Flotilla Meeting and Elections - USCG Aux

of 21 Ithaca Flotilla Newsletter AUGUST 2020

VOLUME 78

JANUARY 2020

ISSUE #1

VOLUME 80 SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE #9

2019 Recreational Boating Safety Statistics Released: Failure to Wear Life Jackets

Remains Leading Cause of Death

Flotilla Meeting and Elections

14 October 2020

Due to COVID-19 Most Face-to-Face Gatherings

Remain on Hold Until Further Notice

In this issue From the Helm and Flotilla Calendar…………………..3

Flotilla News……………………………………………..4-5

Recreational Boat Statistics.……………………………..6

Overseas Action…………………………………………7-9

Boating Safety…………………………………………10-12

Tech Update: Sonar………………………………..…13-14 Hazards to Navigation………………………………..15-16 District 9 USCG Stations ……………………..........17-18 Sea Scout Ship 25 News………………………….19 September 11, 2001 - Never Forget…………20-21

REMEMBERING

9/11

of 21 Ithaca Flotilla Newsletter SEPTEMBER 2020

Located at the southern end

of Cayuga Lake

508 Taughannock Blvd. Ithaca, NY 14850

607-273-7175

Monthly Meetings: 2nd Wednesday

1900 Hrs. 7:00 pm

Acting Editor: Ben Gardiner [email protected]

Ninth Eastern District District Commodore Joseph A. Sopko District Chief of Staff Clark J. Godshall Human Resources George R. Taylor District Captain Logistics Ron Baker District Captain Response Richard Evans District Captain Prevention Mark Thomas Immediate Past District Commodore Robert Scofield Operations Robert Laurer Division Two Commander John Conroy Vice Commander William Cummings Immediate Past Commander Gene Little Operations Mike Kennedy

Photo courtesy of Tommy Lacey and Mark Lewis

Ithaca Flotilla

FLOTILLA OFFICERS COMMANDER

Dale Campbell FC VICE COMMANDER Ben Gardiner VFC

IMMEDIATE PAST COMMANDER Kim Walsh IPFC

FLOTILLA STAFF OFFICERS

ACADEMY ADMISSIONS Dale Campbell

PADDLECRAFT SAFETY Tom Every FSO-PAD COMMUNICATIONS Tom Every FSO-CM

COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Ben Gardiner FSO-CS

DIVERSITY Jennifer Watson FSO-DV

FINANCE Dave Cornelius FSO-FN HUMAN RESOURCES

Pamela Wik-Grimm FSO-HR INFORMATION SERVICES

Diana Robinson FSO-IS MATERIALS

Bodge Hyatt FSO-MA MARINE SAFETY

John Frieman FSO-MS MEMBER TRAINING Mark Lewis FS0-MT

OPERATIONS Kim Walsh FSO-OP PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Jennifer Watson FSO-PA PUBLICATIONS Vacant FSO-PB

PUBLIC EDUCATION Kim Walsh FSO-PE

PARTNER VISITATION Kevin Walsh FSO-PV

SECRETARY Anthony Scaglione FSO-SR

VESSEL EXAMINATION Joseph Kurtz FSO-VE

This publication is the official newsletter of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Ithaca Flotilla and is intended to keep the membership apprised of the activities of the Auxiliary. All articles and photographs submitted must be consistent with the policies of the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary and may not be returned.

EDUCATION + TRAINING = SKILL SKILL + ACTION = SAVED LIVES


From the Helm

Dale Campbell, Flotilla Commander The season is winding down for District 9, but opportunities for additional in-person activities are still being evaluated across our District and the full Auxiliary. Our training patrols have really been useful to the public. Both with assistance to distressed boats (to the limit allowed by STA Oswego) and in clearing of navigational hazards. BZ to

Mark L, Jen, Paul and others on keeping the Auxiliary in the forefront during this time! Ben has written an SOP on handling navigational hazards. These efforts have been recognized at Division. We’ve also made a tremendous adaptation to the on-line environment, with notable successes in meetings, member training, and public education. District level administration asked for a list of activities that each flotilla had been involved in. I’m certain our list, which also included Food Service augmentation, was near the top of the active flotillas. Fall D-Train is now on-going. I encourage you to review the course offerings and sign-up to share your experience, update your knowledge or learn about something completely new. Even if you’ve missed initial classes, don’t hesitate to jump in. It is also still very important to look for opportunities to reach out to each other in order to keep up morale and be ready for the next phase. We know some people are at higher risk physically, and we do not want anyone to feel compelled to participate in activities they aren’t comfortable with. However, for others, isolation may be a bigger problem. Please, participate in meetings and reach out virtually to other Auxiliary members. You may want to start planning a future event or just socialize, whatever is best for you to keep up your and others’ morale. I’m still confident this will not last forever. I am looking forward to returning to in person meetings. I am hoping we will be able to do something together, safely and within NY guidelines, by late this fall. Continue to guard your health and stay Semper Paratus

Flotilla Calendar

All Events at Flotilla 2-2 Base, unless specified otherwise.

Date Event POC / OIC Notes

Sat / Sun, 26-27 Sep ABS Kim 0900-1300 each day. Video Conference.

Wed, 14 Oct 20, 1900 Flotilla Meeting and Elections Dale / Kim Flotilla Elections

Thur, 15 Oct 2020 ABS – Session 1 Kim Video Conference 1800-2100



Wed, 11 Nov 20, 1900 Flotilla Meeting via Video Conf. Dale

Th, 12 Nov 20, 11A-6PM Doug’s Fish Fry, Eddydale Farms Diana 827 Elmira Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850

Wed, 09 Dec 20, 1900 Flotilla Meeting via Video Conf Dale

Flotilla Meetings Div 2 Events Member Training

Public Education Special Events Safety Patrols


Flotilla News

COVID Restrictions Update

• No significant changes since the last update. • Flotilla 22 has conducted a significant number of training patrols and video conference training despite the continuing restrictions. • All requests and actions go to Station Oswego through Pat Carpenter. Auxiliarists are reminded they must go through their Flotilla Chain of Leadership and Management (i.e. FC and VFC). Station Oswego will approve or disapprove mission requests if, in their judgement, the GAINS from the Mission are worth the RISKS involved. • All persons requesting orders must also fill out and submit Auxiliary COVID-19 High Risk Assessment Form (7101). NOTE: It has been determined that this form is not be shared with other Auxiliarists but must be sent directly to BM1 Miron at Station Oswego. Pat Carpenter indicated all he needs to know is for the requester to tell him “the High-Risk Assessment Form” has been submitted to Station Oswego. • All mission requests must be predicated on the fact that proper PPE and social distancing will be adhered to plus all other CDC guidelines followed. Activities Prohibited. • Regular Patrols where contact with the public is possible. • Public Affairs Events and similar public events. • In person Flotilla Meetings, training, and other gatherings at Base or other locations. • In person public education activities. Activities Allowed. • Training Patrols. • Flotilla Meetings and other in-person events held via video or phone conference. • Public Education held via Video Conference. • Facility Inspections on a LIMITED basis. Facilities not expected to be underway in 2020 should not be inspected. • Vessel Safety Checks (NEW) provided that PPE, Social Distancing, and other CDC or State requirements are met. • Marina / Industry Visitations (NEW), again above safety measures must be strictly adhered to.

Flotilla Elections: 14 October 2020 as Part of Monthly Flotilla Meeting Video Conference.

• Kim Walsh is Election OIC for the 2020-21 Flotilla Elections.

• Positions subject to this election are Flotilla Commander and Vice Flotilla Commander for one (1) year terms beginning on 01 January 2021.

• Letters of Intent from Candidates wishing to run for these positions must submit Letters of Intent to Kim no later than 30 September 2020.

• No nominations will be accepted from the Floor.

• Division Commander John Conroy and Deputy Commander Bill Cummings will be present to oversee the election.


.


Recreational Boating Safety Statistics 2019 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

From the September 2020 Issue of RBS Job One published by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

In 2019, the Coast Guard counted 4,168 accidents that involved 613 deaths, 2,559 injuries and approximately $55 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.

• The fatality rate was 5.2 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. This rate represents a 1.9% decrease from the 2018 fatality rate of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels.

• Compared to 2018, the number of accidents increased 0.6%, the number of deaths decreased 3.2%, and the number of injuries increased 1.9%.

• Where cause of death was known, 79% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 86% were not wearing a life jacket.

• Where length was known, eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length.

• Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; where the primary cause was known, it was listed as the leading factor in 23% of deaths.

• Where instruction was known, 70% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boating safety instruction. Only 20% percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received a nationally-approved boating safety education certificate.

• There were 171 accidents in which at least one person was struck by a propeller. Collectively, these accidents resulted in 35 deaths and 155 injuries.

• Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and alcohol use rank as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.

• Where data was known, the most common vessel types involved in reported accidents were open motorboats (45%), personal watercraft (19%), and cabin motorboats (16%).

• Where data was known, the vessel types with the highest percentage of deaths were open motorboats (48%), kayaks (14%), and personal watercraft (8%).

• The 11,878,542 recreational vessels registered by the states in 2019 represent a 0.22% increase from last year when 11,852,969 recreational vessels were registered


Action Overseas! Taken From: The Journal.ie (Dublin): 17 August 2020

These are the days you live for': RNLI volunteers recall dramatic rescue of young paddle-boarders in Galway RNLI stands for Royal National Lifeboat Institution. It is the largest volunteer organization that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways

There was jubilation this week when cousins Sara Feeney and Ellen Glynn were found off Inis Oirr.

THERE WERE JUBILANT scenes in the West of Ireland this week when two young women were rescued off the Galway coast after spending 15 hours swept away at sea. Cousins Sara Feeney (23) and Ellen Glynn (17) were found off Inis Oirr on Thursday morning after they were swept out while paddle boarding on Furbo Beach at around 9pm on Wednesday night. Eight agencies were involved in the dramatic operation to bring the two girls ashore. Two members of different RNLI groups describe the rescue in detail.

Ian O’Gorman – Galway RNLI lifeboat crewmember

When the pager went off around 10.10pm in the evening I was baby-sitting our new-born.

I was doing the night shift. I ended up going out on the third crew change. Galway RNLI operates an inshore lifeboat. It can do 35 knots, but its remit is closer to shore in shallower waters and it has about a three hours duration before you need to refuel.

We were a fresh crew of four when we left at 6.30am and we brought out breakfast to the Aran Islands lifeboat crew. They ate fast, not wanting to delay the search.

Their lifeboat can stay out hours and the crew had been onboard since the night before.

We had a briefing with John, the Coxswain and took up the search. The weather was mixed, views were good, but the seas changed from flat to choppy in an instant.

In the daylight we had about one-mile visibility and we search along parallel lines between Blackhead and Spídeal.

Looking at it now, we must have been about five miles away from where the two girls were when they were found. As lifeboat crew, you don’t lose hope. You look at what they have going for them; they were on paddleboards; they aren’t going anywhere. Nobody was thinking the worst-case scenario.


During the search we continuously rotated who was driving the lifeboat. This helped maintain focus on the job at hand as long searching is mentally draining. Every potential object you spot on the water gives a spark of hope followed by disappointment.

We stayed in the vicinity of the Aran Islands lifeboat for the most part, answering calls from the Coast Guard to check on sightings which turned out to be false alarms but with good intent.

We met with members of Oranmore Maree, a volunteer organization with shoreline members and a boat, and we talked with them about where they had searched and where we would go.

At 11.30am we refueled and changed out two of the lifeboat crew, I stayed on. We were quite close to Inis Óirr when we heard the news over the radio.

We know Patrick and Morgan very well. Patrick was lifeboat crew and is now shore crew with Galway RNLI.

We heard him tell the Coast Guard that he had them and we were all ecstatic.

We returned to the station escorting Patrick’s fishing boat. The reaction was phenomenal.

As we approached Galway docks a shout went up and people were lining both sides, clapping and cheering. We all joined in, doing our best to observe social distancing of course.

We were so thrilled for the lads. The call had gone around the crew and everyone dropped what they were doing and headed down to the harbor. One of the crew even ran out of a work meeting, having been on an earlier crew shift.

Those two girls did everything right. They stayed together, they stayed calm, secured themselves and had their lifejackets on. These are the days you live for as lifeboat crew.

John O’Donnell – Aran Islands RNLI coxswain

We were launched after Galway lifeboat, but we knew what we were going out to as I’d already had a call from the Coast Guard at Valentia.

The crew turned up as their pagers went off, but I held one back. He was a coxswain too and I thought I might need him if the search went on.

He needed to be rested and ready to take command if we came in for a crew change in the event of a long search. The all-weather lifeboat can stay out for hours but when you are looking for someone in the water you need the crew to have fresh eyes and be alert.

I was already thinking of a second lifeboat crew, you have to do that.

Searching for a casualty in the dark is a slow business and you go steadily on with the lights onboard turned out facing the sea, following what’s called a ‘creeping line’. You can only see about ten yards in front of you and that’s where your attention is focused.


I had three lifeboat crew on top looking out, one looking ahead and the other two to each side of them. Each had a searchlight. I was in the wheelhouse along with the mechanic.

You’re hoping you’ll see them appear right in front of you. You’re in constant contact with the Coast Guard, listening to every update. We were searching in an area called Blackhead, going back and forth, tracing out lines to cover the whole area. We must have passed the girls somewhere as they drifted out but how close we were to them, I don’t know.

The rain was unreal, it was falling quite heavily through the night. There was lightning but in concentrating during the search I initially thought it was the lights from Galway lifeboat.

When you get a callout in the evening you don’t think of hunger, you just go. As light came up, and we kept on, we got an unexpected delivery from the Galway lifeboat crew.

Barry Heskin, their Launching Authority, had thrown some sandwiches and bottles of water into bags and Galway lifeboat brought it out to us as they changed their crew and refueled.

At that time and after a night searching, it tasted better than a meal in a five-star hotel. As we searched through the night, we were aware of our colleagues in the Coast Guard helicopters above our heads.

We were joined by the Coast Guard boat from Costelloe Bay and Doolin came on scene for a few hours before the light brought out local fishermen and shore helpers.

One thing I have learned in my many years as coxswain of the lifeboat is that you have to switch off and you can’t think about what might have happened.

You have a job and that is to find them and the only way you can do that is to put your head down and keep going and just switch off from the ‘what-ifs’.

We had false alarms during the day as sightings from the shore turned out to be nothing, but you must treat each one as if it’s something.

Someone was looking out for Ellen and Sara, that’s for sure. They knew how to keep the head and did that all through the night.

I’ve seen the devastation of families who have lost loved ones. Two lads who fished with me were lost up at Roundstone in an awful tragedy.

The lifeboat went to Inis Óirr as Patrick and Morgan Oliver were bringing them to meet the Coast Guard helicopter.

Two of our lifeboat crew went ashore to assist in the transfer and the rest of us watched from aboard the lifeboat. And just like that, the switch went back on and we were delighted, realizing what could have happened and thankfully didn’t.

John O’Donnell and Ian O’Gorman are volunteers with Aran Island and Galway RNLI

Lifeboat crews respectively.


MORE BOATING SAFETY!


TECHNICAL UPDATE: NOT YOUR DADDY’S SONAR ! by Mark Lewis

Sonar has bounced forward in leaps and bounds in the last ten years. Sonar is an active emission pulse that travels through the water with a receiver that catches the return of the sound wave. Earlier versions of commercially available sonar were very simple. They would emit the sound and the return would show a series of arches, which were fish and the bottom… See Figure one. The bottom is represented by yellow and red and the gap between them is the water column. You can see the fish form small arches. This was exciting 20 years ago…. this is called CHRP sonar and it is available in multiple frequencies based on the depth you are working in called High, Medium and Low CHRP.

Where sonar starts to get exciting is the creation of down and side scan features. This is a special type of sonar transmitter and receiver that instead of a typical two-inch device resembles more of a sonar array of about one foot long. It transmits side ways at a rate of 2.1 of your depth. Example you are in 100 foot of water you can scan sideways to 200 foot each side of the vessel. It is simultaneously using a pulse down and sideways and a computer to then generate the image of what it sees under water. The down scan version of the same picture above is shown in figure two. Notice the difference in definition, the bottom is green and all the fish are orange and yellow. Compare the detail between the two they are of the exact same scenario. There are fish just on the bottom that the first version did not show…. this is far more powerful.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2


Finally add the third component of side scan and you see what is in figure three. On the left of the screen is the side scan the right is the down scan…

While looking at the side scan imagine the boat is at the top middle of the screen and if you think of it in three dimensions the best way to describe it is the view is the same as a folded greeting card placed on the table, it does not see straight down it only sees on an angle off to the side and then maps anything it sees on the bottom. A great example is looking at the tree it shows on the upper part of the screen. You can see the tree extended from both sides of the boat by over 10 feet each side of the boat which in this depth of water is the most the boat could see.

The down scan is on the right so showing what is directly under the boat…this particular image was taken departing the harbor and at least 50 feet past the Ithaca inlet is about 8 feet deep until suddenly there is a shelf and the bottom comes up to 3-4 feet deep depending on lake levels. You can also see a spike sticking up on the right side of the screen that was the tree. Since most

boats start accelerating in this area, this is why the hazard was so bad, introduce throttle, boat squats and smack, bent props, skegs and worse. But this article is about sonar… There are only two units on Cayuga Lake equipped with this technology, Avalon and the Union Spring FD landing craft style boat.

This is the same technology used to find sunken boats, bodies, or anything else under water. Tuning and frequency selection plays a huge part in what the units can see and to what clarity. We have found a sunken Jon Boat and Trees so far on Cayuga using this. We have also studied the Inlet to the Cornell Cooling system. You can even see the joints, and the giant nuts holding the joints together.

Hopefully this gives everyone a sample of the capabilities of the Sonar installed on the Avalon, and a better understanding in general of how far sonar capabilities have come.

Editor’s Note: Mark Lewis is a Member of Ithaca Flotilla 22, a Coxswain who commands his vessel AVALON when on Coast Guard orders. When not on orders, Mark with AVALON operates a successful fishing charter service, In-Depth Fishing Adventures on Cayuga Lake.

FIGURE 3


REPORTING OF HAZARDS TO NAVIGATION AND ATON DEFICIENCY ON CAYUGA LAKE, NY

Cayuga Lake is part of the New York State Canal System and the New York State Canal Corporation has jurisdiction over Cayuga Lake navigation, aids to navigation (ATON), and system maintenance. Note: The Canal Corporation does not have jurisdiction over privately owned aids to navigation. As such over the last few weeks Flotilla 22 has responded to reports of two obstructions adjacent to the mouth of the Cayuga Lake inlet channel. We took appropriate action and the hazards were mitigated. Needless to say, the Pandemic restrictions made this effort a bit more complicated but fortunately the Flotilla had scheduled a number of training patrols and these were utilized to perform the reconnaissance necessary which allowed the Flotilla to positively located these items. Mark Lewis, even while off duty, lent us the great advantage of his high-tech side scan sonar which made positive location of the obstructions a fairly easy task. This information was provided to the Canal Corporation and they took appropriate action to remove the obstructions. Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water, an even larger obstruction was discovered. Mark Lewis to the rescue and his enhanced sonar scan of the obstruction is shown below. Left hand image is the side scan and log is estimated to be 18 feet long. Right hand image is the down scan and the log is a protrusion which reaches within 3-1/2 feet of the surface. It definitely damaged some props.

PAUL PHELPS WITH THE “LITTLE LOG”


The Flotilla has developed a Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) for reporting Hazards to Navigation and Aid to Navigation (ATON) Deficiencies. The major highlights of the procedure are below. Keep in mind Cayuga Lake is under the jurisdiction of the NYS Canal Corporation whereas the Great Lakes are under Coast Guard jurisdiction. The Flotilla 22 SOP is intended to address Cayuga Lake’s unique situation. Initial Reporting Procedure:

o If for any reason a Member believes a situation constitutes an IMMINENT threat to life and limb, call 911 FIRST before contacting the authorities below. Again, call 911 ONLY if it is firmly believed there is an imminent threat to life and limb. o FIRST NOTIFICATION: Contact the Lyons Canal Section at 315-871-4300. Business Hours are typically 0800-1600 hours, Monday-Friday. o FIRST NOTIFICATION (After Business Hours) call 1-800-4CANAL4 (1-800-422-6254).

Select 0 for the Operator o SECOND NOTIFICATION: USCG Station Oswego at 315-343-1551. Please advise the Station that you have previously notified the Canal Corporation in Lyons. o If you have additional information you wish to provide to the above Authorities, such as digital photos, request an email address or fax number if applicable. o The Canal Corporation Website link: http://www.canals.ny.gov/index.shtml

If appropriate and you have access to a Marine Radio, it would be helpful to issue Sécurité call on Channel 16 as an informational broadcast notifying mariner of the hazard

The 18 Foot Monster Log.

http://www.canals.ny.gov/index.shtml


DISTRICT 9 US COAST GUARD STATIONS: STATIONS OSWEGO AND SODUS POINT, NY

Coast Guard Station Oswego Coast Guard Station Oswego is a multi-mission station. It performs Search and Rescue, Maritime Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security missions. The area of responsibility extends from Sodus Bay to Cape Vincent, NY and out to the international border.

Coast Guard Station Oswego History Situated at the east end of Lake Ontario with access to a very intricate river system, the Oswego area has always been a major port for central New York. On September 26, 1876, the U.S. Life Saving Service commissioned the construction of Station Oswego and it was located at the west side of the harbor entrance. On April 1, 1877, a lifeboat station was opened on the Salmon River and on April 16, 1877 another station was opened on Big Sandy Creek (known today as Sandy Pond).

On December 4, 1942, after a brutal winter storm had pounded the area, the relief crew for the lighthouse were underway to the lighthouse. After swapping out the crews, the 30-foot picket boat struck the corner of the lighthouse break wall and stopped the engine. With winds gusting to 35+ knots, the harbor became a violent, confused area. The disabled boat drifted across the entrance and struck the corner of the east break wall causing all hands to be thrown into the frigid water. Two of the crewmen managed to swim to the detached break wall and clung to it. The station sent out another boat which failed in its attempt to evacuate the stranded men and left two more men on the wall. After successful evacuation of the four men, three were hospitalized at Fort Ontario and later released. A total of six men died. Of the six men, four bodies were recovered. Two were never recovered from the depths of Lake Ontario. The memory of this accident lives on in local myth with the reporting of ghost-like happenings at the lighthouse.

In 1956, the existing building was constructed to house Group Oswego, which encompassed Stations Oswego, Pointy Light, Galloo Island Light, and Galloo Island. In 1967, the Oswego main light was automated and the crew relieved.


Coast Guard Patrol returning to Station Oswego passing the Lighthouse (this great photo borrowed from the Station Oswego public Facebook Page)

Coast Guard Station (Small) Sodus Point Coast Guard Station (Small) Sodus Point operates during the summer months, under the control of Coast Guard Station Oswego. The station performs search and rescue, safety boarding’s, and harbor and pollution patrols.

Coast Guard Station Sodus Point was an active Coast Guard station until Spring 1972. Upon deactivation, the local Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla requested use of the facilities for the purpose of holding meetings and conducting

training. In late Summer of the same year, the Coast Guard implemented a pilot program to test a new idea...the Auxiliary Operated (AUXOP) station. AUXOP Station Sodus Point was the first unit in the nation redesigned under this concept. With no reduction in the number of search and rescue responses in the vicinity of Sodus Bay, AUXOP Sodus Point remained open to carry its share of the search and rescue caseload with neighboring Stations Rochester and Oswego. Its mission was clear - provide seamless and immediate search and rescue coverage along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, relying upon the skill and resources of the all-volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliary. Following the reorganization, a new Auxiliary Flotilla formed nearby. Flotilla 4-4 was chartered with members from Flotilla 2-12 to augment the Station. Subsequent to the AUXOP designation, the Coast Guard transferred a full-time active duty member to the Station. This Coast Guardsman, the "Officer in Charge," supported and directed auxiliary efforts during the prosecution of search and rescue cases.

Editor’s note: Narrative and all other photos taken from the US Coast Guard Public Website.


SEA SCOUT SHIP 25 September 2020

On The Water: While the boating season remains open, scouts have been focusing on advancements that require being on the water. We have done on the water training including overnight adventures and night time sailing.

Service Project: Emily Lampman’s Quartermaster project kicked off on Saturday the 12th. Emily offered boaters free safety information and vessel inspections. Since the Coast Guard Auxiliary and America's Boating Club were not authorized to do inspections this year due to COVID-19, Emily was able to get permission to provide the information in an unofficial setting.

Contact: Sea Scouts is a co-ed program for young men and women ages 13-20. Prior to COVID-19, Sea Scout Ship 25 met at 6:30pm most Friday nights at the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Ithaca, NY. Currently, meetings are online or attendance-restricted with distancing requirements. For more information and a copy of Ship 25’s meeting and activity calendar, please visit www.ithacaseascouts.org or contact Committee Chairman Jim Graney at 607-327-1226 (work/cell) or email [email protected].

http://www.ithacaseascouts.org/


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget By Kim Walsh

Our parents and grandparents could tell us exactly what they were doing when they heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the news that President Kennedy had been assassinated. 9/11 was that kind of day for most of us. Deaths on 9/11 included:

• 265 people on the 4 airplanes (including the 19 hijackers) • 2,606 people in & around the World Trade Center • 125 people in the Pentagon

Thus, there was a total of 2,977 innocent victims of this terrorist attack—I do not count the 19 hijackers in this total. This was more than the 2,403 people, mostly military, who died at Pearl Harbor.

There were many heroes that day—especially noteworthy were the First Responders to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and passengers on Flight 93, whose actions prevented many more deaths. 412 First Responders, primarily from the FDNY, but also various Police agencies and EMS, died that day.

Approximately 6000 people were injured and many more experienced physical and emotional impacts, not always evident until many years later.

I was in the Pentagon that day. We were in our offices on the 4th floor, watching TV accounts of the first plane hitting the World Trade Tower, when the second plane hit. I’ve seen that some news reporters speculated the crash was due to Air Traffic Controller errors. However, we had no doubt that it was some type of attack and I hurried to the AF Crisis Action Team area in the Pentagon Basement to initiate our Battle Staff activation procedures—turning on computers, notifying other agencies, and so forth. Others calmly did the same.

It’s a surreal experience to see on TV that the building you’re in was just struck by a very large airplane. Because I was in the basement, I did not see or hear the impact first-hand. Due to the size & construction of the Pentagon, my first direct indication was a faint odor of smoke.

The airplane hit the first floor near the southwest corner of the Pentagon. It could have been much worse. That wedge had been under renovation. The construction was largely complete and personnel had just started moving back in. It was occupied by about 800 people that day, instead of the usual 4500. The Pentagon’s design and construction also limited damage, and facilitated the safe evacuation of people on the upper floors of the wedge. I don’t mean to minimize the impact to those killed and injured, and their families, but it could have been so many more.

The battle staff quickly began implementing evacuation procedures, with the Air Force senior leadership deciding to relocate across the Potomac to Bolling AFB instead of our more distant, but also more secure, bunker location.


I got a message to friends, asking them to meet my kids at their bus stop when school got out and call my Mom. It never occurred to me that my 12-year-old twins would be watching the news at school, not knowing if I was ok until they were picked up 6 hours later.

The military prides itself on planning. We recognize that it’s not the plan that’s important, but the planning process. That’s because we know that an actual crisis will seldom follow the script. The senior staff evacuated the Pentagon via helicopter. I assisted in hand writing passenger lists (8-10 people per flight), giving 1 copy to a passenger and keeping 1 copy, so we would know who was on each helicopter in case one crashed.

We had 3 or 4 helicopters shuttling back and forth across the river. After about 8 missions, we were told that it would be our last one, since the Joint Chiefs needed our helos. Ironically, that had also happened in one of our last Pentagon relocation exercises.

I accompanied my boss on the last AF helicopter to cross the river and worked through the night supporting the AF Crisis Action Team. Our arrival on Bolling was also unreal. It was a warm, sunny day, I was in my light blue short sleeved blouse and a skirt, with my Pentagon badge attached to an epaulet. My purse, with ID, money & cell phone were in my Pentagon office. The base was on lock down and almost the only people I saw outside of crisis action team members were very young Security Forces troops with M16s.

The Air Force Battle Staff addressed numerous issues that night, but what seemed to be most important was identifying mobile hospitals, blood supplies and the aircraft to transport them, until we slowly realized they weren’t needed. The deaths far exceeded the number of people who needed emergency medical treatment.

Let us never forget what happened – both the terrorist attack, and more importantly, the heroism demonstrated by so many, that day, and the days, months and years that followed. Let us also be grateful for the many people, in and out of various uniforms, who protect us daily from terrorists, often under threat of serious personal injury or death. They and their families have my sincere appreciation.

Editor’s Note: Kim Walsh is a career US Air Force Officer who retired with the rank of Colonel.

Flotilla Meeting and Elections - USCG Aux

Documents

Transcript of Flotilla Meeting and Elections - USCG Aux