United States Coast Guard Auxiliary / Cary Flotilla 09-11 / Piedmont Division, District 5SR 360 Watch MAY/JUNE 2017 FLOTILLA NEWSLETTER ISSUE #1 Silver and Gold From Teen Sea Scout/Auxiliarist to Adult Coastie Our Flotilla Flotilla Commander FC Jim Frei jim.frei@coastguardaux.com Vice Flotilla Commander VFC Ronald Sanders cgaux911pe@bellsouth.net Flotilla 09 11 has seen many talented members come and go in four decades of existence. Many have dedicated time to The Aux as Staff Officers, Instructors, in Operations, or as Watchstanders. Others spent briefer periods with the Flotilla, building skills that complemented their individual interests. For example, the Flotilla has hosted several teenage Auxiliarists who were Sea Scouts. Sea Scouting is a co ed program within Boy Scouts of America, teaching boys and girls maritime skills and leadership. Flotilla 09 11 has helped a number of scouts to hone their skills in sailing, motorboating, navigation, first aid, and boating safety. In my early years with 09 11, I had the privilege to be both Sea Scout Leader and fellow Auxiliarist to one of those teens; Christophor Sowders of Apex, North Carolina. Chris, or CT as he is affectionately known, holds the distinct honor of winning a heaving line contest at Station Emerald Isle when he was 17, pitted against senior Coast Guardsmen and Veteran Auxiliarists! Chris is now on his way to become a seasoned Coastie himself, having graduated from Cape May in September of 2016. I recently had the opportunity to interview him regarding the transition from Auxiliary to Gold Side. I look forward to sharing his insights in future issues. Vickie Jones, FSO PB Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 09 11 chartered in 1975 with fifteen volunteer members, committed to serve the U.S. Coast Guard by promoting and improving Recreational Boating Safety. (The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed, all volunteer civilian component of the United States Coast Guard.) For over forty years, Flotilla 09 11 has provided award winning support within the Fifth Southern District, ranging from Program Visitations to Vessel Safety Examinations, Search and Rescue Patrols, and support for the United States Coast Guard Academy. Flotilla meetings are held at Tylerʹs Taproom in Beaver Creek Crossings in Apex @ 1900 hrs. 1483 Beaver Creek Commons Dr, Apex, NC 2750 See our Facebook page for meeting times and dates: https://www.facebook.com/ USCGAUXCARYNC/
MISSION HOUR REPORTING At every meeting we continue to remind members to report your hours. This is to ensure we document our volunteer efforts which in turn helps to provide justification for funding each year. In 2016, Division 9 reported approximately 26,000 mission hours, with the Cary Flotilla accounting for approximately 19% of all Division 9 mission hours reported. This put us third in the division, behind Raleigh (9 10) and Kerr Lake (9 12). While our number of hours is impressive, in terms of flotilla size, Cary is the largest flotilla, yet we rank third in hours reported: Division 9 2016 Mission Hours 19% 22% 11% 14% 9% 25% 054 09 03 054 09 08 054 09 09 054 09 10 054 09 11 054 09 12 A total of our Flotilla s 5,050 mission hours were reported by 25 members. During 2016 we averaged approximately 34 members. 17 different members of 09 11 submitted one or more 7029 reports (approximately 50% of all members), reporting 4,074 hours (81% of total mission hours) Operations (patrols, radio watch standing) accounts for 2 nd highest percentage of mission hours reported at 4% From here on, let s document our efforts and submit activity reports on a timely basis. If you need assistance or additional training, please contact me. Perry Taylor, FSO IS Page 2 SUMMER 2017
Container Inspector Workshop held in Wilmington The Sector NC Prevention Department recently held the multi day CITAT workshop in Wilmington for twenty Coast Guardsmen, Reservists and Auxiliarists during mid January. Jim Frei, ADSO MS SNC, attended the workshop. The USCG s CITAT (Container Inspection Training and Assistance Team) is located in Oklahoma City, and provides training to all units that inspect containers and the Department of Defense which loads and ships containers. Three instructors, MST1 Hutchins, MST1 Lanno, and MST1 Metzgar provide the training for Sector NC. Topics covered in the workshop included laws & regulations, hazardous materials, marking and labeling of packages & containers, shipping papers & documentation, safety considerations, and the inspection procedures. Hands on training included assessment of package correctness, reviewing & completing shipping papers, and a field trip to the Port of Wilmington where nine CTUs (container transport units) holding a variety of hazardous materials were opened and inspected. Two containers were detained due to problems with the exterior placarding. MST1 Lanno instructs a Container Inspection Team A Container Inspection Team prepares to enter a CTU Entry is allowed after the CTU is ventilated for 15 minutes for non Inhalation Hazards and for 30 minutes for CTUs containing materials classified as an Inhalation Hazard. The workshop ended with an open book 50 question exam; an 80% is required to pass. A certificate was awarded to all passing students. The CITAT workshop is one requirement for the Container Inspector qualification, but is optional for Auxiliarists. However, Mr. Frei recommends that any Auxiliarist working toward the AUX CI PQS take this workshop. Mr. Frei received the AUX CI letter of designation in December 2013 prior to taking this workshop. Article and photo credits FC Jim Frei A Detention Label is placed on a CTU Only the CTU is detained in this case. The cargo may be placed into another CTU and shipped to its destination. The detained CTU will be released when the COPT is satisfied that the reason for detention has been remedied. Page 3 SUMMER 2017
Promoting Safe Boating to New Boat Owners The Cary Flotilla is partnering with Bass Pro Shop in Cary to provide a ʺNew Boater Information Packetʺ to its boat buying customers. New boat owners receive little, if any, safety information when they leave the dealer. There seems to be more safety information included with a lawn mower than a bass boat with a 200 hp motor on the transom. After discussing the issue with the Cary store Business Assistant, Lori Selander, a sample packet was provided that could be given to every new boat owner as they leave the store. A total of 32 packets have been provided to meet their spring boat sale projections. Packets include Federal and State Regulations, Coast Guard Auxiliary public education offerings, including flotilla current class schedules, information on how to obtain and pass a vessel safety check, and additional pamphlets from our large stock of boating safety subjects. The material is then placed in 6 1/2 x9 1/2ʺ white envelopes with pre printed labels. The packets are then given to the new boat owner by the Finance Manager who is typically the last person a new boat owner sees before they leave. The packets are given to the owner along with all manufacturer documentation. This is just one example of how the Cary Flotillaʹs Recreational Boating Safety efforts are reaching out to the boating public. Perry Taylor PUT ON YOUR DANG LIFE JACKETS! Recreational boaters on Jordan Lake are accustomed to summer weather generating still, hot and humid days on the water. It s common to see threatening tower clouds in the afternoon, eventually sending blowing squalls to drench the unprepared. What may be less expected (or planned for) are high seas like the ones Coxswain Jim Frei experienced recently and posted on Facebook: Thank goodness the Coast Guard Auxiliary is reaching out to the paddling public through the AUXPAD program. AUXPAD Ashore includes PA events, PE classes, program visitations and vessel safety examinations, whereas AUXPAD Afloat gives Auxiliarists an opportunity to interact with the paddlecraft community to share RBS messages. To learn more about the AUXPAD program and find other Paddling Safety resources, consult the Coast Guard Auxiliary web site s Paddlecraft Safety web page under Directorates > RBS Outreach. Vickie Jones Page 4 SUMMER 2017
Letter from the Flotilla Commander Jim Frei, FC First of all, allow me to say Bravo Zulu to Vickie Jones, FSO PB, for editing and publishing this issue of the 09 11 newsletter. We haven t had a flotilla newsletter for several years, so it s a great accomplishment to get this one out to our members. My mantra since I was elected your FC has been Get active, and record your mission hours. Last year, the flotilla recorded 5,627 hours. This year, we started out with fewer members, but I encourage everyone to make just a bit more effort, one more mission, and one more hour so that we can improve over last year s numbers. Every member should be able to record at least five hours which can be done by attending the monthly member meeting and doing one VSC or PV. So, let s get those 7029s and 7030s turned in each month. This year, 09 11 has again taken the reigns of the Boat Crew Academy for Division 9. We have already had several training workshops as well as 9 Train. We have about seven trainees, including one from Division 26, that should be able to finish this year and do their QE check ride before October. We can always use more workshop instructors; you do not have to be crewqualified, just knowledgeable in the subject matter. As you may have heard, there are opportunities for coxswains, crew, and crew trainees to work with Division 10 and CGSTA Wrightsville Beach. For three days in early March, Jeff Conley and I participated in 2 boat drills with CG Vessels 29218 and 45726. One day we trained inside Banks Channel, and the third day we trained off shore southeast of the Masonboro Inlet sea buoy. Ask me how you can get in on adventures like this in the future. Jeff Conley, FSO OP and SO OP, has done an excellent job with equipment inventory and keeping up with current crews qualifications and REYR dates. As Jeff has pointed out, we could use more operational facilities in the flotilla. If you want to qualify your boat as an OPFAC, speak to Jeff or Perry. You do not have to be in the crew program to make your boat an OPFAC. You can still ride (or drive) along as a crew trainee. Some of the activities we have throughout the year include Adopt a Shoreline events, MOM patrols on Jordan Lake, Vessel Safety Check stations, marine dealer visits, National Safe Boating Week and other PA opportunities. This season we ve also had the opportunity to support the Warriors on the Water Fishing Tournament and conduct SAR/ SONAR training on Belews Lake. Talk to Jesse Urban, FSO PA, if you have any ideas or want to participate in the many opportunities we offer our members. Your officers are planning more social events this year such as a cook out or day on the water (while not under orders). As part of our fellowship, all members are invited to attend the FSO staff meetings (4 th Thursday each month). In addition to discussing flotilla matters, we also eat dinner and tell tall tales some might even be true. About Boating Safely classes are held one Saturday each month through November 18. If you want to help teach, or work toward your Instructor qualification, contact your FSO PE, Ron Sanders. He would welcome some assistance. Some of you longer term members have not been active with the flotilla in several years. I understand that job, family, or health issues may cause a hindrance to your participation. But if there are other reasons, please let me know. I would rather see you do two or three missions a year than drop out because of a reason that may be fixed. If you re inactive, we don t want you to keep paying your dues. Actually, inactive members hurt us sometimes when we need a quorum at the meetings. There are dozens of qualifications and classes you can take; let your FSOs know what you want or can do. At the time I wrote this article, 09 11 had submitted over 506 mission hours for 2017. My goal for us is to surpass 6000 hours this year. I m sure we can do that if everyone does their share. So.let s get out there, have some fun, and be safe. Page 4 SUMMER 2017 360 Watch is the newsletter of Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 054-09-11 in Cary, North Carolina. Vickie Jones, FSO PB, Editor vickie.jones@coastguardaux.com / 919 468 9711