Coast Guard adjusts port conditions in Gulf Coast region

 

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008 Eighth District online newsroom

Coast Guard adjusts port conditions in Gulf Coast region

 

Editors' Note: On-camera interviews for Coast Guard storm preparations and safety available upon request for Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, media interested must call 618-225-9008 not later than 1p.m.

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard is adjusting port conditions and pre-staging response assets in the Gulf Coast region due to a forecast of two tropical systems expected to form in the Gulf over the weekend.

Port conditions change based on weather forecasts, and current port conditions can be viewed on the following Coast Guard homeport webpages:

• Sector Mobile, Alabama Port Directory page.
• Sector New Orleans Port Directory page.
• Sector Houston-Galveston Port Directory page.
• Sector Corpus Christi, Texas Port Directory page.

The Coast Guard is warning the public of these important safety messages:

• Stay off the water. Hurricanes and tropical storms can be deadly and our ability to conduct rescues can be diminished or non-existent at the height of a storm. Be prepared, stay informed and heed storm warnings.
• Be prepared. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or to sustaining damage. Mooring lines should be doubled in case of high winds. Boats that can be trailered should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those who are leaving their boats in the water are reminded to remove EPIRBs and to secure life rings, life jackets, and small boats. These items, if not properly secured, can break free and require valuable search and rescue resources to be diverted to ensure people are not in distress.
• Evacuate as necessary. If mandatory evacuations are set for an area, the public should evacuate without delay. Coast Guard personnel and other emergency responders may not be able to evacuate or rescue those in danger during the storm. 
• Secure belongings. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or to sustaining damage. Trailer-able boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those who are leaving their boats in the water are reminded to remove EPIRBs and to secure life rings, lifejackets and small boats. These items, if not properly secured, can break free and require valuable search and rescue resources be diverted to ensure people are not in distress.
• Stay informed. The public should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through local television, radio, and the Internet. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF radio channel 16. Information can also be obtained on small craft advisories and warnings on VHF radio channel 16.

“Our Coast Guard men and women along the Coast Guard 8th District Gulf Coast Region remain vigilant and prepared as two storms approach the region,” said Rear Adm. John Nadeau, commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District . “Our Coast Guard crews are pre-staging personnel and assets to be ready to respond to emergencies as rapidly and safely as possible once the storms pass.”

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-USCG-