U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 78, Division 7 WATERWAYS 78 Volume XVI, Issue 2 February 2013 Vancouver, Washington Inside this issue: From the Commander Awards and Recognition 2 3 ABS 5 NOAA BookletCharts Around the District: AUXLMS Barge Launch 6 8 11 Calendar Check the Activities and Events Calendar for important dates 13 PORTLAND, Oregon The U.S. Coast Guard patrols the Willamette during a launch of the new barge Polar Trader at Gunderson Marine on February 9, 2013. (Photo by Joann McCollum, Flotilla 78)
Page 2 Waterways 78 From the Commander Flotilla 78 is setting up their Annual Operating Budget and presented it to the membership for acceptance at the February meeting. February was still just the beginning of another year for the Flotilla. The painful payment of dues has occurred and drops the units coffer considerably, since out of the dues, the Flotilla only gets to keep $1 per member, this, at a time when ABS classes have already taken a toll on the Flotilla s presentation equipment. One of the projectors went down during the January class and the old Vista-born laptop had difficulties displaying video files. The Portland Boat Show 2013 has come and gone. The Sportsman s Show came up and has recently completed. We still need to be working with the public in other ways. PA events, such as last month s Oregon Offshore Paddling Society s event, Vessel exams, and visiting and assisting other units; to help them, as we present ourselves as part of the United States Coast Guard, and not as just another flotilla. Another year of Public Education is already on the calendar. We had 77 students sign up for the January ABS course, 26 January 2013, and 59 showed up and passed the class. Again, my thank you goes out to all of the Flotilla members who took time to honor the Gold Side of the United States Coast Guard during Christmas. Flotilla 78 took Christmas Dinner and treats to MSU Portland, so those on duty could enjoy a unique Christmas Dinner. It was an honor to be able to serve those who are serving us. On February 9 th we had the opportunity to assist the Portland Harbormaster and the USCG closing the Willamette River for the launching of a new barge, the Polar Trader, at Gunderson Marine. Talk about boats being wary of waves created by tugs, even the tugs stay away from the wave produced by the side of the barge entering the water! (Defiant and Kestrel provided the necessary Safety Zone.) Respectfully Submitted, Hall Guttormsen Flotilla Commander 78
Volume XVI, Issue 2 Page 3 Awards and Recognition Telecommunications Operator Hall Guttormsen Vessel Examiner Richard T. Miller DIVISION 7 U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary MDV AWARD Flotilla 78
Page 4 Waterways 78 PORTLAND, Oregon A new barge, the Polar Trader, is launched at Gunderson Marine. Working in conjunction with the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary facilities Defiant and Kestrel took part in closing the area of the river for safety. (Photo by Joanne McCollum, Flotilla 78) See more photos of the launch on page 11. ATTENTION PROGRAM VISITORS Boaters will be anxious as the weather begins to change and Spring Chinook opens. It is a perfect time to supply program visitation boxes. Stock up on your PV materials and keep those boxes full for the startup of the boating season!
Volume XVI, Issue 2 Page 5 Flotilla 78 instructors taught 59 students at the January About Boating Safety class. The instructor team worked in conjunction with the U.S. Power Squadron and Clark County Marine Patrol deputies at two facilities in January to teach those 59 individuals. That means that 59 people will be safer boaters in 2013, and those 59 people could potentially tell 59 more boaters about the class and the importance of safe boating on the water in our area. And those 59.. You get the idea! This kind of trickle down effect is what Auxiliarists hope for when educating the citizens in our communities. One by one, 59 people can create a wave resulting in safer conditions on Pacific Northwest waters. Through boating classes, keeping PV boxes full, and public affairs events, our education materials and boating class information gets distributed throughout the community. Classes are filled, students learn safety on the water and boater cards are issued. This results in less accidents, less deaths and a more informed public. Flotilla 78 instructors get excited about the idea of starting a wave of safety within the community that brings about this kind of result. And those 59. Let s start another wave!
Page 6 Waterways 78 NOAA announces free nautical 'BookletCharts' for boaters By National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration One of NOAA's handiest navigation products, especially for recreational boaters, has been Coast Survey's experimental BookletCharts -- nautical charts that are easy to download and print from home computers. Coast Survey has now moved the BookletCharts from experimental stage into official production. Nearly a thousand newly updated BookletCharts are available free on the Web. NOAA's new official BookletCharts cover the 95,000 miles of U.S. coastline and the Great Lakes. The BookletCharts contain most of the information found on NOAA's full-scale nautical charts, but it is presented as reduced-scale. "It is especially appropriate that we unveil these easy-to-use nautical charts as recreational boaters begin to think about their boating adventures for 2013," said Capt. Jon Swallow, chief of NOAA Coast Survey's Navigation Services Branch. "NOAA's nautical charts help to protect lives and property, and boaters should take advantage of these free nautical products." "Many boaters don't use nautical charts, trusting local knowledge or their memories. But that can be dangerous, as seafloors constantly shift, shorelines erode, and dangers to navigation are discovered," Swallow said. "BookletCharts will tell a boater about these developments, and will help ensure a safe voyage, whether it is around the bay or down the coast." NOAA s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels.
Volume XVI, Issue 2 Page 7 Since the Booklet Charts are easy to access from the Web, easy to print, and easy to carry in a pocket, NOAA officials hope that tens of millions of recreational boaters who may not normally use charts will use these. Several years ago, the Office of Coast Survey introduced experimental BookletCharts as PDFs in an 8½-by-11 inch format, to test public demand and use. The product has been tremendously successfully, receiving kudos by recreational boaters and boating organizations. Coast Survey has subsequently upgraded the chart displays and navigational information for the official product. While BookletCharts are great for recreational use, they do not fulfill chart carriage requirements for regulated commercial vessels under Titles 33 and 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations. NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, originally formed by President Thomas Jefferson in 1807, updates the nation's nautical charts, surveys the coastal seafloor, responds to maritime emergencies and searches for underwater obstructions and wreckage that pose a danger to navigation. Follow Coast Survey on Twitter @nauticalcharts, and check out the NOAA Coast Survey blog at http:// noaacoastsurvey.wordpress.com for more in-depth coverage of surveying and charting. (January 28, 2013, http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/20130128_freenauticalchartbooklets.html) More information on the NOAA BookletCharts can be found on the NOAA BookletChart website at http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/bookletchart.html
Page 8 Waterways 78 Around the District Auxiliary Training AUXLMS By Dana Bergdahl, FSO-PB, Flotilla 78 Recently, the Chief Director of the Auxiliary sent out an ALAUX message regarding the new AUXLMS Auxiliary Learning Management System. The AUXLMS provides us with an important tool to complete many of our training requirements for the Auxiliary. It is important to note that there is mandated training and other proficiency training for a variety of areas. A nice feature of AUXLMS will be that successful course completion is automatically recorded in AUXDATA. The information will update on a weekly basis. Because of this, be sure that your e-mail address is the same as your primary e-mail used within AUXDATA. If you need to update your e-mail information, complete form ANSC-7028 at http://forms.cgaux.org/archive/ a7028.pdf. Mandated Training Mandatory training includes eight courses that newly enrolled Auxiliarists must complete in the first full year of membership. Current Auxiliarists must complete the courses between now and December 21, 2016. It is important to note this difference. Although it seems like a lengthy amount of time to complete the training, it is easy to get busy and side-tracked with our daily jobs, family, volunteer and other activities. Training often gets put to the side and sometimes forgotten. By starting the mandatory training now, you can keep current and gain knowledge now that could be useful over the coming months. Why not start now? For those with only a year to accomplish the training, you should still be able to complete the training with ease. With the implementation of the new AUXLMS system, Auxiliarists can complete courses from home. The convenience of being able to complete courses on your own schedule makes it easier to get the courses done in a timely manner. This is good news for all of us. The following courses are mandatory and must be completed every five years by Auxiliarists: DHS Together - Resilience Training - course code 502379 Security Education and Training Awareness (SETA) - course code 810030 Privacy at DHS / Protecting Personal Information - course code 810015 Sexual Harassment Prevention - course code 810000 Sexual Assault Prevention and Response - course code 810045 Civil Rights Awareness - course code 502319
Volume XVI, Issue 2 Page 9 As each of these six courses is completed, its own five-year cycle will start. Each cycle will extend to 31 December of the fifth year regardless of the date the course was completed during the year, and so on. The following two courses are also mandatory but will only need to be completed one time (new member will complete them in their first year of enrollment): Ethics 1 / Personal Gifts - course code 502306 Influenza Training - course code 502290 Proficiency and Responsibility While training may seem burdensome to some, it is an essential part of keeping up-to-date to carry out our missions and gives Auxiliarists the tools to stay proficient in their responsibilities. When logging into the training site, take note of the U.S. Department of Defense Warning Statement and be sure to never share e-mail sign-in and password information. Once you have signed in to enroll in a course, you will find the system is simple and easy to navigate. There is a section in the AUXLMS system for Auxiliary. Once you click on this area, you will find mandated and other training. Simply click on the section you are interested in and find the apple to enroll in the course. It will also tell you the estimated length of the course. Enrollment Screen Example: Estimated Length: 1 hour Enroll Enrollment Valid For: 90 days Note that a course may take several minutes to load on occasion. Be patient, as the system is simply loading the course material. Continued on page 10..
Page 10 Waterways 78 Around the District Auxiliary Training AUXLMS continued Accessing AUXLMS and Password Set-up How do I get my password in AUXLMS? 1. Click on the "I forgot my password" link under the Login button. 2. Fill in the Username field with your individual primary e-mail address currently in AUXDATA. This is your username for AUXLMS. Click on the Submit button. 3. An e-mail will be sent to your AUXDATA e-mail address that contains your login and password. Check this email account for a message from osc-dg-ms-sa-admin@uscg.mil. 4. Return to https://auxlearning.uscg.mil and use the credentials provided in the e-mail to log in. 5. You will then be asked to change your password and sign-in. If you have difficulties navigating AUXLMS or need assistance, be sure to contact your Flotilla leadership for help. We want all Auxiliarists to feel comfortable utilizing the system and be able to complete their training.
Volume XVI, Issue 2 Page 11 Page 11 Barge Launch on the Willamette River (Photos by JoAnn McCollum, Flotilla 78) February 9, 2013 Polar Trader
Page 12 Waterways 78 Auxiliarists Larry Cox (left) and Dorothy Bishop (right) present Recreational Boating Safety Program Partner Belinda Ellis (center) with a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary certificate of appreciation and a USCG Auxiliary Challenge Coin at the Siletz Moorage office. Photo by Auxiliarist Donna Cox. Situational Awareness Saves the Day Article by Auxiliarist Larry Cox, Lincoln City, Oregon It was just another quiet boating day on the Siletz River in coastal Oregon in late fall, when a tragedy was narrowly averted by the quick response of one of the Siletz Moorage managers. Manager Belinda Ellis was on duty in the office when she noticed a boat getting ready to leave the dock with two adults and three children aboard. There was nothing unusual about boaters heading out to get some crabs in Siletz Bay except that none of the children were wearing a life jacket. As a Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Program Partner, a business that displays safe boating literature, Ellis was well aware of the Oregon Law requiring children under 12 to wear lifejackets when aboard an underway boat. She immediately ran down to the dock to inform the parents of the law only to be told that they didn t have any children s life jackets on board. As a renter of boats and kayaks, Siletz Moorage has a supply of life jackets of all sizes, so Ellis invited the children up to the office to be properly fitted with life jackets. Soon the family departed with everyone outfitted with lifejackets and ready to have a fun-filled day on the water. A short time after they departed Ellis received an alert that the boat had sunk in the bay and all five occupants were in the water. A Good Samaritan boater in the area did not take long to rescue all five. However, their boat was located at the bottom of the bay. The Good Samaritan returned the wet and very fortunate family to the dock and the next day the boat was floated to the surface and returned to the owners. As a direct result of her astute situational awareness Ellis prevented a tragedy by delaying the family departure and taking the time to fit the children with life jackets. As an RBS Program Partner of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary she is a real advocate of boating safety. The USCG Auxiliary currently has over 200 RBS Program Partners in the North Lincoln County area from Otter Rock to Pacific City, and up the Siletz River. In recognition of her quick action the Depoe Bay Auxiliary unit presented her with a USCG Auxiliary Certificate of Appreciation and a US Coast Guard Auxiliary Challenge coin. Outstanding job to Belinda Ellis of Siletz Moorage for keen situational awareness and a job well done.
Volume XVI, Issue 2 Page 13 \ Activities and Events Calendar March 6 Fellowship Breakfast 0800 (Vancouver Plaza I-Hop) March 7 Flotilla Staff Meeting 1830 (Peachtree Restaurant, Hazel Dell) March 16 Fellowship Breakfast 0800 (Hometown Buffet, Vancouver, WA) March 21 Flotilla 78 Member Meeting 1930 (WA Fish & Wildlife Bldg., Vancouver) March 23 About Boating Safely Class 0830 (4700 NE 78th St, Bldg. B-1, Vancouver) Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. -Charles Richards
Semper Paratus Semper Paratus 2013 OFFICERS Page 14 FC VFC IPFC FSO-CM FSO-CS FSO-HR FSO-FN FSO-IS FSO-MA FSO-MS Hall C. Guttormsen Joel Hernandez George Sipes Warren Cook Dana M. Bergdahl Gay Sipes Bob Wilkinson Barry Owens Donald G. Lewallen Todd Miller FSO-MT Charles Gehle FSO-NS Barry Owens FSO-OP Donald G. Lewallen FSO-PA John Mackey FSO-PB Dana M. Bergdahl FSO-PE Karl Johnston FSO-PV Warren Cook FSO-SR Barry Owens FSO-VE Rodger Plymate WEST POINT Ice floes on the Hudson River near the South Docks of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Members of the USCG Auxiliary Line Handling teams met for training at the docks for the US Coast Guard s inland ice breaking capable cutters that operate in the Hudson River. These cutters include: 65 Inland Small Harbor Tugs, 140 Ice Breaking Tugs, and 225 Seagoing Buoy Tenders all with ice breaking capabilities. The Auxiliary Line Handling Teams (one for the Kingston, NY area and one for West Point, NY) are the first teams of it s kind in the Auxiliary. Photo by Auxiliarist Stephen Clark. Confidentiality Notice of the Privacy Act The disclosure of the personal information contained in this publication is subject to the provisions contained in the Privacy Act of 1974.The subject Act with certain exceptions prohibits the disclosure, distribution, dissemination, or copying of any material containing the home address, home telephone numbers, spouses names, and social security numbers, except for official business. Violation may result in disciplinary action by the Coast Guard and/or civilian criminal sanction. Waterways 78 A Coast Guard Auxiliary District 13, Division 7, Flotilla 78 Publication is authorized IAW COMDTINST 1800.5D & COMDTINST M5728.2C. Published twelve times yearly and circulated to Auxiliary members of Flotilla 78 via mail, electronically and on the Flotilla 78 web site at www.flotilla78.org. Waterways 78 contains news of general interest, suggestions, and information for Coast Guard Auxiliary members. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Department of Homeland Security or the U. S. Coast Guard. Material is informational only and not authority for action. Internet release is authorized. Editor Dana M. Bergdahl Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard Auxiliary FSO-PB #78 PO Box 822740 Vancouver, WA 98682 503-828-8222 Photos and articles by the editor unless otherwise noted. Publishing Deadline: 15th of each month