INTERCOM Spring 2021 by Dorothy Riley

Division 7 Tampa Bay

USCG Auxiliary

Spring 2021

Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant of the Coast Guard Visits Sector St. Petersburg

CONTENTS 4

From the Helm

Anthony Novellino, DCDR

From the Helm

Consider Taking an Auxiliary Training Course David Corner

Boat Passenger Rescue in Boca Ciega Bay Dean Hoskin

Engine Cut-Oﬀ Switches James Fogle

Daniel Helou, VCDR

10 Vice Adm. Linda L. Fagan Nominated to be Coast Guard Vice Commandant

11 More News from our Coast Guard Partners

12 National Safe Boating Week is May 22-28, 2021

13 Lessons Learned from Marine Safety’s “Good Mate” Course Applied to Vessel Safety Checks Phillip Creter

16 2021 CGMA

Fundraising Campaign

National Safe Boating Week Information Pages 25-26

17 A Bit of Coast Guard History Daniel Helou

19 Do You Know the Diﬀerence

Between our National Holidays? 20 Commodore’s Message COMO Pat McMenamin, Commodore, District 7 21 Member Taining is available online, and now in classrooms too!

22 Who are those masked men? 23 A New Look at Public Boating Safety Classes Real World Success Stories Sydney Hay

24 District 7 Auxiliary Paddlecraft Instruction Approved William Sage

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Division 7 Tampa Bay

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NewsleƩer for Division 7 Tampa Bay, District 7, USCG Auxiliary Spring 2021

Division 7 Elected Oﬃcers 2021 Div 7 Division Commander Div 7 Division Vice Commander Div 7 Immed. Past Division Commander

Anthony Novellino, DCDR Daniel Helou, VCDR D. Terry Hershman, IPDCDR

FL-72 Flotilla Commander Flotilla Vice Commander FL-74 Flotilla Commander Flotilla Vice Commander FL-75 Flotilla Commander Flotilla Vice Commander FL-77 Flotilla Commander Flotilla Vice Commander FL-78 Flotilla Commander Flotilla Vice Commander FL-79 Flotilla Commander Flotilla Vice Commander FL-7-16 Flotilla Commander Flotilla Vice Commander

Dean Hoskin, FC George Hornby III, VFC Francis Goyco, FC William Sage, VFC G. Robert Wightman, FC Don Binder, VFC John Laurent, FC James Urbanawiz, VFC James Tholen, FC Rollin Shouse, Jr., VFC George Bartuska, FC Michael Massimini, VFC Marcella Ruso, FC Howard Bush, VFC

Division 7 Appointed Staﬀ 2021 Communications Communication Services Diversity Finance Auxiliary Food Service Information Services Human Resources Materials Marine Safety Member Training Navigation Systems Operations Public Aﬀairs Publications Public Education Partner Visits Secretary Vessel Examinations Auxiliary Scouting Program

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Harold Chase, SO-CM Vacant Miguel Marquez, SO-DV Jack Lee, SO-FN Patrick McAlvey, SO-FS John Robbins, SO-IS Daniel Helou, SO-HR Anthony Hooper, SO-MA Kevin Cady, SO-MS Rollin Shouse III, SO-MT Anthony Hooper, SO-NS George Hornby III, SO-OP Kevin Buckley, SO-PA Dorothy J. Riley, SO-PB James Fogle, SO-PE D. Terry Hershman, SO-PV Anne-Marie Woolsey, SO-SR Raymond Langley, SO-VE Stephen Browning, SO-AS

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We’re on the web! http://A07007.wow.uscgaux.info You can contact any of our officers on the Division 7 web page!

Intercom is a publication of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Division Seven, District Seven. The cost of publication is provided by dues-paying members of the Auxiliary, an organization of unpaid, civilian volunteers whose mission is to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in promoting boating safety. Articles may be reprinted only with the express consent of the author or photographer, with proper credit given to same. For permissions or for more information, please contact the editor, Dorothy Joan Riley, SOPB, email address: dottieriley@gmail.com

Cover photo: Admiral Karl L. Schutlz, Commandant of the Coast Guard, addresses Guardians at Sector St. Petersburg March 17, 2021. (U.S.C.G. photograph by Auxiliarist George Papabeis, member of Flotilla 74 Brandon and oﬃcial event photographer.)

From the Helm Good news, sad news, other news, and a dramatic rescue.

Good news! Many of our members are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Not so good is we are still on limited operational Status following the latest April 15 Coast Guard guidance. The risk doesn’t justify the gain. The latest ALAUX bulletin from the Coast Guard only allows certain missions approved with orders by our local order issuing authority.

Tony Novellino Division Commander

Meanwhile, all our flotillas have been doing virtual meetings to help keep members engaged. Many members have taken advantage of our Auxiliary online training, thereby gaining valuable certifications and readying themselves for when we are once again approved to engage in day-today activities fully.

specialists, on-the-water operations and communication mission support. Paddle craft is a growing form of vessel entertainment activity, and Admiral Jones stressed the need for Auxiliary hosting paddle craft safety programs. On the shore side, he stressed maintenance support. He advised that we work closely with our Auxiliary Sector Coordinators and Auxiliary Unit Coordinators to help identify members to fill gaps in active-duty resources. Admiral Jones will be transferring out of District 7 in July and welcomed

Recently, Rear Admiral Eric Jones and Chief of Staﬀ Capitan Jeﬀ Randall, the United States Coast Guard 7th District, held a Town Hall meeting with the Auxiliary division commanders and our District 7 Auxiliary leadership. Admiral Jones thanked the district Auxiliary for all the mission support during 2020 despite the COVID disruptions and stressed the need to continue to educate the boating public on overall boating safety. He specifically highlighted the need for members with qualifications or certifications in areas such as Auxiliary Chaplains, nurses, Marine Safety, Uninspected Passenger Vessel Examiners, Auxiliary Food Service

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Division 7 Tampa Bay

Rear Admiral Eric Jones, Commander District 7, United States Coast Guard (U.S.C.G. photograph)

From the Helm

Rear Admiral Brendon McPherson to the Coast Guard 7th District.

Zelda and her husband, Jim Troiano. Together, they were most welcoming and genuinely dedicated to the Coast June 1 is nearing, and hurricane sea- Guard Auxiliary and boating safety. son starts in our area of responsibility. Their dedication was infectious - I Be sure to respond to Everbridge when called! The Coast Guard’s priority is to make sure all of its members are safe and accounted for before going out to assist the general public. ALL members must keep their primary and secondary contact information up to date with Auxdata and your flotilla calling tree. The information is used by our Everbridge system and your flotilla command to account for our safety during an emergency. If you are going out of the area, let your commander and vice commander know that you are away and not in danger of any local event. We announce the “Crossing of the Bar” of a dear friend and shipmate, Zelda Troiano, with a sad heart. Zelda most recently held the positions of Division 7 Staff Officer-Secretary of Records, Flotilla Staff Officer-Secretary of Records, and Information Services for Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach. In her 34 years of dedicated service to the Coast Guard and her nation, she was boat crew certified and served as Flotilla Vice Commander among some of her more notable accomplishments. As a dedicated Public Education Instructor, her ability to teach and capture our students’ interest resulted in many deciding to join the Auxiliary to be around dedicated mariners like

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covery mission. Winds were strong, but since they were in a sheltered bay, they thought it safe to go out to get fuel to be ready for the next mission. That is when Dean and Linda Hoskin encountered and eﬀectively rescued ten hapless people in distress. All ten persons- one adult and nine children made it safely to the marina thanks to his heroic eﬀorts. Dean attributes the success of this event to his training as a Coast Guard Auxiliary Coxswain and the able and willing skills of his wife, Linda. Division 7’s own everyday heroes! Bravo Zulu!

Anthony R. Novellino USCG Auxiliary Division 7 Commander

Zelda Troiano U.S.C.G. Auxiliary photograph by Dottie Riley, SO-PB

(Note: Read Dean Hoskin’s full account on page 8.)

know, as they helped recruit me eightplus years ago. Zelda joins Jim on their new voyage, and they are both dearly missed. Heroes at Sea Here is a heroic example of an Auxiliarist, Dean Hoskins and his wife, Linda, out to refuel his Auxiliary facility after a C-130 training equipment re-

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From the Helm What are our roles in the Auxiliary, our mission focus, what level of commitment is required of us and the inevitable question’when can we get back to work?’

“Question Your Answers”

Daniel Helou Division Vice Commander

This was the heading of a thought-provoking message I read. As I reflected on the impact of this simple but profound challenge – to apply analytics to what we actually believe and know about our leadership skills – an entirely diﬀerent message was born out of this process. What are our roles in the Auxiliary, our mission focus, what level of commitment is required of us and the inevitable question- ’when can we get back to work?’ I quickly realized how important it is to have absolute confidence in the answers I give to questions I am asked in the role of Vice Commander. School is never out for the pro, and there is still much to learn.

first mission as oﬃcers, elected or appointed, is to search for and groom our successor. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities for online education and advancement. The active-duty Coast Guard is opening up broader roles for the Auxiliary in specialties like Marine Safety, Pollution Control, Uninspected Passenger Vessels, etc. Many of those positions require core competencies, available through online classes. Encourage your shipmates to invest time in personal development during this “stand down.”

Additionally, there is a growing need for Division Level Staﬀ Oﬃcers, so expanding your resume can easily be accomplished through a decision and an investment of class time if Stepping in midterm, it is an honor to moving up into leadership roles is on be elected to fill the vacancy created your schedule. We all need to reach when Vice Commander Kevin Buckley up – to those above us while reaching chose to step down. I deeply respect back, to bring others along with us. Kevin, trusted and supported his leadership and of course, I am a little My goal for all the men and women intimidated to serve with Tony Novelli- that comprise Division 7 is to become no, Division Commander. Tony has a the “FACE” of the Coast Guard Auxcomplete grasp of both Administrative iliary and the “HEART,” Serving the and Operational profiles, and I feel I’m boating public and the Coast Guard. attending a “master class” each time Respectfully, we are together. Daniel Helou Novellino often reminds me that our Division 7 Vice Commander

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Division 7 Tampa Bay

From the Helm “Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities for online education and advancement.” -Daniel Helou

Consider Taking an Auxiliary Training Course With COVID restrictions still in place, why not consider taking a training course or two? Remember when I said in January that the first member of our flotilla to complete a course gets a Challenge Coin? Randy Keirn earned it by completing Auxiliary Communications in February. There are several categories, including the basic qualification courses required for all members, surface operations certification, recreational boating safety certification, marine safety certification, a deep dive into the advanced Operational Auxiliarist

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(AUXOP) curriculum, and courses for those aspiring to appointed and elected positions in the flotilla. Most of these courses are online, with no proctor required for the final examination. Check out the Training Directorate website at http://wow.uscgaux. info/content.php?unit=t-dept Jump in, the water is fine! Ω By David Corner, Immediate Past Flotilla Commander, Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach, and current Flotilla Staﬀ Oﬃcer-Member Training and Secretary of Records. Reprinted with edits from “Scuttlebut,” newsletter for Flotilla 78 St Pete Beach, Anne Marie Woolsey, editor

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Boat Passenger Rescue in Boca Ciega Bay Rescue leads to lives saved and lessons learned. Dean Hoskins, Flotilla Commander 72 St. Petersburg

April 10, 2021, at approximately 11:30 a.m., my wife Linda and I headed to Gulfport Marina to get fuel for our Boat “Duty Calls” The winds in Boca Ciega Bay had really kicked up the surf and it was not a very pleasant boating day. As my wife and I entered the channel for Gulfport Marina, we came across a small 14-foot boat in distress. The boat’s captain was having trouble restarting his engine, and his boat was dangerously drifting into stationary boats docked at the marina.

get to the bow of his boat. We held the boat in position to stop its drift. Several more boats passed, and the waves kept rolling in, eventually filling the transom with water and sinking the ship. We cut our line and quickly began throwing life jackets and floatation devices towards the people in the water.

Several ships had passed without rendering assistance. My wife and I quickly turned around to ask the captain if he needed help. On the boat were five children ranging from four years to approximately ten years old. To make matters worse, they were towing a float with another four children on that.

The raft was still attached to the sinking boat. I handed the father my pocket knife and brought him to the raft to cut the tow line attached to the raft, allowing us to take his raft in tow. At that moment, Boat US came to assist with the father and the four other children on the raft. I was then able to bring our five passengers into Gulfport Marina, where a lady who had seen the whole event met us. She thanked us for our eﬀorts in saving the five children in the water.

My wife threw a line to the other boat, but the captain could not find a place to attach it. We went around again as several more boats passed and did not ask if they could also assist. My wife threw another line, and this time the captain attached it to his stern cleat because he could not

I positioned the boat so that we were able to bring all the people aboard ours. We just plucked the little ones from the water.

Lessons Learned: 1) Always keep the working end of the line on your boat. Had we not done that, we would not have been able to release the line from the sinking vessel. 2) Always have throwable and extra life jackets on board. If we had not, the littlest boy who was not wearing a jacket would not have made it. 3) Teach your wife how to handle lines and situations in an emergency. Without Linda, I would not have been able to hold station and handle the people in the water. 4) Join the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. The training I received is invaluable. No way would I have been able to handle my boat and the situation without the intensive training that the skilled instructors of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary provided. Ω

About five minutes later, the mother of some of the children came to collect them without even a thank you.

Interested in boat crew training? Contact your FlotillaStaff Officer-Member Training or Flotilla Commander. Already, we have about 50 members waiting to be trained.

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Division 7 Tampa Bay

Cut-off Switches National Defense Authorization Act for 2021 requires the use of kill switch lanyards on Recreation Boats in Federal waters Submitted by James Fogle, Division 7 Staff Officer - Public Education

(Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)

On April 1, 2021, a new federal law went into effect that requires the operator of a boat with an installed engine cut-off switch (ECOS) to use the ECOS link. The link is usually a coiled bungee cord lanyard clipped onto the operator’s person, personal floatation device (PFD), or clothing, and the other end attached to the cut-off switch. Still, there are plenty of variations on the market, including electronic wireless devices. The law applies to all “Navigable Waters of the U.S.” When an operator is wearing a link while underway, the engine will cut off if the operator is separated from the operating area, which can happen if the operator is ejected from the vessel or falls within the boat. The shutdown of the engine is essential for safety reasons. Suppose the operator is ejected from the vessel. In that case, the shutdown may prevent the operator from impacting the vessel’s spinning propeller and may aid the operator in safely returning to the drifting boat. The law applies to “covered recreational vessels,” which means any motorized boat with three or more horsepower less than 26 feet in length and took effect on April 1, 2021. For more information, visit: https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/engine-cut-off-devices.php

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March Was Women’s History Month Vice Adm. Linda L. Fagan nominated to be Coast Guard Vice Commandant, first Coast Guard female four-star admiral is history in the making.

WASHINGTON – Vice Adm. Linda L. Fagan has been nominated by the White House to be the next Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. She currently serves as the commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area, overseeing all Coast Guard missions from the Rocky Mountains to the waters oﬀ the East Coast of Africa. Fagan concurrently serves as commander, Defense Force West and provides Coast Guard mission support to the Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders. Fagan is a 1985 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy and is the Coast Guard’s first-ever Gold Ancient Trident, the oﬃcer with the longest service record in the Marine Safety field. “Vice Adm. Fagan is an outstanding leader with 36 years of Coast Guard operations, policy-making, joint service, and interagency experience,” said Adm. Karl L. Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. “Throughout her distinguished career, she has been a top perform-

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er and a trailblazer. As the Coast Guard’s first female four-star admiral and President Biden’s nominee to serve as the Coast Guard’s 32nd Vice Commandant, Adm. Fagan will be instrumental in moving the Service forward at a critical juncture in our history.” Pending confirmation, Fagan is expected to relieve current Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Charles W. Ray on June 18. Congratulations Vice Admiral Fagan!

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters bulletin released May 4, 2021 at 12:24 PM EDT U.S.C.G photograph

Division 7 Tampa Bay

More News from our Coast Guard Partners

April 7, 2021-—This past week, Captain Matthew Thompson, Commander Sector St. Petersburg, recognized Auxiliarist Ron Howington for his more than five years serving as Sector St. Petersburg’s Auxiliary coordinator. In this role, Mr. Howington coordinated all Coast Guard Auxiliary operations for four divisions and 31 flotillas, encompassing more than 1,600 Auxiliary members throughout the area. Thank you for your tremendous dedication throughout your tenure! (Source: U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Facebook page.)

Mar. 17, 2021— Admiral Karl Schultz Commandant of the Coast Guard and Master Chief Jason M. Vanderhaden, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard visited Sector St Petersburg March 17, 2021. The two delivered an address and presented crew members with well-earned rewards. Admiral Schultz and Master Chief Vanderhaden ended the morning eating lunch with some outstanding crewmembers. Sector St. Petersburg Public Affairs office enlisted Flotilla 74 member, George Papabeis, as event photographer. Pictured is Master Chief Jason M. Vanderhaden, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard. Admiral Karl Schutz is depicted on the cover of this issue. (U.S.C.G. photograph by Auxiliarist George Papabeis) INTERCOM

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Valerie Fernandes, a member of Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach poses in front of the St. Pete Beach Community Center with a ‘Wear it” campaign poster. (U.S.C.G. Auxiliary photograph provided by Tony Novellino)

Don’t Forget...

NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK IS MAY 22-28, 2021 Despite the pandemic shut down, there are activities in which members may participate to promote National Safe Boating Week and safe boating. Valerie Fernades, Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach, secured permission from the Director of Parks and Recreation to post signs at the two boat ramps and the recreation center. Members should be vaccinated before interacting with the public and follow all Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Fernandes has also been so busy conducting Vessel Safety Checks that she has run out of decals. Additionally, the National Weather Service (NWS) has partnered with the National Safe Boating Council, a NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador, to help promote safe boating practices. The Council oﬀers a wealth of free resources such as infographics, videos, audio clips, fact sheets, social media, and much more. During Safe Boating Week, NWS will send a Public Information Statement and broadcast public service announcements on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards. Check out NWS staﬀ, TV meteorologists, and many others wearing their life jackets to work to emphasize how important it is to wear your life jacket when you’re on the water. Click the day/date for audio PSA files. Stop back for more information on each of the days above and view the safety message that will air on NOAA Weather Radio during Safe Boating Week. In addition, you can download audio, and several video clips of the PSAs through these links once posted. Some audio formats work better in some browsers than others. If you have issues, please try an alternate browser. https://www.weather.gov/safety/safeboating-week Remember: You can wear you life jacket to work and post to social media to help spread the safely boating message. https://www.safeboatingcampaign.com

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Division 7 Tampa Bay

Lessons Learned from Marine Safety’s “Good Mate” Course Applied to Vessel Safety Checks Phillip Creter, Vessel Examiner, Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach

me. I improved the way I performed Vessel Safety Checks, stressing marine safety issues. GOOD MATE: Unfortunately, mishandling a boat can harm ecosystems, wildlife, and water quality. Improper handling, irresponsible or neglectful vessel maintenance, and poor refueling, repair and storage habits all present ADDITIONAL environmental risks. Reducing these risks not only helps preserve clean water and protect the animals that live in it, but also keeps boaters and their families safe—and could even save money.

When a Vessel Examiner reviews the 15-item Vessel Safety Check Decal On February 23, 2021, at 7 p.m., Requirements with a boater, there are Commodore Kevin Cady hosted a four major Marine Safety issues that Zoom meeting on Marine Safety and Environmental Protection. He provid- Good Mate details, providing reasons ed excellent slides that stressed new why certain requirements are important for safety AND for reducing seriemphasis on virtual training courses ous risk impacts to the environment. due to the continuing ban on in-person training. He further stated that the The four are: Marine Safety Trident Training Ribbon (1.) Pollution Placard – Boats 26 will be awarded to those who take feet and over must display an oil several Marine Safety-related courswaste “pollution” placard. (Photo) es, including the Good Mate course. Petroleum products like fuel, oil, and I took the Good Mate course years other engine wastes can reduce ago, and it had a profound eﬀect on

growth, alter feeding behavior and lower the reproductive rates of many aquatic organisms. In addition, these toxins foul shorelines, pollute surface water, reduce light transmission, and reduce oxygen exchange at the water’s surface. Fish and shellfish larvae are extremely sensitive to even extremely low levels of petroleum compounds. Petroleum products also contain toxic metals. Studies show that sustained, low-level concentrations of petroleum in estuaries have long-lasting harmful eﬀects on benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms. (2.) MARPOL Trash Placard – Boats 26 feet and over in length operating in U.S. navigable waterways must display a “MARPOL” trash placard. (Photo on page 15) Ocean-going boats 40 feet and over must also have a written trash disposal plan available onboard. Good Mate: Do not discharge plastics or other solid debris overboard. It is illegal for any U.S. boat (anywhere in the world) or any foreign boat in U.S. waters to dispose of plastics or most other solid debris by discharging (Continued on page 14)

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it overboard. MARPOL 73/78 – known formally as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships at Sea (MARINE POLLUTION) – is the primary international convention that addresses the prevention of pollution from ships into the ocean. It contains six annexes, which cover the following: Annex I: Oil Annex II: Hazardous liquid carried in bulk Annex III: Hazardous substances carried in packaged form Annex IV: Sewage Annex V: Garbage Annex VI: Air pollution Annex I details the discharge criteria and requirements for the prevention of pollution by oil and oily substances. It contains technical guidelines and the concept of “Special Areas” that are considered vulnerable to oil pollution. Oil discharges in Special Areas are entirely prohibited, with minor well-defined exceptions. Diesel fuel and motor oil are not only toxic to people, plants, and wildlife. They can also block life-giving sunlight in the water. Boaters refueling is when

most spills happen. The U.S. Coast Guard recommends filling your gas tank only 90 percent to reduce the chance of spills from overfilling. (3.) Marine Sanitation Devices – Any installed toilet must be a Coast Guard-approved device. Overboard discharge outlets must be capable of being sealed. GOOD MATE: For direct discharge of sewage, some boats are equipped with a Y-valve, which can only be used beyond three nautical miles of the U.S. coastline. U.S. Coast Guard regulations require the Y-valve to be secured in the closed or inboard position (by a padlock, non-releasable tie, or other physical barriers) when the boat is within a designated no-discharge zone. Noncompliance may result in a fine. Sewage is human body and toilet waste. It is also known as “black water” (in contrast, “gray water” is galley, bath, and shower water). Untreated sewage can enter the water from faulty residential, municipal, or marina septic treatment systems or direct discharges from shoreside

facilities and boats. Vessel sewage is a problem when it is discharged into the water without proper treatment. Discharge can include—but is not limited to—spillage, leakage, or intentional dumping. Sewage pollution degrades water quality by introducing microbial pathogens into the environment. It also increases biological oxygen demand, an important water quality measure that refers to the amount (Continued on page 15)

Oil sheen on the water beside a fishing vessel. (Creative Commons license. Kris Krueg photographer.) INTERCOM

Division 7 Tampa Bay

of oxygen available in the water for organisms to use. The higher the demand, the less oxygen there is in the water for animals to survive. Biological oxygen demand increases in areas with many boats and little water movement. Like lawn fertilizers and manure, human waste contains nutrients that can stimulate algae growth and deplete the amount of oxygen in the water. While it is a repulsive visual pollutant, the primary concern about sewage pollution is its potential to introduce disease-causing pathogens to swimmers and shellfish.

(4.) Overall Vessel Condition – Deck free of hazards and clean bilge. GOOD MATE: Even small oil spills spell trouble for water quality. Bilge pumps often cause the direct discharge of oil and grease into the water. Use oil absorbent pads or booms in the bilges of all boats with inboard engines. These pads can be found at local boating supply stores or in boating catalogs. Check the bilge areas regularly to maintain maximum oil absorbency of the pads and dispose of saturated pads according to federal, state, and local regulations. Use non-toxic bilge cleaners. Many bilge cleaners are harmful to the environment since they merely break down oil into microscopic fragments that are pumped out in the bilge INTERCOM

water. Dispose of all maintenance products, rag, wipes, and chemicals properly. Do not throw them in the water or down a storm drain. Conduct all repair work and maintenance in designated work areas. These areas should be surrounded by berms and have an impervious floor to contain spills and make cleaning up easier. Sweep the work area frequently. Operations such as pressure-washing, steam-cleaning, sanding, painting, repairing, and constructing fiberglass,

varnishing and woodworking are best suited for these areas. Many boaters have used dishwashing soaps to break up the sheens or spills around their vessels, believing that dispersing the oil is helpful. DO NOT use soaps to disperse a spill— it is ILLEGAL. Using dishwashing soaps adds pollution to the water and sends the petroleum below the water’s surface. GOOD MATE NOTES: The U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary – working in collaboration with the Ocean Conservancy and the Brunswick Public Foundation – created GOOD MATE, a public outreach program aimed at reducing and eliminating marine pollution and environmental degradation. It oﬀers simple, Spring 2021

easy-to-follow guidelines for green boating that the boating community can use and share. A cornerstone of this program is the GOOD MATE MANUAL. The manual fully outlines best boating practices – practical steps you can use today. The manual breaks them down into six manageable chapters: the first five examine pollutants that can enter our waters through regular marina activities and the sixth addresses environmental hazards while at sea. All sections provide boaters and marina operators with many informative and useful tips to be leaders in water protection as well as insight on environmental rules and regulations, techniques related to preventing marine pollution, and how to respond to pollution violations. As a VESSEL EXAMINER or Member, you are an important steward of our oceans, lakes, and waterways. The GOOD MATE MANUAL is an excellent tool that oﬀers you simple, practical steps to protect the water that our lives and recreation depend upon. Those actions, multiplied across the entire boating community, add up. Download a free copy of the GOOD MATE MANUAL at: http://wow.uscgaux.info/content. php?unit=P-DEPT&category=ms-courses OR Download a free copy of the GOOD MATE MANUAL from Ocean Conservancy: https://oceanconservancy.org/ wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Goodmate_Manual.pdf Ω REFERENCES: ANSC7012 Vessel Safety Check (VSC), GOOD MATE Recreational Boating & Marina Manual (Ocean Conservancy – 2017) Article reprinted from “Scuttlebutt,” May issue, newsletter for Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach, Anne Marie Woolsey, editor.

2021 CGMA Fundraising Campaign Coast Guard Mutual Assistance It’s mutual! 2021 CGMA Fundraising Campaign started April 1.

https://www.cgmahq.org/campaign.html

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance serves the entire Coast Guard community: • Active Duty Members • Auxiliary Members • Civilian Employees • Immediate Family Members • PHS Officers and Chaplains • Reserve Members • Retired Military Personnel INTERCOM

•

Surviving Family Members

CGMA, it’s mutual. The 2021 CGMA Fundraising Campaign started April 1. Individual donations to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance may be made at any time at: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/cgma/

Division 7 Tampa Bay

A Bit of Coast Guard History: CGC Douglas Munro transitioned to in-commission special status. By Daniel Helou, VCDR 7

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On March 31, 2021, after 49 years of faithful service to our Nation, CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO will transition to In-Commission Special status. This status begins the decommissioning process. Throughout the cutter’s service, CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO crews embodied the cutter’s motto – “Honoring the Past by Serving the Present.” CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO was named in honor of Coast Guard Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of extraordinary heroism in World War II. As the Oﬃcer-in-Charge of an eight-craft amphibious landing force during the Guadalcanal Campaign, Munro bravely used his landing craft and its 0.30 caliber machine gun to shield and protect several hundred Marines who were under heavy enemy fire. He was mortally wounded during this eﬀort, but his actions allowed the extraction of Marines by other landing craft. Commissioned on Sept. 27, 1971, as the 10th cutter in the Hamilton Class, CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO was initially

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homeported in Boston, Massachusetts, but quickly moved to its Seattle, Wa. homeport in 1973. CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO again shifted homeport to Honolulu, HI in 1981 and then to Alameda, CA in 1989. CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO made a final homeport shift to Kodiak, Alaska in 2007. Throughout the cutter’s distinguished career, those who sailed aboard CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO served in a multitude of domestic and international theaters, including the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, the Persian Gulf and the Horn of Africa, and Southeast Asia and Eastern Pacific Ocean. CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO’s proud legacy of honorable service to the Nation began in the early 1970s patrolling Ocean Stations Delta, Bravo and November, providing weather data to trans-Pacific flights, supporting oceanographic research missions and performing search-and-rescue operations. CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO also patrolled the Pacific for decades as a critical enforcer of fisheries reg(Continued on page 18)

vors of the F/V ALASKA RANGER that sank in the Bering Sea early that morning. The Seventeenth Coast ulations, particularly with the interGuard District Commander at the time national fleets of the former Soviet Union, Korea, Indonesia and Russia. of the rescue, RADM Arthur Brooks, In 1998, CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO in- declared it “One of the greatest terdicted over 11.5 tons of cocaine on search and rescue eﬀorts in modern a Mexican flagged vessel, the XOLE- history.” SUIENTLE, which remains one of the During the cutter’s last year of serlargest single drug seizures in USCG vice, CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO completed 159 days away from homeport history. The following year, CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO seized the motor patrolling over 23,000 nautical miles in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and vessel WING FUNG LUNG, attemptPacific Ocean enforcing laws, treaties ing to transport 259 illegal Chinese migrants to the United States. In early and regulations critical to detecting 2005, at the beginning of a six-month, and deterring Illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing. This 37,000-mile global circumnavigation included an operation NORTH PAthat included support to Operations CIFIC GUARD deployment and two IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING Alaska patrols, concluding the cutter’s FREEDOM, CGC DOUGLAS MUNlong legacy of safeguarding mariners RO diverted to render assistance to countries aﬀected by the devastating in some of the world’s most perilous Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami. waters. Ω CGC DOUGLAS MUNRO’s legacy was epitomized March 23’ 2008, Reprinted from “Signal 72,” April 1, when the cutter and its embarked 2021, the newsletter for Flotilla 72 St. MH-65 Aviation Detachment worked Petersburg, Sharon Hartley, editor. with a forward-deployed Air Station Kodiak MH-60 to recover 20 survi-

(Continued from page 17)

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Captions page 1: Douglas A. Munro, U.S. Coast Guard Medal of Honor awardee for actions on September 27, 1942, during the Action Along the Matanikau, near Point Cruz, Guadalcanal. (U.S. Coast Guard photo) Coast Guard Cutter Munro WHEC-724 (U.S. Coast Guard file photo.)

Caption this page: The Coast Guard Cutter DOUGLAS MUNRO (WHEC 724) is pictured during their last Bering Sea patrol, in which the crew conducted boarding evolutions of the fishing fleet and were available to respond to search and rescue cases in March 2021. The Douglas Munro is the last operational 378foot Secretary class cutter and will oﬃcially be decommissioned on April 24, 2021. (U.S. Coast Guard photo.)

Do You Know the Diﬀerence Between our National Holidays? Honoring Those Who Died in Sevice to Our Nation.

Honoring Those Who Served During War and Peace.

Honoring Our Nation’s Workforce

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2021 will occur on Monday, May 31.

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 to honors all of those who have served the country in war or peace - dead or alive although it is primarily intended to thank living veterans for their sacrifices. It was initially called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I.

Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is traditionally observed on the first Monday in September. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day 2021 will occur on Monday, September 6.

Honoring the Birth of Our Nation Independence Day, also called Fourth of July or July 4, is the annual celebration of nationhood in the United States. It commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

(Memorial Day photo by Justin Casey on Unsplash, Royalty free to use) INTERCOM

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Commodore’s Message COMO Pat McMenamin, Commodore, District 7 “Safety First” should always be at the forefront of everything we do. As the weather begins to warm up throughout the district, this is a good time to remind our boating public and members, to do a thorough safety check of their boats, kayaks, canoes, or even paddleboards. As we brush oﬀ the winter dust and head for the water, we need to be reminded of best boating safety practices and the equipment needed to enjoy a safe, wonderful outing on the water. We do this by encouraging boaters and paddlers that a boating safety class gives you the tools to think safety first! We do this by oﬀering not only basic boating safety, but classes that enhance their skills and knowledge when on the water.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released the ‘2020 Boating Accident Statistical Report.” The document can be viewed online or downloaded as a PFD file. The statistics confirm that we must continue to promote our boating safety missionsPublic Education, Vessel Safety Checks, and the ongoing reminder for boaters to wear a life jacket. You can read or download the publication at: https:// myfwc.com/media/26468/2020-basr-intro.pdf Ω

For our members, we renew each year by completing training including the Risk Management/Team Coordination Training Refresher, the Operations, Vessel Exam, Program Visitor, and Instructor Technology workshops. We work towards our requalification exams on the water and in the air. We need to be proactive in our assessments and risk mitigation strategies in everything we do. Whether we are working in a galley, visiting partners to update our program visitor materials, conducting vessel exams, watch standing, pulling gate guard duty, preparing for a flight or patrol, or even a unit social event, we must continue to think Safety First! I want to challenge each and everyone of you to be a part of the “Safety First” campaign. If we put this practice at the forefront of each and every activity we promote and or participate, we will continue to make progress in preventing accidents, injuries, and deaths throughout District 7. Respectfully, Pat McMenamin Commodore Seventh District Auxiliary

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MEMBER TRAINING Not everything came to a standstill doing the pandemic shutdown

Member Taining is available online, and now in classrooms too! Aids to Navigation Workshop By Tony Hooper, Staff Officer/Assistant District Staff Officer-Navigation Systems

Operations Workshop By William Sage, Vice Commander, Flotilla 74 Brandon The Surface Operations workshop is mandatory in 2021 for all coxswains, boat crew, personal watercraft operators (PWO), paddle craft operators, and associated trainees. Members must complete this workshop by June 30, 2021. If the not completed by that date, program participants shall be regarded as not current in their competency, shall not be authorized to be assigned to duty to perform those program activities, and shall be placed in Required Workshop Not Met (REWK) status. Operations Seminar is up at: http://www.wow.uscgaux.info/content. php?unit=R-DEPT&category=workshop-archives

Flotilla 72 St. Petersburg conducted a two-day Aids to Navigation workshop May 1-2, 2021. Forty-two persons attended, including three instructors, one active-duty instructor, and members from Divisions 7, 8, 9, and 15. Within the U.S Coast Guard Sector St Petersburg Aids to Navigation Team’s area of responsibility, there are roughly 4,000 privately maintained aids to navigation. The Auxiliary inspects all of the private aids to navigation. Bridges over navigable waters require permits from the Coast Guard. The navigation equipment on bridges (lights, fenders, signage) is inspected by the Auxiliary. This work requires a high level of training and technical knowledge. The work is vital to boater safety. Aid Verifiers may go on boat missions without having Crew or Coxswain certification. Members interested in becoming an active member of this team working closely with the active duty, we want you. Ω

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As we slowly begin to engage again with our members and the boating public, be sure to keep your camera or smartphone handy to take photographs! We want to publsh photos of our members and applaud your achievements! Remember to always follow CDC guidelines, and make sure all members are wearing their uniform correctly.

(Photo free-to use from ‘Unsplash’ and edited by Dottie Riley for illustrative purposes.)

A cancelled Coast Guard assistance mission turned into an opportunity for crew training. Val Fernandes, Tony Novellino, and Ron Shouse were on a mission to assist the U.S. Coast Guard Clearwater Air Station with their C-130 drop. The air station, however, cancelled at the last minute to conduct a search and rescue (SAR). Thus, the Auxiliary crew decided to use the opportunity to conduct crew training. Novellino, Shouse, and Fernandes practiced search patterns, man overboard drills, and anchoring. Original story and photo appeared in “Scuttlebutt,” issue 4, 2021, newsletter for Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach; Anne Marie Woolsey, editor.

Who are those masked men? Anthony Novellino, Division 7 Commander, Ron Shouse, Commander, Flotilla 78 St. Pete Beach and Valerie Fernandes (not shown) turned a cancelled Coast Guard assistance mission into a training opportunity April 27, 2021. USCG Auxiliary photo by Valerie Fernandes

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One of many recent online Boater Safety Classes is captured by screen shot. (Photo by Karen Miller, SOPB Div 11)

A New Look at Public Boating Safety Classes Real World Success Stories By Sydney Hay, BC-BR When shopping for a new boat early last summer, I was surprised at how little inventory was available at local dealers. Even the resale market was tighter than I ever remembered it. Over and over, the same explanation was oﬀered by those working in boating sales: COVID. It appears that after enduring the springtime months with various “shelter-in-place” requirements across the country, our homebound friends and neighbors were looking to boating as a way to safely get out of the house into the fresh air and sunshine while maintaining distance from non-family members. One salesman expressed his concern to me when he oﬀered, “I’m selling a lot of boats. I can’t acquire new boats fast enough to meet the INTERCOM

demand.” What he said next was alarming, “My concern is that, while I’m selling lots of boats, some of them very powerful, I’m selling mostly to people who have never operated one before and have no understanding of boating rules and regs.”

urday and Sunday mornings over two weekends.

Finally, how to administer the final exam electronically and maintain integrity absent a proctor? The Public Education Directorate came through again and developed tests for each course with an honor statement and even included the This, at a time when most of the usual required state questions. auxiliary patrolling was at a standstill. Even the auxiliary boating safety With all of our concerns addressed, classes were shut down due to the we began oﬀering our classes to pandemic. the public. We had classes running in the 25-30 student range. A recipe for disaster. Our in-person classroom couldn’t Auxiliary units across the country rose hold that many! And, the dollars to the challenge. What follows are started rolling in. The upshot is that two case studies about how they did we taught over 200 students and it, the success they’ve had, and what brought in over $8,000 in just six they learned to guide public education months! into the future schedule and now run (Continued on page 24) our classes over four evenings or SatSpring 2021

(Continued from page 23) The vaccines are here, but as many of us will have to wait our turn, it still feels like it’s going to be a long time. But, putting it into context helps. Many of us made it through the Vietnam War which lasted almost two decades; many of our parents survived the Great Depression which continued for 10 years. Our soldiers fought in World War II for four years, and the 1918 Spanish Flu persisted almost two. Surely, we can hold on for a while longer to make sure everyone is safe.

up again for in-person classes, my flotilla decided that we’ll alternate classes with in-person and virtual. We really like the capabilities and so do most of our students. If you would like to see how to implement virtual classes via videoconferencing, go to: http:// wow.uscgaux.info/content. php?unit=E-DEPT&category=virtual-pe classes and read all about it. Everything you could ever want to know about adopting this new technology is in this Member Zone protected web site. Ω

Reprinted from “RBS Job One,” March 2021, newsletter of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Recreational Boating Safety Directorate, Sydney Hay, editor. Portions of this article were originally authored by Karen Miller, DVC-ED Be sure to read the current issue of “RBS Job One” located at: http://wow.uscgaux.info/content. php?unit=B-DEPT&category=newsletter

However, even when we can open

District 7 Auxiliary Paddlecraft Instruction Approved Submitted by William Sage, VFC, Flotilla 74 Brandon

Rebecca Giddens, winner of the 2004 Olympic Silver Medal for whitewater kayaking, knows to expect the unexpected when she’s on the water. Rebecca and the U.S. Coast Guard urge you to follow these 10 simple tips to having fun while paddling. (Brochure: “Paddle Safe, Have Fun.”

The District 7 Auxiliary Paddlecraft (AUXPAD) Instruction is approved. Over the coming weeks we will be working towards a plan to qualify operators for missions starting hopefully this spring. Stay tuned for more on INTERCOM

that front, but for right now we can be glad that we are one step closer to making AUXPAD afloat in District 7 a reality. Next steps for operator candidates if you haven’t already done so: Division 7 Tampa Bay

1. Get your kayaks inspected and oﬀered for use as a facility. 2. Get ACA L2 assessments done 3. Take the NAVRULS 95 exam. Ω

From the National Safe Boating Council https://safeboatingcampaign.com/

Wear Your Life fe Jacket at W Work Day: May 21, 2021 nal Safe Boating Council, Co Hosted by the National this annuucational tional way to heighten hei al event is a fun, educational life jacket awareness and highlight the various styles just prior to the social media launch of the Safe Boating Campaign. Post to your social media stream and use the hashtag #lifejacket2work and tag the National Safe Boating Campaign: @safeboatcampaign or @boatingcampaign

National Safe Boating Week May 22-28, 2021 From family-friendly events at marinas to vessel safety checks, this national awareness week is packed with life-saving messages about responsible boating. Now in its sixty-third year, National Safe Boating Week is where the National Safe Boating Council began and grew into a leading nonprofit focused on a fun and safe recreational boating experience through education, outreach and training. Resources are available at safeboatingcampaign. com. #NSBW2021 #nationalsafeboatingweek

Ready, Set, Wear It Life Jacket Events (Various Dates)

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Previously only oﬀered on select dates throughout the summer, ‘Ready, Set, Wear It’ is now implemented by campaign partners on various dates throughout the boating season. This family-friendly event teaches boaters about the importance of always wearing a life jacket, along with helpful care and maintenance information. This may be a standalone event or incorporated into other local outreach eﬀorts. Find out more, register your event, and browse resources at http://safeboatingcampaign.com. #RSWI2021.

Safe Boating Campaign At the National Safe Boating Council, we believe wearing a life jacket is the simplest way to ensure the safety of you and your family while enjoying a day on the water. Our Safe Boating Campaign is a yearlong eﬀort focused on spreading the message of boating safety and the importance of always wearing a life jacket each time a boater is on the water, no matter what the activity may be. While COVID-19 has challenged how we reach boaters, we are encouraged by the dedication of our partners around the world to continue to share about responsible boating with launch point signs, social media engagement, online learning opportunities, and more. The dramatic increase in digital engagement during this time shows that boaters are actively looking for information, so it’s important to continue to share how they may safely have the best experience on the water. We look forward to another great boating season, leveraging the successful messages of the past and adding new tactics to reach an ever-broadening audience of boating participants. (Excerpts from welcoming message by Yvonne Pentz, Communications Director, National Safe Boating Council.)

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