| Ninth District External Affairs U.S. Coast Guard |
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| Media Advisory |
Date: May 18, 2009 Contact: Frank Jennings |
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America's Waterways Watch needs you CLEVELAND - The U.S. Coast Guard and its safe boating partners will highlight the importance of America's Waterways Watch for a media availability at the Cleveland Moorings here Tuesday, May 19, at 1 p.m. Within the U.S. maritime domain, there is approximately 95,000 miles of shoreline and more than 290,000 square miles of water, dotted with thousands of facilities and infrastructure vital to the lifeblood of our Nation. Keeping watch over so much is an extraordinary challenge. America’s Waterways Watch (AWW) is the U.S. Coast Guard’s "neighborhood watch" program, which enlists the support of the public to report suspicious activity on or near the water. Those participating in AWW serve as the eyes and ears of the Coast Guard and its law enforcement partners, when agency resources are not present. The Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons actively support the AWW program by training the public about the kinds of suspicious activity to be mindful of and how to report it to appropriate law enforcement officials. The majority of this training is conducted during public boater education courses and Vessel Safety Checks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its grass roots Citizen Corps, recently recognized AWW as a significant component of community preparedness. ### Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790. |
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