22 New Coast Guard Auxiliary "Recruits" Sworn In!"

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Public Affairs

 

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 11 June 2008

Contact: Kirk Scarborough 
Public Affairs Officer
(714) 777-2300
Captkirk55@aol.com

YORBA LINDA, Calif. - The night of June 5^th, 2008 started the beginning for 22 new members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Commander Richard Symons, Director of Auxiliary for the 11^th Coast Guard District ( Southern Region) administer the Coast Guard Auxiliary Oath of Office. The new members and their families packed the conference room of the Yorba Linda Community Center, where the oath of office took place.

 

(pictured above: new members taking oath, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary photo by Kirk Scarborough, USCGAUX)

Commander Symons gave a brief presentation about the history of the U.S. Coast Guard and the formation of its Auxiliary. Commander Symons also talked about the specific missions performed by the Auxiliary over the past year. Nationally in 2007, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteered over 250,000 man-hours of service to the Coast Guard and our nation.

After being sworn in these twenty-two new members will become full fledge members of what is regarded as the “premiere” all-volunteer force in the Department of Homeland Security and the nation.

Some of these members will teach boating safety classes, conduct vessel safety checks. Some will become Maritime Domain Awareness Inspectors. While others will become “Boat Crew” qualified for search and rescue missions or for those who are bi-lingual they may become interpreters. The Coast Guard Auxiliary has something to interest most everyone.

COAST GUARD TO CELEBRATE FLAG DAY IN MARINA DEL REY

U.S. Coast Guard               
Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach

Press Release

Date: June 10,2008

Contact:
U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs
Anthony Turner (310) 924-6028

COAST GUARD TO CELEBRATE FLAG DAY IN MARINA DEL REY

MARINA DEL REY, Calif. In celebration of Flag Day, June 14, 2008, the Coast Guard Cutter Halibut, an 87-foot cutter stationed at Marina Del Rey, will be open for tours along with a 47 foot “Motor Life Boat” from Station Channel Islands. There is also a planned search and rescue demonstration involving a Coast Guard HH-65C "Dolphin" Helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station - Los Angeles and rescue boats from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Bay Watch Lifeguards. The search and rescue demonstration is planned to take place at about 12:00 p.m. in Marina del Rey’s main channel across from the Sheriff's Station.

Boating safety experts from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, will also be on hand to inspect lifejackets and answer questions. The public is invited to bring their lifejackets for inspection.  Children's lifejackets that are found to be in disrepair will be exchanged for a new Coast Guard approved lifejacket (while supplies last, one new children's lifejacket per family). California law requires children under 12 who are riding in a boat 26-feet or less to wear a Coast Guard-approved lifejacket.

Tours will be available starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Halibut mooring located at 13871 Fiji Way Marina Del Rey, CA 90292.

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Get your free boat safety checks before hitting the water!

DATE: May 12, 2008 09:22:13 PST

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach

Press Release

Date: May 12, 2008 Contact: Lt. j.g. Andrew Munoz U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs (310) 521-3610 Anthony Turner U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs (310) 908-6950

LOS ANGELES - In conjunction with National Safe Boating Week, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will be providing free boat safety checks at five southern California locations on Saturday, May 24, 2008 beginning at 8 a.m. "Memorial weekend traditionally kicks off the boating season. So before hitting the water, the Coast Guard urges boaters to make sure their safety equipment is in order," said Lt. j.g. Andrew Muñoz spokesman for the Coast Guard in Los Angeles. Volunteer vessel examiners inspect boats to ensure that required safety equipment is present and in functional condition. The examiners also check for any basic mechanical problems, make sure registration and documentation are current, and offer information on a variety boating safety issues. Examinations can be conducted on any type of watercraft from boats, jet-ski's, to kayaks. Lifejackets, fire extinguishers, and distress signals are just some of the items that are required by federal regulations. The Coast Guard also suggests boaters equip themselves with a marine VHF radio, GPS device, and 406 MHz EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). "We want boaters to be safe, responsible and enjoy their time on the water. It's our goal to have more boaters take advantage of these free boat safety checks. That's why we're working with the Coast Guard Auxiliary to have vessel examiners out at popular boating areas," said Muñoz. Aside from being prepared for an emergency, one advantage of getting the free safety check from the Coast Guard Auxiliary is that there aren't any penalties associated with not passing. Those who do pass will be able to display this year's vessel exam decal on their boat. According to Muñoz, the U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement will be on patrol conducting their own inspections. Unlike the inspections offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, if you fail to pass one conducted on the water by law enforcement you could face fines and be ordered back to the dock. National Safe Boating Week is May 17-24, 2008. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel examiners will be at the following locations on Saturday, May 24, 2008 beginning at 8 a.m. Davies Launch Ramp, Long Beach, Calif. Cabrillo Launch Ramp, San Pedro, Calif. Newport Dunes Launch Ramp, Newport Harbor, Calif. Pyramid Lake Castaic Lake Boaters can find more information about boating safety at the U.S. Coast Guard's boating safety web site at: http://www.uscgboating.org.

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SAFE BOATING CELEBRATION

For additional information: Dawna Taylor, Public Information Officer

Maricopa County Parks and

Recreation Department

Office: (602) 506-1114 – Cell: (602) 525-5733

Teresa Guillen, Public Information Officer

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Office: (623) 236-7377

Tom Nunes, Public Affairs Officer

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary – Arizona

Office: (602) 617-1979

May 8, 2008

Is your boat ready for the water?

(Peoria) – Is your watercraft safe? If you hesitated while answering this question, then you won’t want to miss the 2008 Arizona Safe Boating Celebration at Lake Pleasant Regional Park on May 17 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free vessel safety checks will be offered by the U.S. Power Squadron and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at the ten and four-lane boat ramps.

The average check takes approximately 15-minutes and can be performed while you’re preparing to launch your boat. During the check, examiners will review federal and state boating laws and recommend equipment that will help to ensure that your boat is operating safely. Experts will also be on hand to provide information on how to select the right life-jacket, the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, the consequences for operating a boat under the influence of alcohol and those pesky aquatic hitchhikers – Quagga mussels.

Don’t have a boat? No problem. Visit the vintage life-jacket display to see how life-jackets have evolved over the years or take a kayak out for a test drive at the ten-lane boat ramp. Guests will also be treated to a wakeboard demonstration and an H-60 Jayhawk helicopter swimmer rescue. Prizes will be raffled off throughout the morning. The first 200 vessel owners who receive a safety check will receive a discount coupon for future park entry. The event is included in the $5 per vehicle park entry fee (plus $2 per watercraft).

For more information on the event, visit www.azsafeboating.org. Lake Pleasant Regional Park is located at 41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Road in Morristown. From I-17, take SR-74 (Carefree Highway) west; turn right at Mile Post 19; three miles to the park entrance. For additional information on the park, visit www.maricopa.gov/parks/lake_pleasant.

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Dawna L. Taylor

Public Information Officer

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department

234 N. Central Avenue, Ste. 6400

Phoenix, Arizona 85004

(602) 506-1114(602) 506-4692 - fax(602) 525-5733 - cell

From hiking on a barrier-free trail, to horseback riding along a creek, Maricopa County Parks offer visitors the best of the Sonoran Desert. To learn more, visit the Parks Website at www.maricopa.gov/parks!

SIZE DOES MATTER – WHEN CHOOSING A LIFE JACKET

Press Release

For more information,

Contact: Anthony Turner

Chief, External Communications

Email: DVC-AX@Auxpa.org

310-908-6950

www.auxpa.org

There’s no doubt that life jackets save lives. In the United States an average of nine people a day die as a result of drowning - deaths that could have been prevented. But a life jacket that does not fit properly can put a person at risk of drowning. Proper fit is imperative for safety on the water. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary has a few tips to follow when choosing a life jacket.

· Choose only a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) approved life jacket, and the correct size for the weight of the person. The USCG stamp of approval, size, whether it is for a child or an adult, and appropriate weight of the wearer should be listed inside the jacket. A person’s chest size and stomach size may come into play when selecting the right life jacket.

· Use the “touchdown” test to see if your life jacket fits properly; Lift your arms above your head as if calling a touchdown. The chest portion of the jacket should not touch your chin when you look left, right or over your shoulder. If the jacket passes this test, it most likely fits. If possible try it out in shallow water. The life jacket should not ride up on your body. However, ride-up may happen if your stomach is larger than your chest.

· Weigh a child and measure for chest size under the arms before shopping for a child’s life jacket. A properly fitting jacket should be snug but not tight.

· Check for proper fit of a life jacket on a child. Wearing the jacket, the child should stand normally with arms at his or her sides. Grab the jacket at the shoulders and firmly lift up. The jacket does not fit if it moves more than three inches up and down the child’s body during the test.

· Ensure a life jacket for an infant or child has a crotch strap to help keep the life jacket on, an oversized float collar to help keep the head out of the water and a grab loop for easier water rescue. All straps should be intact and fastened at all times.

So what is the safest life jacket? In terms of risk of drowning, the safest life jacket is the one you’re willing to wear! There are many good choices to keep safe on the water. Some of the choices are a better for certain situations than others, and therefore the choices are explained in the "Think Safe" life jacket pamphlet that is sold with every US Coast Guard approved life jacket. By reading the pamphlet, you can understand how to safely have fun on the water. For more information about life jacket types visit http://www.safeboatingcampaign.net/types.htm or http://www.boatingsidekicks.com/lifejackets.htm.

So what about the cost, aren’t life jackets expensive? Just keep in mind that no one thinks about the cost when they are in the water! The value of a life jacket could be priceless.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the United States Coast Guard. Created by an Act of Congress in 1939, the Auxiliary directly supports the Coast Guard in all missions, except military and direct law enforcement actions. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is an integral part of the United States Coast Guard. For more information visit www.cgaux.org if you are ready to join visit http://join.cgaux.org/ .

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Children Got Caught Wearing Life Jackets

Contact: Anthony Turner

Public Affairs Officer

(310) 908-6950
April 9, 2008

PHOTO RELEASE

MARINA del REY, Calif. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs Officer Veronica Ondrejech caught these two young boaters wearing lifejackets and awarded them "I got caught wearing my life jacket" t-shirts compliments of the Cal Boating. (U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo by Ray Pages)