ALCOAST 282/18 - AUG 2018 2017 ASSOCIATION FOR RESCUE AT SEA (AFRAS) AWARD RECIPIENTS

R 140918 AUG 18
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-5RI//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS 16100
ALCOAST 282/18
COMDTNOTE 16100
SUBJ: 2017 ASSOCIATION FOR RESCUE AT SEA (AFRAS) AWARD RECIPIENTS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 110927 MAR 18/ALCOAST 105/18
1. IAW REF (A), this ALCOAST announces award of the 2017 AFRAS Gold
and Silver Medals. The AFRAS Gold Medal is awarded annually to a
Coast Guard enlisted member who exhibited exceptional courage and
heroism during a rescue at sea. The Silver Medal or Chairman’s
Award is awarded annually to a deserving Coast Guard Auxiliarist
for a heroic rescue for lives saved in either inland or coastal
waters.
2. GOLD MEDAL. AFRAS has selected Third Class Petty Officer
Brendan T. Kiley of Air Station Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay,
Massachusetts and First Class Petty Officer Matthew W. Silvious
of Air Station Sitka, Sitka, Alaska for award of the 2017 Gold Medal.
3. Petty Officer Kiley is cited for extraordinary heroism while
serving as a rescue swimmer on board CGNR 6026 in support of
Hurricane HARVEY relief efforts, 27-29 AUG 17.
   A. Hurricane HARVEY was a category four hurricane that released
more precipitation than any other storm system in U.S. history,
discharging as much as 52 inches of rain throughout 28,000 square
miles of Texas and flooding much of the city of Houston. Braving
the outer bands of the hurricane, the crew of CGNR 6026 flew through
extreme precipitation, heavy lighting and storm force winds in
excess of 50 knots to reposition from Lafayette, Louisiana to
Houston, Texas. Tasking was difficult due to the volume of 911
calls from persons in distress and the vast area of flooding,
forcing aircrews to navigate using street addresses to hoist
survivors in distress from windows, roofs and tops of submerged cars.
   B. Deploying 18 times from over 100 feet to avoid hazardous
trees and live power lines and battling severe high winds in excess
of 40 knots and torrential rain, Petty Officer Kiley assisted entire
city blocks of survivors desperately seeking assistance. Often
working alone, he put children and the old and frail onto his back
and swam through rushing floodwaters to the awaiting helicopter.
Waived down by an anxious survivor, Petty Officer Kiley entered an
unlit house filled with brown, putrid water and cluttered with
floating debris. In the back room, a woman lay on a hospital bed
with floodwater already over the mattress. With battery powered
medical equipment still operating, Petty Officer Kiley struggled to
bring the elderly woman outside for the hoist. On another occasion,
Petty Officer Kiley deftly climbed onto a roof where a woman
desperately held a rubber storage bin, inside which were her toddler
and newborn baby trying to stay dry. Remarkably, he was able to carry
the bin from the roof before helping the mother down and arranging
all three in the basket for hoist.
   C. Petty Officer Kiley’s remarkable stamina, adaptability and
heroism were instrumental in hoisting and saving the lives of 112
people during 21.3 hours of operational relief efforts. His courage,
judgment, and devotion to duty are most heartily commended and are in
keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.
4. Petty Officer Silvious is cited for heroic achievement while
serving as the rescue swimmer on CGNR 6007, on 09 SEP 17.
   A. Despite knowing refueling and emergency divert airfields were
unavailable, Petty Officer Silvious volunteered to fly 420 miles into
Hurricane IRMA to rescue two mariners from the sailing vessel ON CAVAL
as it foundered in the outer bands of the powerful category four storm.
   B. Arriving on scene, Petty Officer Silvious learned that one of the
survivors had abandoned ship and was attempting to row a five-foot
dinghy to land. With near zero visibility, at night, in torrential rains
and 45 to 60 knot winds, Petty Officer Silvious deployed into the water
to affect a rescue. While being dragged by the helicopter as it fought
to maintain position in the violent winds, he fought his way to the
panicked survivor. Quickly realizing the dinghy was on the verge of
capsizing, he made a split-second decision to transfer the reluctant
survivor into the water. Despite the extreme weather conditions and
struggling victim, Petty Officer Silvious quickly employed the rescue
strop to execute a safe hoist to the helicopter.
   C. Racing against the strengthening storm and critical fuel levels,
Petty Officer Silvious immediately redeployed to retrieve the second
survivor from a storm-tossed life raft as it was blown further out to
sea.
   D. Petty Officer Silvious’ heroic actions and life-saving skills were
instrumental in the rescue of two people who otherwise would not have
survived the historic storm. His courage, judgment, and devotion to duty
are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest
traditions of the United States Coast Guard.
5. CHAIRMAN’S AWARD. AFRAS has selected Kathleen Goodwin (1164861),
Flotilla 130-08-04, Coxswain; Steven Beckerman (1242616), Flotilla
130-08-02, Crewman and; Jan Jenne (1193257), Flotilla 130-08-04, shore
side communications to receive the Chairman’s Award.
   A. On 03 SEP 17, while on patrol near Quilomene Creek, Sector Puget
Sound, Auxiliarists Goodwin and Beckerman were approached by a woman on
a jet ski stating that a man had been seriously injured and needed
assistance. They immediately headed to the scene of the accident where
a large crowd had gathered. The accident had occurred at the base of a
makeshift water slide constructed on the beach. The victim was knocked
unconscious sliding down headfirst and floating in the water for an
undetermined amount of time before those on scene realized there was a
problem and began to provide first aid.
   B. The unconscious man was placed on a five-foot board for spinal
support. Fearing a possible neck injury, an improvised collar consisting
of a rolled-up towel secured with a short piece of line had been placed
around his neck. As the Auxiliary boat approached the scene, Auxiliarist
Beckerman turned off the boat’s engine and the stern was swung into the
beach. The injured man was lifted onto the Auxiliary boat with a former
Air Force trauma nurse providing medical assistance.
   C. The Auxiliarist boat immediately notified Auxiliarist Jenne shore
side, who arranged for an ambulance to meet the boat at the Quilomene
Yacht Club, the closest location for the emergency evacuation. During
the transit, Auxiliarist Beckerman and the nurse continued to monitor
the patient, who was semi-conscious and bleeding from the mouth and nose.
   D. Upon arrival at the Yacht Club, the injured man was transferred
to waiting EMTs and ambulance for further transport to the hospital.
However, due to the nature of the victim’s injuries, he was transported
via Life Flight to the hospital.
   E. Auxiliarists Goodwin, Beckerman and Jenne’s courage, judgment, and
devotion to duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the
highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.
5. All of the nominees exhibited great courage and brought credit to the
service. Their performance honors our profession and life-saving heritage.
6. Petty Officers Silvious and Kiley will be recognized at a ceremony
hosted by AFRAS in the House Rayburn Congressional Office Building,
Washington, DC, on 13 September 2018. Auxiliarists Goodwin, Beckerman,
and Jenne will be recognized at a separate venue.
7. Congratulations to Petty Officers Silvious and Kiley and Auxiliarists
Goodwin, Beckerman and Jenne for a job well done.
8. Ms. Dana S. Tulis, Director of Incident Management and Preparedness
Policy, sends.
9. Internet release authorized.