US Coast Guard Press Releases

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U. S. Coast Guard Press Releases

(April 23rd, 2008 15:41:35 EST)

STATEMENT OF ADMIRAL THAD W. ALLEN, COMMANDANT OF THE U.S. COAST GUARD, REGARDING H.R. 2830 - COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008

WASHINGTON - "I am deeply concerned about a number of provisions contained in H.R. 2830 (Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008) that I believe would have a detrimental effect on the Coast Guard's ability to carry out our many vital maritime safety, security and environmental protection missions. As the commandant, I have an obligation to the public and our Coast Guard men and women to ensure the Coast Guard retains the necessary discretion and flexibility to meet our mission demands in an often-changing, dangerous operating environment. This bill, in its current form, does not do that. I am also disappointed that proposals to protect seafarers who participate in the investigation and adjudication of environmental crimes and enhance our ability to prosecute alien migrant smugglers at sea were not included in the bill. While the bill contains several provisions that would improve Coast Guard operations and mission support, I strongly oppose other provisions as written in the bill that would limit the commandant's authority to direct Coast Guard operations and assign senior personnel to specific duties. I look forward to continuing to work with the Congress to address each of the provisions outlined in the Statement of Administration Policy."

Editor's Note: The Statement of Administration Policy is available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/sap/110-2/saphr2830-h.pdf

(December 28, 2007 08:01:38 EST)

COAST GUARD RELEASES TOP RESCUE VIDEOS OF 2007

*INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE*
*DRAMATIC RESCUE VIDEO AVAILABLE*

WASHINGTON - The U. S. Coast Guard released a video compilation of its most dramatic rescues of 2007. These harrowing rescues confirm the critical lifesaving role performed by the Coast Guard in service to our nation. Since 1790, the Coast Guard has saved more than one million lives, and it continues to execute this mission with unwavering dedication in often extreme conditions and locations.

"As America's lifesavers and guardians of the seas, Coast Guard men and women commit themselves every day to serving our nation and its people with selfless courage and unflinching determination," said Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the Coast Guard. "What began as America's only lifesaving service charged with the dangerous duty of saving sailors from shipwrecks along our coasts has evolved into a modern-day, multi-mission Coast Guard that demonstrates the same commitment to saving lives that it did more than 200 years ago."

This year's rescues include:

1.             The Coast Guard assisted in the rescue and evacuation of more than 160 people and six pets stranded by flooding in the Pacific Northwest in early December. Here, an HH-65C aircrew from Port Angeles, Wash., conducts night search-and-rescue operations over flood-ravaged Lewis County, Wash., December 3.

2.            A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, N.J., pulled three people out of the water moments before the boat they were on sank after capsizing in August.

3.            The Coast Guard assisted four people on a sailing vessel that ran aground at the south end of Lopez Island, Wash. A Coast Guard HH-65C Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles and a Coast Guard 33-foot small response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Bellingham assisted, pulling the Shekinech off of the rocks to safely rescue all aboard May 27.

4.            Coast Guard Air Station Houston hoisted four people to safety including two young boys after their boat went over the Colorado River dam in Bay City, Texas April 6. Rescue swimmers and the crew of the helicopter worked feverishly to keep the cable from swaying into the dam and power lines.

5.             After Tropical Storm Noel slammed into the Dominican Republic Oct. 30, killing more than 80 people, Coast Guard crewmembers from Air Stations Clearwater, Fla., and Borinquen, Puerto Rico, provided humanitarian relief, including medical evacuations of severely ill survivors. Here, a child suffering from acute appendicitis was airlifted from the remote mountain city of San Jose De Ocoa Nov. 5. The mountain city was cut off because of severe mudslides and flooding associated with the tropical storm.

6.            Passengers from the cruise ship Empress of the North were rescued by the Coast Guard Cutter Liberty after the vessel ran aground May 14 outside of Icy Strait Point, Alaska.

7.            When severe rains caused flooding across much of the Midwest this summer, Coast Guard crews from across the region assisted in rescues and evacuations in flooded areas. Here, a Coast Guard Air Station Detroit HH-65 Dolphin helicopter hoisted two people from the roof of a house in Shelby, Ohio in August.

8.            The Coast Guard airlifted a British woman who was attempting to row across the Pacific Ocean after her custom-made row boat rolled in heavy seas 90 miles off the California coast August 24. An HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Humboldt Bay hoisted the woman from her vessel

9.             The Coast Guard hoisted a 64-year-old injured male off of Brother Mountain in Port Angeles, Wash., after Coast Guard Sector Seattle was notified by local authorities that a 64-year-old male had been injured and was immobile on the summit. A HH-65C Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles hoisted the injured male from an altitude of just over 7,000 feet, the highest altitude rescue ever performed by the Coast Guard in the region May 27.

10.           The Coast Guard rescued two men after their helicopter crashed 130 miles south southeast of Galveston, Texas.   After Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston received the call, Coast Guard Air Station Houston launched an HH-65C Dolphin Helicopter crew to assist. The helicopter crew arrived on scene and searched for approximately 30 minutes before finding wreckage and two people in the water. The two men were hoisted into the helicopter and headed back to Galveston. Due to the extreme distance involved, the helicopter had to refuel on an oil rig on the way back.

All videos are available as a broadcast-quality download on http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=205971.

(November 29, 2007 15:05:33 EST)

COAST GUARD CENTRALIZES MARINER LICENSING PROGRAM

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) reached a milestone in a major restructuring and centralizing project. In December 2007, the NMC will move into a new specially designed credential-production facility in Martinsburg, WV. Since 2005, the NMC has been managing a project to consolidate the functions of 17 independently operating Regional Exam Centers (REC) into one credential-processing facility. The goal of this effort is to improve customer service, decrease credential processing time, and improve the consistency of Coast Guard products and services.

Mariners will continue to use the existing RECs in various ports across the nation for face-to-face customer service and to ensure their applications are ready for evaluation by the NMC. Once an application is accepted at an REC, it will be sent to the NMC for processing. The NMC will send issued credentials directly to Mariners.

Captain Stalfort, the Commanding Officer of the NMC said, "We have huge opportunities to reengineer the credentialing process by embracing technology to improve customer service and reduce the time it takes for mariners to receive their credentials. One day mariners will be able to upgrade or renew their credentials on demand from any location in the world, much like you can access your bank account from an ATM or pay your taxes on line."

Centralizing has already made it possible for mariners to check the status of their credential application online via a Coast Guard website; http://homeport.uscg.mil/. (From the home page, select Missions > Merchant Mariners > Merchant Mariner Application Status) A new toll free call center is also available (1-888-IASKNMC / 1-888-427-5662) to answer questions and provide information.

The Coast Guard is committed to improving all aspects of the credentialing processing the most efficient, customer centric manner possible.

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