Date:31 Aug. 2010
Contact: Kirk Scarborough
Public Affairs Officer
Email:Captkir55@aol.com
Tel:714 777-2300

Press Release

If you can be Heard, you can be Rescued

Sound is the #1 factor in deterring crime and finding lost victims. When you are injured, cold, lost and tired, shouting can leave you hoarse and exhausted in a matter of minutes.

However, if you can breathe, you can easily blow a whistle and be found by Rescue Personnel. A sounding devise is one of the requirements in order to be awarded a Coast Guard Vessel Safety Check Decal. Besides whistles, there are other types of Sounding Devices: i.e. Air Horns and Bells. But a whistle is the least expense type of sounding devise. And is the easiest devise to carry on your person or tied to your Life Jacket.

In cooperation with the National Safe Boating Council and other agencies, some Coast Guard Auxiliary units give away Whistles at public events like; boat shows, safe boating events, state fairs, etc.

Before you leave the dock, be sure you have all the proper & required equipment on board your vessel.

And don't forget to wear a life jacket and carry a sounding devise! These items might just save your life.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is a uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America?s Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service?s missions.

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Date: August 26, 2010
Contact: Phil Bailey
Phone:417.271.9116
Email: pwbailey@centurytel.net
http://auxpa.org

News Release

New Coast Guard Auxiliary National Commodore Targets Boating Deaths

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Jim Vass of Port O'Connor, Texas; the new Coast Guard Auxiliary National Commodore; charged the Coast Guard Auxiliary, to reduce deaths on our waterways."We need to recommit ourselves to improving recreational boating safety and making a serious dent in reducing the recreational boating death growth rates, Commodore Vass said."

2009 saw an increase of 3.8% in recreational boating deaths because people fail to wear life jackets, are inattentive, and consume alcohol while operating boats. Nearly 75 percent of the 736 people who died in boating accidents in 2009 drowned, and 84 percent of those victims reportedly were not wearing a life jacket. Our waterways should be fun, not places where you lose your life commented Vass.

Commodore Vass began his association with the Coast Guard Auxiliary in 1991 and has served in a host of positions at the local, regional and national levels. Most recently he was the national vice commodore. He holds qualifications as an instructor, vessel examiner, and boat coxswain. His awards include the Coast Guard Auxiliary Medal of Operational Merit, Commendation Medal, Service Award, the Coast Guard Unit Commendation, and Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary created by an Act of Congress in 1939 is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard supporting the Coast Guard in nearly all its missions.

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Date: August 24, 2010

Contact: Christopher Todd

Public Affairs Officer

Phone:305.490.6030

Email: ctodd@auxpao.org

http://auxpa.org

News Release

Coast Guard Auxiliary Leaders Meet in Arizona Desert

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Coast Guard Auxiliary leaders from around the nation began meeting today in Scottsdale, Arizona to elect a new National Commodore and other senior leaders. Participants will also learn new techniques and procedures to keep America?s Waterways safe.

NACON is sponsored by the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides business management and training support for the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Nationwide, recreational boating deaths increased 3.8 percent in 2009, a figure the Coast Guard Auxiliary wants to reduce. Despite its landlocked location, Arizona ranks fifth in nation for reportable boating accidents.  Arizona waterways include Lakes Powell, Mead, Mohave, Havasu, Roosevelt, and Pleasant.

Coast Guard Auxiliary members are receiving training across a variety of areas including recreational boating safety, paddle sports education, program performance measurement, and the Coast Guard Academy Admissions Partner program.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, created by an Act of Congress in 1939, is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all its missions. For more information on the Coast Guard Auxiliary please visit cgaux.org

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Tom Loughlin

USCG Auxiliary

Tom-bon@msn.com

August 9, 2010

Press Release

Boating Fatality---Your Family?

New Port Richey Florida - Have you ever heard the phrase, “That’ll never happen to me”?

Of the 6,347 boats involved in accidents in 2008 only 1,146 operators, or 18 %, had any type of safe boating instruction. Four hundred sixty five of these operators, or 7%, had less than 10 hours experience driving a boat.

We read about a boating accident in the newspapers and say it. We see it on TV and remark how someone else really goofed up. We hear on the radio about a boating accident and think the boaters were so stupid. What about us?

The worst statistics are the innocents, the friends and family who trusted their lives and safety to someone with little or no training. In 2008 alone 709 people lost their lives and 3,331 received medical treatment beyond first aid.

In most cases only one person made a mistake but in all cases others paid dearly for it.

Sign up for a safe boating class. Always wear a life jacket while on the boat. Don’t drink and boat. Do these and you can safely say, “That’ll never happen to me!”

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer Component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America’s Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service’s missions.

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Date: August 4, 2010

Contact: Phil Bailey

Phone: 417.271.9116

Email: pwbailey@centurytel.net

http://auxpa.org

Press Release

Life Jackets Save Lives

Washington - The Coast Guard Auxiliary wants everyone to have fun and to be safe on the water but we know from statistics that deaths caused by recreational boating accidents have increased by 3.8 percent in 2009. A sad note is most adults do NOT wear a life jacket unless they are skiing, tubing, or riding a wave runner. A program to emphasize the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s goal of getting everybody to wear a life jacket while on the water was to hold a raffle. Adults caught by a member of the Auxiliary wearing a life jacket are given a ticket for a drawing to be held once a month and the winner receiving a FREE dinner for two at a local restaurant. The local newspapers bought into this since it stresses the importance of wearing a life Jacket. Flyers posted around town publicizing this endeavor spread the message even further. Children should wear a life jackets but like adults, the older children won’t because they don’t have to past a certain age. T shirts are given to children with the words…. I was caught wearing my Life Jacket by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Local stores selling ice cream participated by giving away child size cups of ice cream if they presented a coupon from the Auxiliary. The above methods have been used and do stress the importance of wearing a life jacket. There is really no reason not to wear a life jacket with the light weight inflatable’s for sale today. Nearly 75 percent of the 736 people who died in boating accidents in 2009 drowned, and 84 percent of those victims reportedly were not wearing a life jacket. Take a boating safety course and wear your life jacket.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniform volunteer component of the US Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America's Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service's missions.

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By the CNN Wire Staff
August 3, 2010 10:54 a.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Fatal accidents for recreational boaters increased by 3.8 percent in 2009
Inattention, inexperience and alcohol consumption were common contributors to the accidents
Wearing a life jacket and taking boater education classes are good preventative measures, the Coast Guard says

Washington (CNN) -- Recreational boating accident deaths are on the rise, the U.S. Coast Guard's Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety announced in its 2009 Recreational Boating Statistics report Tuesday.

The report states that deaths caused by recreational boating accidents have increased by 3.8 percent, with related injuries increasing by 0.8 percent, though the number of accidents actually decreased by 1.2 percent.

A total of 4,730 accidents recorded by the Coast Guard in 2009 caused 736 deaths, over 3,300 injuries and about $36 million in property damage, according to the report. A number called the fatality rate, which compares the number of annual deaths against the number of registered boats, increased to 5.8 deaths per 100,000 registered boats in 2009.

The top five contributing factors to the accidents included boat operator inattention and inexperience, excessive speed, improper lookout and alcohol consumption. The report states that alcohol consumption "continues to be of major concern" in fatal accidents, and was the leading factor in 16 percent of deaths.

In addition, a full 86 percent of boat operators involved in fatal accidents had not received boat safety instruction.

"Nearly 75 percent of the 736 people who died in boating accidents in 2009 drowned, and 84 percent of those victims reportedly were not wearing a life jacket," said Rear Adm. Kevin Cook, the Coast Guard's director of prevention policy. "The two most important things boaters can do to prevent the loss of life is to wear a life jacket and take a boater education course."

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniform volunteer component of the US Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America's Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service's missions.

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CONTACT: Christopher Todd

Public Affairs Officer NACON

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Tel: (305) 490-6030

E-mail: ctodd@auxpao.org

July 26, 2010

NEWS RELEASE

COAST GUARD AUXILIARY NATIONAL CONFERENCE (NACON) IN ARIZONA

Coast Guard Auxiliary Members will elect a new National Commodore

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will hold its 2010 National Conference (NACON) at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa August 22-29.  ADM Bob Papp, Commandant of the Coast Guard, is scheduled as the keynote speaker at the Commodores Banquet on Saturday, August 28.

NACON is the national forum where Auxiliary members from all states, territories and common wealths come together to train, and develop strategies to define the future of our organization, said Commodore Nicholas Kerrigan, National Commodore. 
Several new officers, including a new National Commodore, will be elected.  Scheduled training includes:

             Maintenance and Care of Equipment

             Social Media and the Auxiliary

             Paddle Sports training for the public

             Performance Measurements

             Inflatable Life Jackets

             Cold Water Boot Camp

             Standardized Auxiliary Boat Operations Training

NACON is open to all members and friends of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  Those interested in attending NACON are encouraged to learn more by visiting: cgaux.org/nacon

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer Component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America's Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard across all of the service's mission areas.

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Date: 22 June 2010

Contact: Kirk Scarborough
Coast Guard Auxiliary
Public Affairs Dept.
Email: Captkirk55@aol.com

Press Release

Operation Dry Water..Boat Safe, Boat Sober

Operation Dry Water June 25-27, 2010 is a national weekend of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) detection and enforcement aimed at reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities.

In case you didn?t already know it, BUI is dangerous and illegal. According to 2008 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics, alcohol is the leading contributing factor in boating fatalities; nearly one in five boating fatalities each year result from boaters impaired by alcohol.

Operating a recreational vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher is against most State and Federal laws. BUI also applies to drugs. Even prescription medications can make operating a recreational vessel unsafe. Check with your doctor about the effects of any medications you may be taking.

A boat operator, drink for drink, will be impaired quicker on the water than on the road. In the marine environment motion, vibration, engine noise, sun, wind and spray are all factors that help to accelerate a drinker?s impairment.

If marine law enforcement finds that a boat operator is BUI, the vessel?s voyage will be terminated, the boat may be impounded and the operator may be arrested. Penalties vary by state, but can include fines, jail, loss of boating privileges, even loss of driving privileges. During 2009?s operation, more than 220 boaters were arrested.

Operation Dry Water is coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, states and other agencies. It is a nationwide event with more than 80 agencies participating this year.

Consider yourself warned.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary, America?s Volunteer Guardians, supports the Coast Guard in nearly all of the service?s missions..

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