Coast Guard nationally certifies local maritime emergency responders

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 03/23/2017 10:25 PM EDT

united states coast guard 

News Release  

March 23, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay
Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay
Office: (727) 535-1437 ext. 2143
After Hours: (305) 965-4672

Coast Guard nationally certifies local maritime emergency responders

Coast Guard members from Station Fort Myers Beach, Florida, train local maritime emergency responders during a National Association of Boating Law Adm
Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew members, from Air Station Clearwater teach Naples area maritime emergency responders about search-and-rescue operations at Naples (Florida) Municipal Airport, Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Touring the helicopter was part of the National Association of Boating Law Administrator’s boating operator search and rescue course where Coast Guard members spent the week training the local responders. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson)   Naples area maritime emergency responders, and Coast Guard members from Station Fort Myers Beach and Air Station Clearwater are shown in front of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter at Naples (Florida) Municipal Airport, Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Touring the helicopter was part of the National Association of Boating Law Administrator’s boating operator search and rescue course where Coast Guard members spent the week training the local responders search-and-rescue operations. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson) Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Randall Keller, a National Association of Boating Law Administrator’s boating operator search and rescue course instructor, teaches Naples, Florida, area marine emergency responders how to calculate nautical time, speed and distance in Naples, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Local responders were taught search patterns, boat operator terminology and basic maritime search-and-rescue operations during the course. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson) 

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution video and photos.

NAPLES, Fla.— Coast Guard members hosted a National Association of Boating Law Administrator's boating operator search and rescue course in Naples this week.

Members from Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach working as NASBLA BOSAR instructors certified 18 local maritime emergency responders from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Collier County Sheriff's Office, Marco Island Police Department, North Collier Fire Department and Marco Island Fire Department.

“This week we had a great opportunity to build external relationships,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Shae Currington, one of the instructors for the course. “We were able to work with our partners and help teach them search and rescue patterns, along with man-over-boards, and basic engineering casualty control exercises.”

The NASBLA boating operator search and rescue course included classroom and on-the-water training, and a tour of a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater.  

“It makes [the community] safer, all the way around, because when we are able to effectively communicate with the Coast Guard and other agencies, it makes things work so much faster,” said Sgt. Dave Bruening, the Collier County marine unit supervisor and a trainee in the course. “And, we can more easily effect a successful rescue.”

Certified participants are nationally qualified to respond to maritime emergencies and entered into a qualification database that is maintained by NASBLA and recognized by the Coast Guard and FEMA.

 

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