
The U.S. oiler SS PENNSYLVANIA SUN torpedoed by the German submarine U-571 July 15, 1942, about 200 km west of Key West, Florida (USA). The activity of U-boats along our coasts was instrumental in the creation of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. U.S. Navy, Photographed from a Naval Air Station Key West aircraft.
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to the U-boat threat in coastal waters during the early months of the war.
arly in 1942, five German U-boats arrived off the East Coast of the United States, inaugura ng the heartbreaking season known as “Bloody Winter.” The Navy and Coast Guard, woefully short of escort vessels with the necessary an -submarine weaponry, could do scarcely anything to keep the U-boats from running amok in the shipping lanes. In despera on, the Navy ordered the acquisi on of “the maximum prac cal number of civilian cra in any way capable of going to sea in good weather for a period of at least 48 hours…to be manned by the Coast Guard as an expansion of the Coast Guard Reserve… and operated along the 50-fathom curve of the Atlanc and Gulf Coasts.” Motorboats and sailing yachts, with numbers preceded by “CGR” painted on their bows and depth charges stowed awkwardly on their decks, began appearing on patrol sta ons all along the coasts. Many were donated by temporary members of the Reserve, or bought outright by the Coast Guard. Others were owned and manned by Auxiliarists. Known variously as “the Pu -Pu Navy,” “the Splinter Fleet,” and “the Corsair Fleet,” they made up much of the American response
As newly-constructed warships took over the load, the Coast Guard abandoned the concept. None of the 2,000 CGR cra ever sank a submarine, but they rescued several hundred survivors of torpedoed merchant ships and may have driven some U-boats away from temp ng cruising grounds. Perhaps the Auxiliary’s most important contribu on to the war effort came in the form of the Volunteer Port Security Force. An execu ve order of February 1942 directed the Secretary of the Navy to take the necessary steps to prevent “sabotage and subversive ac vi es” on the na on’s waterfronts. The task of protec ng the hundreds of warehouses, piers, and other facili es that kept the American shipping industry in business fell to the Coast Guard, which in turn delegated it to the Reserve and the Auxiliary. More history located at COAST GUARD AUXILIARY LIVE, The Official Blog Of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary h p://live.cgaux.org/?p=4121
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Auxiliary Radio Comes to the Rescue By D David avid Rockwell, Staff Officer-Communications Division 7 av
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failure in a network router May 17, 2015, at the headquarters of Sector St Petersburg le the Sector Command Center and most of the Coast Guard Sta ons without access to the Rescue 21 radio system. The five sta ons in the Sector immediately shi ed to their backup radios, but the Command Duty Officer, Mr. Hutchinson, and Senior Chief Burke recognized there were gaps in radio coverage all along the coast. The Command Center directed the Sta ons to call up their Auxiliary Communica ons Units (ACUs as we call them) to fill in as many gaps a possible. Each sta on contacted the Communica ons Officer for their Auxiliary division. Within 20 minutes, 14 Auxiliary radio sta ons were monitoring Channel 16 elimina ng most of the gaps in coverage 10 miles out into the Gulf. Rescue 21 is a sophis cated network-based radio system that provides guaranteed coverage 20 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico within Sector St Petersburg. Rescue 21 uses remotely operated receivertransmi er sites located along the coast on rela vely high towers. During normal days, the Coast Guard can talk to vessels in the Gulf well beyond the published 20 mile range.
At the Command Center and at each Sta on, radio operators control the radio system using a Windowsbased interface on their desktop computers. Each of the operators has access to mul ple Rescue 21 towers. When a call is received, a line of bearing appears on the chart screen showing the approximate compass heading from the Rescue 21 tower to the transmi ng vessel. This system gives Coast Guard radio operators immediate informa on where a poten al vessel in distress might be located. O en the lines of bearings from two of the receiving towers intersect, providing a very close loca on of the vessel. On Sunday May 17, when Sector and the sta ons lost the Internet connec ons, they could not receive or control the Rescue 21 towers. Sector and the sta ons shi ed to their backup radios. These are physically located at the sta ons. Unfortunately, the backup radios do not have the range of the Rescue 21 towers so gaps in coverage developed. That would mean a vessel in distress in one of the dead zones might not be heard. That’s where the Auxiliary sta ons came to the rescue. Many flo llas within Sector St Petersburg maintain Con nued on page23
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Con nued from page 22
Auxiliarist David Rockwell, Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, shows Operations Specialist 2 Philip Lengyel, USCG, the location of an incident being monitored at the situation desk in U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Command Center. Familiar with the capabilities of Auxiliary flotilla-operated radio stations along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Rockwell was called to duty May 17 to activate Auxiliary radio stations to fill the gaps in coverage when the sector’s Rescue 21 radio system went down. Auxiliary photo by Dick Risk, Flotilla 72.
radio sta ons to support the Auxiliary vessels when on patrol. All Auxiliary telecommunica ons operators (TCOs) are trained to virtually the same standards as the watchstanders at the sta ons and the Sector Communica ons Unit. Most AUX sta ons are located close to the coast. Although their antennas are not as high as the Rescue 21 towers, the collec on of sta ons provides nearly seamless coverage along the West Coast from Marco Island to North of Cedar Key. By the morning of May 18, Auxiliary Divisions 7, 8, 9, 11, and 15 had ac vated and were staffing 21 sta ons. Over 50 Auxiliary members stood watches at the various sta ons. One sta on, VENICE RADIO, actually intercepted a MAYDAY call, which the ac ve duty units did not hear at first. VENICE took immediate ac on to no fy Sta on Cortez and coordinated with the responding units including the Sarasota Sheriff ’s Office to assist the burning vessel. Around 5 p.m. May 18, all network connec ons were re-established and the Auxiliary radio sta ons were able to stand down. Sector St. Petersburg leadership has praised the efforts by the Auxiliary on more than one occasion. The Auxiliary communica ons staff is working closely with the Sector Command Center to turn the lessons learned during the con ngency into an Incident Ac on Plan template.
Members Of Division 7 Who Assisted In Providing Rescue 21 Coverage: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Jack Satterfield Anthony Hooper Suzanne Hooper David Rockwell Terrance Affeld Judith Clapp Heleyde Aponte Dean Bell John Simone William Zinner Thomas Bodi Donald Hershman
Flotilla 72 Flotilla 72 Flotilla 72 Flotilla 72 Flotilla 72 Flotilla 75 Flotilla 79 Flotilla 79 Flotilla 79 Flotilla 7-16 Flotilla 7-16 Flotilla 7-16
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Staff Reports Logistics Terry Hershman-Diversity Six members of the division plan to a end the Diversity ‘Train-the-Trainer’ session in Ft. Myers June 27 to become cer fied in conduc ng the mandated DHS “Micro Inequali es and Micro Aggressions” course. Two flo llas are working toward the Na onal Commodore 3 Star Award for Diversity. Leonard A. Chiacchia, Jr.-Informa on Services See ar cle, "How to Submit a D7 Help Desk Ticket for ICS Course Comple on Cer ficates" in this issue. Judith Clapp-Human Resources Congratula ons to Valerie Fernandez of Flo lla 78 Pass-a-Grille for earning her sixth Sustained Auxiliary Service Award. George Papabeis-Public Affairs George Papabeis, Staff Officer-Public Affairs photographed and filmed the Port Security Unit (PSU 307) live fire exercise June 12. At the request of PSU 307, Papabeis processed and uploaded photographs and created a select reel of PSU 307 footage for review
by Chief Pe y Officer Kneen (PADET) Flo lla 74 Brandon has launched planning for par cipa on in the Brandon Fourth of July Parade, the largest in the State of Florida. They are hoping to expand this event division wide for all flo lla’s across the division to par cipate and show their local colors. Do e Riley-Publica ons Do you value the INTERCOM? Do you want to receive future issues? If your answer to either ques on is ‘yes’, then please submit photographs and write ar cles for publica on. When you a end an event or ac vity, write a few short sentences or paragraphs and submit them for publica on. Include WHO a ended/par cipated, WHERE the ac vity/event took place, the date of the event (WHEN), WHAT type of ac vity or what the goal was (WHY). Strong language skills are not required. We need the basic facts and will build them into complete sentences, when required. We need staff officer reports, program updates, news of upcoming events, etc. This is your newsle er. It will only succeed with your input and contribu ons. Thank you! Con nued on page25
Threatening skies do not keep Port Security Unit 307 from conducting annual training. George Papabeis photographed and filmed the unit at work June 12, 2015, on rough waters and through rain. Port Security Units can deploy within 96 hours and establish operations within 24 hours. PSUs conduct port security in support of a requesting regional combatant commander outside the continuous United States (OCONUS). Photo by George Papabeis
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Issue 2
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Staff Reports Response David Rockwell-Communica ons Watch standers support Sector St Petersburg Command Center and Sta on St Petersburg on a weekly basis. Three Telecommunica ons Operator (TCO) candidates have completed their supervised watches. One TCO from Flo lla 79 is awai ng sign-off of the TCO-performance qualifica on standard. Two from Flo lla 72 are awai ng final sign-off of their TCO-performance qualifica on standards and updates in Auxiliary Data System of their Incident Command System and boa ng safety training. Flo lla 72 recruited the two members Jack Smith, Flotilla Commander 72 often conducts Member at the Tampa Bay Hamfest in December 2014! Training topics before meetings. Photo by David Rockwell Great work all. Sector-level data collec on con nues for all Auxiliary Communica ons Units (ACUs) capable of providing support during Rescue 21 degradaon. Division 7 has updated informa on for all its facili es. Division Communica ons received two adversing banners for Communica ons recrui ng efforts. The division will soon make banners available to all for use when recrui ng TCOs. TAMPA RADIO ONE covered one radio guard June 6. Remaining watches canceled when patrols were canceled. David Langdon-Member Training We are con nuing to gather informa on for B-0 SAR stand-by training. Member Training currentAuxiliary vessels complete towing evolutions for currency ly plans to conduct the training in October. Twenty-five division members a ended the Hazardous Material training class conducted by Tampa Fire Rescue and Sector St. Petersburg June 11 at Flo lla 79 Tampa. We plan to schedule a 4-hour Team Coordina on Training in September. In addi on, we tenta vely plan to conduct Naviga on training parts A and B in October. More details as they become available.
maintenance. Vessel on the left is SUE-SEA Q owned by Tony Novellino, Flotilla 78 with Dave Perillo, Flotilla 72 coxswain and Novellino, John McLoughlin, Roger Gilmore and Jennifer Logan Porter from Flotilla 79 serving as crew. The second vessel is LADY E owned by Gene Keller, Flotilla 72 acting as a recreational boater in distress. Photo by John Simone returning to station during a B-0 mission.
We con nues to put emphasis on our members comple ng the mandatory Auxiliary Learning Management System training.
Con nued on page26
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Staff Reports Con nued from page 25 Linda Churchill–Opera ons Division 7 Auxiliary facili es and crew con nue to assist Coast Guard Sta on St Petersburg with B-0 SAR stand-by patrols on a weekly basis. Changes to the Division 7 Auxiliary Order Management and patrol scheduling procedures align these systems with recent changes in patrol order approval processes. Division Opera ons completed the final dra of the standard operating procedures and distributed it for review. Division Opera ons is collabora ng with Member Training to offer CPR training for all division opera onal members. More details as they become available.
John Simone, coxswain, with crewmembers Tony Novellino, Heleyde Aponte and George Papabeis caught two rescues while on B-0 mission May 23, 2015. Coast Guard members at Station St. Pete carry the kayak from their first rescue on shore while the paddle boat operator was transported from the scene by ambulance. (Article, "Two Rescues in a Single Day" on following pages.) Photo by George Papabeis.
Our Opera ons officers are planning a workshop July 18 and 25. We ask all coxswains, crewmembers, Telecommunica ons Operators, and Aid Verifiers to a end as well as Flo lla Commanders and Flo lla Vice Commanders. Our Auxiliary Liaison will speak about the updated RSS requirement and present RSS training materials.
One Auxiliary facility in ‘C’ status returned to full mission capability. Another Auxiliary facility in ‘C’ status is undergoing an engine replacement. It should return to duty at the end of June. David Perillo-Naviga on Systems Dennis McNeill, Assistant District Staff Officer-Naviga on Systems D7-West held mee ng at FL 7-16 Gulfport June 3 to review the Aid Verifier repor ng system. The mee ng was well a ended by the Flolla Staff Officers-Naviga on Systems and Aid Verifier personnel. McNeill followed his presenta on with a ques on and answer session covering requirements to maintain currency and performance qualifica on standards for Aid Verifiers. The eight-hour training session for the performance qualifica on standard training by Mc Neill scheduled for May is postponed
un l July. Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport completed their 2015 private aids to naviga on inspec ons and is in the process of repor ng discrepancies.
Prevention James Fogle-Public Educa on Jim Fogle, Staff Officer-Public Educa on gave a Recrea onal Boa ng Safety presenta on at a local West Marine superstore June 25. Division Public Educa on plans to conduct a workshop and planning session in July to develop a strategy with flo llas to expand outreach to elementary school-age children. Flo lla Commanders, Flo lla Vice Commanders, and all division and flo lla Public Educa on and Public Affairs officers are requested to a end. Flo lla 78 Pass-a-Grille currently has 9 students atCon nued on page27
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Staff Reports Roger Sneden a ended one week of training at the Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examiner School in Yorktown, Virginia. Well done! Illegal Charter Opera ons training a racted a lot of a en on and various training sessions were scheduled, none of which worked out because either the Coast Guard canceled the training, or there were not enough Auxiliarists available to a end on the selected training dates. No new date is scheduled. Flotilla 78 members Mike Berkowitz, Tom Perry and Tony Novellino ended National Safe Boating Week with 6 separate summer break safety on or around water presentations to Pinellas County elementary school students. Flotilla 75 Apollo Beach members Gary Mull, Kevin Buckley, Maria Elena Taylor, Bob Bettinger, and Pat Stone for presenting the “Boating Fun” class to over 780 children and 40 adults at Ruskin Elementary School.
Flo lla 78 Pass-a-Grille conducted 11 Vessel Safety Check June 7 at Maximo Park. Congratula ons to John Baty for his appointment as Flo lla Staff Officer-Vessel Examina ons for Flo lla 75 Apollo Beach.
Division Public Education plans to conduct a workshop and planning session in July to develop a strategy with flotillas to expand outreach to elementary school-age children. Photo provided by Tom Perry
tending its Boa ng Skills and Seamanship class. Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport had 7 students a end their About Boa ng Safely class June 13. Noteworthy is a 20 percent increase YTD over prior year in Public Educa on class graduates across Division 7. Great work to all staff, instructors, instructor aids and members Darren Hart-RBS Program Visitor Darren Hart, Staff Officer-Program Visitor, secured authoriza on from Hillsborough County to paint “Life Jacket Zone” markings at boat ramps as part of new Auxiliary stencil program. We are awai ng approval from Pinellas County to do the same and hope to launch the program in July. Richard Smith-Vessel Examina ons A Sector St. Petersburg project to integrate Auxiliarist support has gained the most trac on at this me with Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examina ons (CFVSE). This area of integra on has become very important because of the October 2015 start-date to make the fishing vessel safety examina ons mandatory.
'Life Jacket Zone' stencils like this one will soon appear on public docks and boat ramps in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties to remind boaters to wear life jackets while on the water. U.S.C.G. Auxiliary photograph
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
May 23, 2015--Heleyde Aponte (left) and John Simone, coxswain, plan how to rescue two boaters grounded on a shoal with crewmembers Tony Novellino and George Papabeis (not shown). The 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Station St. Petersburg is in the background. Photo by George Papabeis
Two Rescues on a Single Day Bad judgement and bad weather place boaters in danger. Ar cle and photos by George Papabeis e they paddlecra or a cabin cruiser, some days boaters are glad we are there! Such was the case May 23, 2015, when the Auxiliary facility CHASIN’ TAIL performed two rescues while conduc ng a B-0 patrol. Aboard CHASIN' TAIL were John Simone, coxswain with crew Heleyde Aponte, both from Flo lla 79, Anthony Novellino from Flo lla 78 and George Papabeis from Flo lla 74.
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crew ed up the CHASIN’ TAIL, Simone kept an eye on the paddlecra and soon called over Papabeis to verify that the kayak operator was in distress. He had his paddle in the ver cal posi on. Simone called out to him and asked if he needed help and the paddler responded by li ing both arms straight up. They took the lines off the cleats and made way to the individual and his cra .
While in route to Sta on St. Petersburg, Simone and his crew no ced a lone Kayaker in Bayborough Harbor about 300 yards from Sector St Petersburg. The kayaker was heading away from the base. As the
The crew of CHASIN’ TAIL quickly determined that the paddler had succumbed to heat exhaus on. He had cramps and had difficulty moving his limbs. He also Con nued on page29
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Con nued from page 28 had other symptoms including nausea, pale skin and was dripping sweat. They brought the paddler aboard, ed his vessel to one of their cleats and headed back to the dock. They radioed Sta on St Petersburg and an emergency medical treatment vehicle was wai ng for them by the me they reached dockside. A er the kayak rescue, they transited to the Salty Sol boat ramp. With deteriora ng weather, they intending to take a break but con nued to monitor the radio. Two risky situa ons developed simultaneously. One was a vessel that ran aground south of Picnic Island while another was a vessel that reported engine trouble north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Sta on St Petersburg sent a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) to the Courtney Campbell locaon and assigned the CHASIN' TAIL to asses and monitor the grounded vessel. CHASIN’ TAIL arrived on scene to find an inboard Sea Ray cabin cruiser almost completely out of the water. They assessed the situa on and informed Sta on which replied by informing them that the RB-M was on its way to their loca on. They made contact with the Sea Ray's operator who said that he planned to spend the night on the boat.
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nent informa on once they were aboard. Papabeis would toss a line to the crew of the stranded Sea Ray and guide them to the back of the boat. At this point, the boat owner reconsidered and decided that he would leave with his wife. She was the first person to leave the Sea Ray and walk up to the edge of the shoal where the water became deeper. Papabeis tossed her the line and towed her and her waterproof ditch bag to the back of the boat to the boarding ladder, where Aponte and Papabeis helped her aboard. During her boarding, they shut off the engines due to the proximity of the motors to the boarding ladder. Since the seas where building behind them, Simone restarted the engines and backed up off the shoal and waited for the owner of the Sea Ray to dis-embark his vessel. When he was waistdeep in the water, they made their approach but there was a new wrinkle: he had a bag that was not waterproof which he held high so as not to get wet. Papabeis tossed him a line but he just held the bag up high.
Papabeis asked him to grab the line, and he finally did. Novellino and Papabeis reached over the gunnel grabbed the bag and then hauled the Tony Novellino and Heleyde Aponte watch as the 45-foot Reman alongside our sponse Boat-Medium from Station St. Petersburg attempts to approach the Sea Ray, which was grounded on the shoals. Unboat to the boarding able to reach the Sea Ray, CHASIN' TAIL with its shallower draft ladder. Aponte diliaffected the rescue of the boat's occupants using unconventional gently took down all means. Photo by George Papabeis their per nent inforThe seas were buildma on as they took ing and it started to them back to safe harbor. What a night for the crew of rain. The boat owner then informed them that his CHASIN’ TAIL! wife wanted to leave the grounded vessel. The RB-M arrived and tried to get close enough to transfer the Note: The second rescue, while unconven onal, was woman on board but the water was too shallow. The performed under the supervision of the Coast Guard coxswain on the RB-M asked Simone if he felt comRB-M. fortable a emp ng a pickup. The crew put their heads together and came up with a plan. They would approached the shallow shoal bow first. Novellino would go forward with a fully extended boat hook to probe for depth and to hold CHASIN' TAIL off the shoal. Aponte would help individuals at the stern with the boarding ladder and take down per-
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
How to Submit a D7 Help Desk Ticket for ICS Course Completion Certificates Submitted by Katherine Curry, FSO-IS 79
A
uxiliary members are now able to process Incident Command System (ICS) course comple on cer ficates directly through the D7 Help Desk. The following procedures will guide members through the process of accessing the D7 Help Desk system, crea ng a cket, a aching ICS course comple on cer ficates and submi ng the cket. Members with ques ons or those requiring further assistance should contact their Flo lla Staff Officer-Informa on Systems. 1. Paste h p://d7help.cgaux.org/ into your Internet browser and hit the enter key.
Name: <Enter your Full name as it appears in AUXDATA> Email: <Enter your primary email address listed in AUXDATA> Category: <Enter ‘ICS Course Comple on’> Priority: <Enter ‘Medium’> Flo lla #: <Enter your flo lla number> Subject: <Enter ‘ICS Course Comple on Data Entry’> Message: <Enter the following text: ‘Request that the attached ICS course comple on cer ficates for [specify each of the courses for which cer ficates are being a ached] be entered into AUXDATA.>
2. Click on the Submit a Ticket bu on.
4. A ach the ICS course comple on cer ficates.
5. Enter the security code display into the USCG Box as instructed.
3. When the cket form appears, fill in the following fields:
6. Submit the cket by clicking on the SUBMIT bu on. 7. The Help Desk confirms the cket submission by returning a Help Desk cket number. It is important to record the number and refer to in any subsequent communica on regarding the status of the cket. 8. That’s all there is to it!
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
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US Coast Guard Releases Boating Safety App. USCG News Release WASHINGTON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Coast Guard released its first boa ng safety App Saturday, May 16, as the kickoďŹ&#x20AC; to this year's Na onal Safe Boa ng Week. The Boa ng Safety Mobile app is not designed to replace a boater's marine VHF radio, which the Coast Guard strongly recommends all boaters have aboard their vessels. The app is designed to provide addi onal boa ng safety resources for mobile device users. The app is available on the Apple and Google Play online stores. Features of the app include state boa ng informa on; a safety equipment checklist; free boa ng safety check requests; naviga on rules; float plans; and calling features to report pollu on or suspicious ac vity. When loca on services are enabled, users can receive the latest weather reports from the closest Na onal Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra on weather buoys as well as report the loca on of a hazard on the water. The app also features an Emergency Assistance bu on, which with loca ons services enabled, will call the closest Coast Guard command center. The app is self-contained, so personal informa on is stored on the phone and is not sent to the Coast Guard unless the user chooses to send it. The Coast Guard does not track a user's loca on, and the app does not track a user's loca on unless the app is in use. The app was developed over a two-year period with BastayaPR, a non-profit organiza on in Puerto Rico. Na onal Safe Boa ng Week, which takes place May 16 - 22, is an annual event that encourages all boaters to prac ce safe boa ng. For more informa on on Na onSafe Boa ng Week as well as general boa ng safety informa on, please visit h p://www.safeboa ngcampaign. com/ and h p://www.safeboa ngcouncil.org.
aal
For more informa on on the app, please visit h p://www. uscg.mil/mobile or contact Lt. Anastacia Visneski at (202) 372-4648. Images are as the new USCG Boating Safety mobile app appears on an iPad. The Google Play images look similar.
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
How to Write a Great Newsletter Article. By Dottie Riley
Illustra on by D. J. Riley
W
ri ng an ar cle for a newsle er is easier than one might think. We all like to tell stories. Many of our conversa ons are stories that we tell one another, and in the Auxiliary, we have some great storytellers! When we tell someone about something that happened on a patrol, we are telling a story. When we talk about something that happened to a member or friend or what someone did, that is a story. A newsle er ar cle is just that-a story, but with some guidelines. There are several types of ar cles such as a news, feature or sports ar cles to name just a few. Each has its own set of rules and guidelines. Auxiliary newsletters publish few true news ar cles because one of the requirements of a true ‘news’ ar cle is a ght meline. It must be about an event that just happened, or about one that will occur in the very near future. Few flo llas publish frequently enough to publish news ar cles, and for obvious reasons, we do not publish sports ar cles- even if on that last patrol, the water was so rough that it felt like a spor ng event! That leaves us with a feature ar cle, a story with guidelines.
Here is an easy way to write a feature ar cle: 1. Start by telling the story. Tell it as if you were talking to a friend or fellow member. •
Don’t worry about the guidelines or rules. (We have not yet discussed those!) Just focus on telling the story.
•
Keep in mind that you are wri ng a story- not a report. Use everyday, conversa onal English. Keep it fluid. Avoid references to offices, tles, Auxiliary jargon and ‘official’ sounding phrases and terms that s lt the language and contribute li le if anything to the story.
•
Don’t worry about grammar and punctua on. That too comes later.
•
Name your players. Rather than “three members of Flo lla 74,” name the members. “John Smith, Bill Jones and Charles Howe, members of Flo lla 74.” (Use their names but avoid using their staff offices unless it is relevant to the story. For instance, “He asked John Doe, Flo lla Staff OfficerMaterials, to order the required text books.) Con nued on page 33
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 33
Jones,” and not, “he handed the throw-able to me.”
Con nued from page 32 2. Once your story is finished, go back and make sure that your narra ve is clear. At this stage, edit only the sentences that lend to clarity. Add details or descrip ons that will help the newest member understand what you are talking about and remove sentences or phrases that do not add to the story.
•
Break apart run-on sentences or combine two sentences, when necessary.
•
Edit for grammar and punctua on. Read it aloud to ‘hear’ where the pauses and breaks should be. Use the spell check built into Word® or your favorite wri ng program.
•
Spell out all acronyms. If the same one appears several mes within your ar cle, spell out all acronyms upon first use followed by the acronym in parentheses. Therea er, you may use the acronym. Example: Vessel Safety Check (VSC).
3. Did you include: •
Who is this the subject of your story? Who are the par cipants?
•
What was the ac on or event?
•
When did this take place- or what is the future date of this event?
•
Where did this take place, or where will it take place if it is a future event.
•
Why is this of interest to the members? Why this did happen or how was this done?
5. If you have not done so already, add a fi ng tle. Think of a phrase that sums up the story and will draw the reader’s a en on. Hint: What would you put on a billboard to adver se this story? Billboards allow for few words. You can use a sub tle to add more descrip on.
•
In news ar cles, this informa on must appear within the first paragraph, but in feature ar cles, some of this may appear in later paragraphs.
6. Be sure to include a byline! Readers need to know who wrote the story, and of course, your Publicaons officer needs to know too.
4. Close your document and take a break! It is best to edit it the next day, but o en, a few hours works just as well. Reread your ar cle. Be er yet, read it aloud. Is this the story you want to tell? If so, you are ready to begin your first rewrite. •
Every good conversa onalist should write ar cles. If people like listening to you, then you are a natural storyteller. Prac ce by wri ng about things that you may not plan to submit for publica on. You might surprise yourself and end up submi ng anyway!
Did you write in first person? (“I,” “we” or “me”) Rewrite in third person (“he/she” or “they”). If you were a player, then you should refer to yourself by name; i.e., “he handed the throw-able to
Be Prepared!
Florida Hurricane Season is June 1 to November 30 Know the Difference: Hurricane Watch—Hurricane conditions are a threat within 48 hours. Review your hurricane plans, keep informed and be ready to act if a warning is issued. Hurricane Warning—Hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours. Complete your storm preparations and leave the area if directed to do so by authorities. Hurricane survival guide. Download and print this invaluable resource: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hurricane/resources/Hurricane%20ENG.PDF Follow the storm progress at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
Award Writing Service Available h p://www.uscga-district-7.org/whatsnew.html
T
he Past Division Captains and Commanders Associa on (PDCA) has launched a new service for the members of District 7 - Award Wri ng. With the intent of ever improving customer service, the PDCA is commi ed to providing significant sa sfac on to all members of the 7th District Coast Guard Auxiliary by crea ng professional quality citaons for all Coast Guard Auxiliary authorized awards. The need for this ini a ve is based on District Commodore Bob Weskerna’s 7th District Opera onal Plan in which he iden fied four strategic issues - recognion being one of those four.
truism. A er a review of awards generated by Auxiliarists in the 7th District for other Auxiliarists over the last several years, it looks like the trend is downward. Then, if we link member sa sfac on to recogni on of their efforts via formal awards, the conclusion can only be grim. The PDCA Award Writers plan to help reverse that trend. Awards are normally developed to recognize individuals, teams or units for the following: •
Acts of heroism which may or may not have involved significant risk to the individual being recognized
•
Meritorious achievements
•
Meritorious service that goes beyond what is normally expected in the capacity in which the individual, team or unit is tasked
•
A dis nguished performance worthy of recognion
•
Some act that demonstrated noteworthy extra effort, extra work, personal risk or significant financial benefit to the Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary
The PDCA Award Writers con nuously endeavor to maintain quality and quan ty standards for award GUIDELINES FOR AWARD WRITING REQUESTS presenta ons by encouraging our members to recognize the extraordinary efforts of their The PDCA Award Writers view our shipmates. The PDCA is pleased to task as a kind of business, and the offer these services to all members rest of the Auxiliary as our customer. of District 7 with special emphasis If we help make our members feel on Flo lla Commanders and Division “...'awards are the even be er about their service to the Commanders to help them “take care Coast Guard while fulfilling one of only paychecks of their people”. It’s an undisputed Commodore Weskerna’s four ini aavailable to members fact that we all desire to present ves, then we will have been sucwithin an professionally wri en awards to our cessful. A er all, recogni on of one’s deserving members; however some peers by one’s peers is a sure sign organiza on of poten al award originators are in mthat a member’s efforts are apprecivolunteers like the idated by the process. That’s where ated. Coast Guard Auxiliary.' the PDCA comes in – we’ll write the Here’s all you have to do to ini ate award for you. It may be a cliché, an award for a member: but it’s also BACKGROUND • Send an email to: PDCAAwarda truism." We have heard many mes, “awards Writers@gmail.com. This will go to are the only paychecks available to fellow Auxiliarists who are working as members within an organiza on of part of the PDCA to actually genervolunteers like the Coast Guard Auxilate the award cita ons and forms iary.” It may be a cliché, but it’s also a Con nued on page 35
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Con nued from page 34
Writers will determine which award is appropriate based on the ac ons or ac vi es you provided in the email.
for submission to the appropriate sector. In that email include the following informa on: •
If this award is for a team, include the name and flo lla of each member of the team
When you want the award presented. Warning: it can take the Award Writers up to 30 days to generate an award, especially during busy mes like the end of the year. Similarly, most sectors require 60 or more days to review, process and prepare the awards. So, me your requests appropriately.
•
The period for which you want to award this person or team – it can be a day, week, month, years – in other words how long they did the ac on or ac vity for which they deserve an award.
That should be all we need, but we may contact you by phone or email to garner more informa on to flesh out the award.
•
What this person or team did to deserve an award – there’s no need to use award wri ng language – bullet points or a narra ve will work fine – but provide lots of “meat” so the Award Writers can extract the greatness of the member’s ac ons or ac vi es. Numbers, dollars, etc. can help provide jus fica on for the award and assist in dimensioning the member’s or team’s contribu on
Once the award is wri en, you will receive via email the cita on and 1650 all prepared for forwarding to your next level in the Chain of Leadership
Helpful Hint: it would be be er to not let the member or team know that you have recommended them for an award. Some mes an award is not approved and you, as well as the member or team, could be embarrassed if they were expec ng it.
•
Your name, tle (if any), email address and preferred phone number
•
The name of the recipient, tle (if any), their flolla and sector
• •
•
•
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If you have an idea of which award you want to have presented to the member or team, make sure to include that. If not that’s fine. The Award
currents is a live
Time is running out... Complete The AUXILIARY MANDATED TRAINING Go to: http://tinyurl.com/pqylcfq
document published regularly electronically with links to valuable information for every member, including links to NACON 2015. Auxiliary Leadership links - New Programs - National Commodore's messages and information for and from the member are its goals. Go to it by clicking: http://currents.cgaux. org/
Need a refresher on knots and bends?
ANIMATED KNOTS Teaches you step-by-step
Go to: http://tinyurl.com/27t7nnk
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 21, 2015--Ryan Dilkey, assistant director of Eckerd College Waterfront Program (left) and Jordan Kuperberg, EC-SAR staff instructor (back) offer members of Flotilla 7-16 Gulfport a tour of their radio room. The members are (from left) Eleanor Zinner, Oreste Baffi, Terry Hershman, Don Rimel and Bill Zinner. Eckerd College EC-SAR receive calls directly from Pinellas County 9-1-1 dispatch as they are an entity of the basic life service (BLS) network. Photo by D. Riley
Flotilla 7-16 Community Outreach: Members introduced to Eckerd College’s contributions to maritime search and rescue services in Tampa Bay. Dottie Riley, SO-PB 7 Tampa Bay 7-16 Gulfport has a unique way of increasFloing llafellowship opportuni es. The members schedule community outreach events whereby they learn about other agencies that serve their community and about how they may contribute to each other’s missions. On May 21, 2015, members Terry Hershman, Don Rimel, Oreste Baffi, Bill and Eleanor Zinner and Do e Riley from Flo lla 74 Brandon visited Eckerd College in St. Petersburg to learn about their Waterfront program, especially the Eckerd College Search and Rescue (EC-SAR) program. Ryan Dilkey, assistant director of
the Waterfront, EC-SAR and Jordan Kuperberg, EC-SAR staff instructor, spent more than two hours introducing the group to its waterfront programs, its func ons and its history. The tour began in a training room of the Ac vi es Center where the staff introduced them to the various Waterfront programs and ended with a tour of the Wallace Boathouse, mul ple docks and a boat ramp. There is a fleet of sailboats, canoes, sea kayaks, sailboards, and mul ple powerboats used for water skiCon nued on page 37
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
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Con nued from page 36 ing, fishing, special trips and other ac vi es. The use of recrea onal boa ng vessels is free to staff and students. The college also offers sailing courses and a number of watersport camp programs. Of special interest to the members of the Auxiliary was the EC-SAR program. Established in 1971, Eckerd College’s EC-SAR program is the only collegiate volunteer mari me search and rescue team in the country. Last year (May 2014-May 2015), they received over 690 calls for assistance resul ng in 7.2 million in property saved and over 1,000 lives. That is quite an impressive record especially when one considers that its members are unpaid student volunteers. Eckerd College EC-SAR opera ons cover 500 square nau cal miles in the waters surrounding St. Petersburg in both Tampa and Boca Ciega Bay extending from John’s Pass to Long Boat Pass and approximately 10 miles offshore into the Gulf of Mexico. Assistance provided free of charge to recrea onal boaters include towing disabled vessels to the nearest safe harbor, search and rescue services, coordina ng searches for missing persons or overdue vessels, and dewatering sinking vessels. A private nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organiza on, they train their student volunteers to offer addi onal services including firefigh ng, pulling vessels from aground, and responding to Pinellas County 9-1-1 mari me rescue calls as a Con nued on page 38
Top: Jordan Kuperberg, Eckerd College EC-SAR staff instructor (right) answers a question about the search and rescue team posed by Bill Zinner, a member of Flotilla 7-16 Gulfport. To Zinner's left is his wife and fellow member, Eleanor Zinner. Below: Members of Flotilla 7-16 tour Eckerd College Waterfront. Pictured from left are Orrie Buffi, Ryan Dilkey, assistant director of Eckerd College Waterfront Program, Terry Hershman, Don Rimel, Elanear and Bill Zinner (obscured) and Jordan Kuperberg, EC-SAR staff instructor. The college has a great number and types of vessels including paddleboats and sailboats to the power boats used by their SAR teams. The boathouse behind them (not pictured) stocks many items related to boating activities such as infatables, life jackets and fishing rods. Photos by D. Riley
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USCG Auxiliary
Con nued from page 37 basic life support provider (BLS). In order to offer this impressive range of mari me services, each student volunteer par cipates in a ninemonth intensive training program and must commit a minimum of 12 hours a week to the program, usually more. A er comple ng the ini al training, students may pursue specialized training in other areas including but not limited to emergency medical response, naviga on, communica ons, search planning and specialized equipment maintenance. When on call, these highly trained volunteers respond to emergencies o en within six minutes from callout to launch. While the EC-SAR program differs significantly from our own, Flo lla 7-16 members quickly iden fied pos-
Division 7, District 7
sible areas of collabora on. With such a wide range of vessels available in a single loca on, Eckerd’s Waterfront offers a great place to provide hands-on learning for new Vessel Examiners. Other possibili es include collabora ng with the college to offer Recrea onal Boa ng Safety Public Educa on programs, and par cipa on in future Na onal Safe Boa ng Week ac vi es. The members of Flo lla 7-16 le the college encouraged to know that so many young people are committed to service and to giving back to the communi es in which they live. Eckerd College EC-SAR makes a significant contribu on to the safety of recrea onal boaters within the Tampa Bay area. For that, we applaud these bright, young people mo vated by nothing more than the desire to support their community. They deserve our respect and admira on.
About Eckerd College In 1958, the Florida Legislature granted Florida Presbyterian College a charter to open a college. This name was temporary as they intended to rename the institution after a significant benefactor in the future. They started their first instructional program in 1960 with 155 students and 20 faculty in the Merchant Marine buildings on Bayboro Harbor in downtown St. Petersburg. They moved to their present location in 1963.
person’ is the program, Quest for Meaning, required in the fall of the senior year. Through a combination of readings, lectures from various faculty, self-reflective writing and a 40hour community-service project, each students thinks about his purpose in life and his responsibilities to himself and his community.
In 1971, Jack M. Eckerd, a member of the board of trustees, donated the funds that ensured the college’s survival. In gratitude to and recognition of his support, trustees changed the name of the college to Eckerd College in 1972.
• The College expects its students to deepen their awareness and comprehension of two central issues: sustaining the natural environment, and fostering cross-cultural understanding and respect for diversity in a global society.
Known for his philanthropy, abiding faith and public service, Mr. Eckerd was the College's principal benefactor until his death in 2004. He served as Interim President in 1977 and Chairman of the Board from 1977 to 1981. In 1987, US News & World Report named Eckerd College one of the five most innovative colleges in America. One of the significant differences between Eckerd and other colleges is its emphasis on student mentorship rather than research. As student mentors, faculty invest not just in the student's academic learning but also in the development of each as a whole person. A primary example of the development of the ‘whole
Taken from Eckerd College mission statement are these points:
• The College expects its students to strengthen their sense of personal and social responsibility for ethical reasoning and action, constructive community engagement, and thoughtful leadership through meaningful participation in campus life and the wider community. There are of course, a list of other points, but these two best help explain why young college students commit to the rigorous training and long hours required to serve as volunteers with the Eckerd College search and rescue program.
Volume XXXVIII
Issue 2
Summer 2015
Page 39
A Mission With More Ques ons Than Answers. Photo and story submi ed by Gene Keller
O
n Feb. 21, 2015, Gene Keller, coxswain, with crewmembers Loren Reuter, Flo lla 72, Kevin Yeaton, Flo lla 7-16 and Tony Novellino, Flo lla 78, arrived at the dock at Sta on St. Petersburg. As soon as they arrived, they were no fied about a vessel reportedly sunk off the north end of the runway at Albert Whitted airport and asked to search for it. They le immediately and upon reaching north end of the runway, they spo ed a vessel’s hardtop just above water level. Two skiffs were in the area. They approached the skippers of the skiffs and asked them if they knew anything about the sunken vessel. They told the Auxiliary crew that to their knowledge, the vessel was moored off the airport for a few days before it was sunk. No one knew how or why. The de was at or near low when they arrived and they noted that the vessel was not fully aground and was possibly dri ing, a clear hazard to recrea onal boats in the area. They also saw what looked like life jackets on the rocks west of the sunken vessel and smelled fuel in the area. Were they from the boat's occupants? How much fuel had spillt? Soon a er, three law enforcement boats arrived. One was able to get close enough to a ach an orange ball with a light on the hardtop of the vessel. They saw a sailboat south of them heading directly into the path of the sunken vessel. With its lights flashing, the Auxiliary vessel headed off to warn the sailboat about the sunken vessel. The skipper successfully diverted his sailboat to avoid the hazard.
On Feb. 21, 2015, while on a B-0 mission, Station St. Petersburg asked the crew of LADY E to locate a sunken vessel north of the runway at Albert Whitted Airport. Soon after they arrived on scene, three law enforcement vessels also arrived and one attached a red ball and light to warn boaters about the hazard. Aboard LADY E are Gene Keller, coxswain, with crewmembers Loren Reuter, Flotilla 72, Kevin Yeaton, Flotilla 7-16 and Tony Novellino, Flotilla 78. Photo provided by Gene Keller
With law enforcement in charge on scene, they returned to base at Sta on St. Petersburg. What sunk that boat and what happened to its occupants? More ques ons than answers, but at least it was no longer a hazard to other boaters
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USCG Auxiliary
Division 7, District 7
HAPPY 75th ANNIVERSARY Flo lla 72 St. Petersburg from all of us in Division 7
Nautical terms to know... Square meal: A suďŹ&#x192;cient quan ty of food. Meals on board ship were served to the crew on a square wooden plate in harbor or at sea in good weather. Food in the Royal Navy was invariably be er or at least in greater quan ty than that available to the average landsman. However, while square wooden plates were indeed used on board ship, there is no established link between them and this par cular term. The OED gives the earliest reference from the U.S. in the mid-19th century. PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT
The Privacy Act of 1974 protects names, addresses, telephone/fax numbers and e-mail addresses of Auxiliary members which may appear in this or other USCGAUX publica ons. As a ma er of policy, informa on described above is not made available to the general public or outside groups without that memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s express and/or wri en consent. When such informa on appears, its privacy shall be safeguarded and the informa on will be clearly labeled. Publica on of this informa on by the general public and/or outside groups is prohibited by the Privacy Act.