BOSTON — The media are invited to the Massachusetts State House in Boston, Monday, where a representative of the state of Massachusetts is scheduled to join the Coast Guard Auxiliary to proclaim May 19-25, 2012, as National Safe Boating Week for Massachusetts and urge all boaters to “Wear It Massachusetts!”

National Safe Boating Week is an annual event kicked-off with proclamations from the President of the United States and the country’s governors to remind boaters to boat smart, wear a life jacket and boat responsibly. The “Wear It!” campaign has been adopted by all 50 states and is part of NSBW’s campaign to encourage boaters to wear life jackets.

“The public should enjoy the boating opportunities we have throughout Massachusetts, but be keenly aware that your life might depend on whether you wear a life jacket or not,” said Commodore Dennis DeGabriele, of the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s 1^st District Northern Region.

Fifty-one boating fatalities were reported in 2010, in the 1^st Coast Guard District. Of those, 44 are believed to not have been wearing a life jacket.

Nationwide in 2010, there were 4,604 accidents that involved 672 deaths and 3,153 injuries as a result of recreational boating accidents in the U.S. Almost three-fourths of all fatal boating accidents involved drowning. Of those, 88 percent were reportedly not wearing a life jacket. 

“Accidents on the water can happen much to fast to reach and put on a stowed life jacket,” said Virgil Chambers, the executive director of the National Safe Boating Council.

“A life jacket can’t save your life unless you wear it,” said John Johnson, the executive director of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. “Today’s life jackets are comfortable, stylish and easy to wear. The old-fashioned, bulky orange life jacket most people are used to has been replaced with innovative, new options we want all boats to know about, including the new inflatable styles.”

WHO: Gov. Deval Patrick (or representative), Coast Guard Auxiliary, PFD Panda, the Coast Guard’s water safety mascot

WHAT: Announcing safe boating proclamation

WHEN: Monday, May 21, 2012 at 11 a.m.

WHERE: Massachusetts State House Room 350

Who: The crew of Coast Guard Station Chatham, Mass., Coast Guard Auxiliary and local law-enforcement agencies

What: The public and media are invited to attend an open house to tour Station Chatham, the lighthouse and the 42-foot Nearshore Lifeboats and speak with members of the Coast Guard, Auxiliary and local law-enforcement agencies about safe boating practices.

When: May 19, 2012, from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Coast Guard Station Chatham, 37 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633.

As part of an ongoing effort to educate boaters and improve safety on the water, the Coast Guard will provide information throughout National Safe Boating Week on topics ranging from communications to life jackets, emergency kits to float plans, as well as boating safety courses and vessel safety checks.

"With Memorial Day ahead, the official recreational boating season is about to start," said Chief Petty Officer Erik Watson, officer in charge, Station Chatham. "Boaters need to prepare now to ensure everything from their boat to their safety equipment is safe and ready for the new season."

Media interested in obtaining B-roll prior to the event is requested to the 1st Coast Guard District Public Affairs office at (617) 223-8515.

Nationwide, boating deaths increased 12.8 percent in 2011, from 672 in 2010 to 758. The fatality rate measured 6.2 deaths per 100,000 registered recrational vessels, which was a 14.8 percent increase from 2010.

In the 1st Coast Guard District there were 53 recreational boating deaths. The Coast Guard's Office of Boating Safety Division has released all statistics for 2011.

• Always wear your life jacket. Seventy percent of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, 84 percent were not wearing a life jacket.
• File a float plan with a family member or friend and ensure they know how to contact the Coast Guard. Include information about where you are headed, when you will return and how many people are on board your vessel. Including a detailed vessel description helps improve chances of a swift rescue.
• Perform routine weather checks. Conditions on the water can change rapidly, especially on the Chatham Bar and being aware and alert is critical to survival.
• Know your equipment. Ensure lights, anchors and ropes are in good working order. Always carry plenty of fresh drinking water to avoid dehydration. Having updated nautical charts and a global positioning device in good working order will also improve your safety.

Ensuring your communications equipment is in good working order is critical to your safety at sea. Cell phones, satellite phones, emergency position indicator radio beacons and VHF marine-band radios can improve your survival in an emergency. The Coast Guard discourages cell phones as a primary method of communications on the water.

EPIRBs can be triggered automatically or manually, but it is vitally important to ensure they are properly registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The device signals your location to a satellite that relays information to the nearest rescue coordination center. A satellite phone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites.

Alcohol and water don't mix: It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Maintain a safe boating speed at all times, especially in "no wake" zones and when the waterway has heavy traffic.
• Don't overload your boat: Resist the urge to invite more people aboard than your boat was designed to carry.

"Boaters are also highly encouraged to contact the Coast Guard Auxiliary and have a courtesy vessel check," said Watson. "This will give operators and owners confidence that they are carrying the proper amount of safety gear and that all of it is in working order. Coast Guard Station Chatham is looking forward to a safe and enjoyable summer season on the water."

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BOSTON — The public and media are invited to attend an open house at Coast Guard Station Gloucester, Mass., to kick off National Safe Boating Week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday.

The event is part of ongoing efforts to educate boaters and improve safety on the water. the Coast Guard will provide information throughout the event on topics ranging from communications to life jackets, emergency kits to float plans, as well as boating safety courses and vessel safety checks.

What:  Safe Boating Day event

Who:  Representatives include Coast Guard Station Gloucester, Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadron, State of Massachusetts Marine Environmental Protection, commercial fishing safety representatives, Massachusetts Maritime Heritage and many others.

Where:  17 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, MA 01930.

When:  Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The station will showcase an assortment of search-and-rescue demonstrations, boating under the influence information, flare demonstrations, commercial fishing vessel safety, tours of Station Gloucester and its vessels, structured boating and paddling safety and various informational booths.

“The goal is to put all aspects of boating safety back in the public eye as we approach our spring and summer boating season,” said Chief Warrant Officer Luis Munoz, the commanding officer of Station Gloucester.

Media interested in obtaining B-roll prior to the event is requested to the 1st Coast Guard District Public Affairs office at (617) 223-8515.

Nationwide, boating deaths increased 12.8 percent in 2011, from 672 in 2010 to 758. The fatality rate measured 6.2 deaths per 100,000 registered recrational vessels, which was a 14.8 percent increase from 2010.

In the 1st Coast Guard District there were 53 recreational boating deaths. The Coast Guard's Office of Boating Safety Division has released all statistics for 2011.

• Always wear your life jacket. Seventy percent of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, 84 percent were not wearing a life jacket.
• File a float plan with a family member or friend and ensure they know how to contact the Coast Guard. Include information about where you are headed, when you will return and how many people are on board your vessel. Including a detailed vessel description helps improve chances of a swift rescue.
• Perform routine weather checks. Conditions on the water can change rapidly and being aware and alert is critical to survival.
• Know your equipment. Ensure lights, anchors and ropes are in good working order. Always carry plenty of fresh drinking water to avoid dehydration. Having updated nautical charts and a global positioning device in good working order will also improve your safety.

Ensuring your communications equipment is in good working order is critical to your safety at sea. Cell phones, satellite phones, emergency position indicator radio beacons and VHF marine-band radios can improve your survival in an emergency. The Coast Guard discourages cell phones as a primary method of communications on the water.

EPIRBs can be triggered automatically or manually, but it is vitally important to ensure they are properly registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The device signals your location to a satellite that relays information to the nearest rescue coordination center. A satellite phone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites.

Alcohol and water don't mix: It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Maintain a safe boating speed at all times, especially in "no wake" zones and when the waterway has heavy traffic.
• Don't overload your boat: Resist the urge to invite more people aboard than your boat is designed to carry.

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BOSTON — Coast Guard personnel in Woods Hole, Mass., and along Cape Cod will participate in a search and rescue exercise Tuesday at Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England based in Woods Hole.

The exercise scenario focuses on a vessel collision in Buzzard’s Bay and will assess the ability of multiple Coast Guard units and local agencies to gather and share information while performing a search and rescue mission for missing boaters.

WHAT: Search and rescue exercise

WHO: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England and Coast Guard units from Woods Hole and Cape Cod

WHERE: Woods Hole, Mass.

WHEN: April 17, 2012 - 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Media wishing to tour the exercise and speak with a spokesperson can contact Petty Officer Luke Clayton at (617) 717-9609.

What:

In commemoration of the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago, the U.S. Coast Guard, Titanic Historical Society, Titanic International Society, and Titanic Museum Attractions will host a wreath and rose petal blessing in Boston. Five donated wreaths and 1.5 million dried rose petals will depart Boston aboard Coast Guard Cutter Juniper to be dedicated and placed at sea over the Titanic's resting site. There, several cruise ships are scheduled to stop and reflect on the tragedy. 

Members from the Coast Guard-led International Ice Patrol will cast the wreaths from a Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130J Hercules aircraft, April 14.

Coast Guard Cutter Juniper crewmembers will spread the rose petals at sea April 14.

Since August 2011, visitors to the Titanic Museum Attractions were handed a rose petal to be individually placed in a glass case in remembrance of the passengers and the crew of the Titanic.

The tragic sinking of the luxury passenger liner Titanic in 1912 prompted maritime nations with ships transiting the North Atlantic to establish an iceberg patrol in the area. Since 1913, the U.S. Coast Guard has been tasked with the management and operation of the patrol, known as the International Ice Patrol (IIP).
 

Who:

• Rear Adm. Daniel Neptun, commander, 1st Coast Guard District

• Cmdr. Lisa Mack, commander, Coast Guard International Ice Patrol

• Edward Kamuda, Titanic Historical Society

• Cathy Bernstein, Titanic International Society

• Rick Laney, Titanic Museum Attractions

• Bishop J. Kevin Boland, Apostleship of the Sea in the United States
 

When: Tuesday at 10 a.m. Media is requested to arrive by 9:30 a.m.

Where: Coast Guard Base Boston, 427 Commercial Street, Boston MA 02109

Attending media are requested to RSVP with 1st Coast Guard District Public Affairs at 617-223-8515.

Who: The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Thunder Bay, a 140-foot ice-breaking tug, homeported in Rockland, Maine.

What: The crew is scheduled to return home after breaking ice for nearly four months in the Great Lakes.

The Thunder Bay was temporarily assigned in the Great Lakes to augment the eight other Great Lakes-based icebreakers during Operation Taconite, a major Great Lakes ice-breaking operation.

The crew of the CGC Thunder Bay arrived in Cleveland on Dec. 12, 2011, after transiting more than 2,000 miles and spent the ice-breaking season operating in the northern Great Lakes due to diminished ice conditions in the southern regions.

The crew participated alongside other Coast Guard icebreakers in operations that facilitated the safe navigation of vessels and cleared paths for more than 67 commercial freighters. The cutter spent more than 175 hours breaking Great Lakes ice, keeping tracks and channels open for navigation. The crew spent 11 hours in direct support of five vessels beset by ice. Overall, their efforts contributed to the safe transit of more than 160,000 tons of cargo, valued at more than $5 million.

"The crew of the Thunder Bay demonstrated exceptional seamanship and ship handling skills and immediately made significant contributions to the mission," said Rear Adm. Daniel Neptun, commander of the 1st Coast Guard District. "Their efforts ensured the critical commercial shipping routes of the Great Lakes remained open for delivery of economically vital cargo."

When: Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Where: 54 Tillson Avenue, Rockland, ME 04841

Attending media are requested to RSVP with Coast Guard Public Affairs at 617-717-9609.

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What:  Marshfield, Mass., Commericial Fishing Vessel Safety Day

Who:  A U.S. Coast Guard flight crew will conduct a question and answer session on survival gear, life saving techniques, helicopter characteristics, capabilities and preparedness at sea.  Also, experience an in-depth tour of a Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter, as most recently seen on the television series “Rescue Alaska.”

• Survival rafts will be on display, learn how to use and care for survival suits.
• Flare demonstrations (Weather Permitting) bring you old flares for disposal and demonstration use.
• Gain awareness, learn, interact and build partnerships.
• Interactive stability model on display.
• Coast Guard P-6 dewatering pumps on display and for operational use.
• USCG fishing vessel examiners will be on hand to answer questions.
• Schedule a free Commercial fishing vessel or Charter boat exam.
• Coast Guard Defender Class 25 foot Safe Boat on display.
• Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-08 on hand to answer recreational boating questions.

When:  Wednesday, March 7^th 2012   10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Where: Marshfield Municipal Airport, Harlow Field (GHD)

            93 Old Colony Lane Marshfield, MA 02050

*This is a free event open to the general public; Children should be accompanied by an adult.*

BOSTON — The media is invited to the presentation of the Purple Heart to the family of a World War I Coast Guardsman in New Castle, N.H., Friday.

U.S. Senator for New Hampsire, Kelly Ayotte, and the 1^st District commander, Rear Adm. Daniel Neptun, are scheduled to present the prestigious award to the family of Water Tender Fred Wyman, a crewman aboard the USS Tampa when it was hit and sunk by the German U-boat 91, Sept. 26, 1918, killing 111 Coast Guardsmen, four U.S. Navy men, a captain of the British Army, 10 seamen of the Royal Navy, and five civilian employee dock workers.  This was reportedly the largest loss due to enemy action suffered by U.S. Naval Forces in World War I.

After the United States declared war with Germany the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa and other Coast Guard cutters were transferred to the U.S. Navy and received the designations as USS Tampa.

The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military.

WHERE: Coast Guard Station Portsmouth Harbor –
              25 Wentworth Rd.
              New Castle, N.H.

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

WHY: To honor Water Tender Fred Wyman for his service

WHO: U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte
          Rear Adm. Daniel Neptun, 1^st Coast Guard District Commander
          Douglas Wyman Sr., will receive the Purple Heart on behalf of Fred Wyman.

BOSTON — As the holiday season draws near, people are drawn to family and food to celebrate this festive time of year. And with the Feast of Seven Fishes comes the need for fresh seafood for tables and restaurants around the New England area.

As local fishermen take to the sea, Coast Guard personnel work diligently to prevent tragedies from occurring during the rush to bring a catch to market. As seafood prices spike, Coast Guard personnel work to ensure safety corners are not cut.

The Coast Guard is responsible for inspecting the commercial fishing fleet not only for catch and species limits, personnel also ensure commercial fishing boats have the mandated safety equipment on board. Equipment such as flares, life rafts, cold-water immersion suites and emergency satellite radio beacons. This equipment helps mariners that are in trouble notify the Coast Guard or other fishing vessels of their distress. Safety equipment allows the fishermen in distress to relay their location and nature of distress to rescue personnel.

Put simply, this safety equipment helps the mariner stay alive until help can arrive. And when the fishing is on Georges Bank or off the coast of northern Maine, every minute counts.

During this busy time of year, weather and temperatures can be unpredictable. Coast Guard personnel are on the seas ensuring fishermen have the proper safety equipment on board so that everyone might return safely from the sea to their families. The greatest gift anyone can give their family is their safe return.

Coast Guard personnel are available to speak regarding the importance of fishing vessel safety at our Gloucester, Mass., Coast Guard station. Please call Chief Petty Officer Jeff Hall for more information at (617) 504-9274.

Related stories:

Fishing vessel with inadequate safety equipment brought back to port in Maine

New Bedford fishing vessel brought safely to port by Coast Guard crews

Cape Coast Guard station has busy weekend with fishing vessels

New Jersey fishing vessel brought back to port for safety violations

BOSTON — Media are invited to Coast Guard Station Chatham, Saturday, where children of U.S. Coast Guard members will receive presents from Santa.

Santa, a member of Friends of Flying Santa, will land a helicopter at the station and deliver a present to each child.

Friends of Flying Santa, operated by volunteers and relying on the contributions of individuals and sponsors, works throughout the year to prepare for flights delivering more than 600 gifts to the children of Coast Guard families.

This annual holiday tradition was started in 1929 by Capt. William Wincapaw, a float plane pilot based in Rockland, Maine. He was a renowned aviator who flew seaplanes up and down the New England coast, providing delivery services to the isolated island residents. In those early days of aviation, he often found himself relying on the beacons of lighthouses to assist him in his navigation. Capt. Wincapaw had great admiration for these dedicated lifesavers and began his aerial Santa flights as a gesture of appreciation to help brighten their lonely holidays. The aerial Christmas Day delivery of small packages of books, magazines, candy and toys were warmly received by these isolated residents. Capt. Wincapaw, with the help of his son, Bill, Jr., made this an annual event and expanded the flights to cover all of New England.

WHERE: Coast Guard Station Chatham

             37 Main Street, Chatham, Mass.

WHEN: 8 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, 2011.

WHO: Friends of Flying Santa and Coast Guard families

WHY: To celebrate the holiday season