Coast Guard Auxiliary Reports
Safety patrol crew.
Crew member were out and about conducting a routine safety patrol and continuing with member training. While we never want to use our skills in a crisis, we work to be semper paratus, always ready.
When we are out on the water, it is a great opportunity to practice navigating with a chart. You never know when a boat may lose power, causing the GPS to go out. If you have spent much time in our waters, you know there are many areas that have low depth that can become dangerous in low tide.
Another area that we practice regularly is the Person in the Water drill. At any time, the coxswain may throw the ring life preserver overboard and yell “person in the water.” Crew must navigate how to retrieve the ring as if it were a person. On board, the person at the helm relies on spotters to help direct them to the person. Another prepared the heaving line to toss to the person to assist them to the boat.
One critical element in this drill is to remember to cut the engine when the person is ‘rescued’ and assisted back on board. This eliminated the accidental engagement of the propeller, a very dangerous situation for anyone in the water.
This is also an important reminder for those who go out tubing and water skiing. As people come to the stern to reboard, make sure the engine is off.
Thanks to Sherrie, we will always remember safe boating is no accident!
If you would like to learn more about vessel safety checks, please contact Steve Hults, Staff Officer for Vessel Examinations at steve.hults@uscgaux.net.
Please contact us for more information about our safe boating classes or learning more about getting involved in the Auxiliary, check out our website at www.uscgaux.net follow us on FaceBook @ Apalachee Bay Flotilla 12 or contact our Flotilla Commander Phil Hill at pnkkhill2000@yahoo.com.
Please contact us to learn more about getting involved in the Auxiliary, check out our website at www.uscgaux.net follow us on FaceBook @ Apalachee Bay Flotilla 12 or contact our Flotilla Commander Phil Hill at pnkkhill2000@yahoo.com
The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit www.cgaux.org.