Putting the "Safe" in Marine Safety

What’s going on with Marine Safety? Just ask our Flotilla Staff Officer, Randi Aldrich, who dons her ODUs and heads for Fort Myers every Wednesday morning. At the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Detachment on Colonial Boulevard, she is learning about environmental emergencies large and small.

Randi has already spent hundreds of study hours both online and in the classroom, including Hazardous Waste Operation (HAZWOPER) training at Station Fort Myers Beach. On a recent day she joined the Coast Guard’s MSD unit to investigate a report of oil on the water at the Chiquita Lock in Cape Coral. Back in the office, she is learning to use the MSD’s computer software program to enter and track information on incidents such as this. Photos by David Crockwell

The environmental aspect of the Marine Safety program is so new to the Auxiliary that no training materials exist. Randi and her Division Nine Staff Officer, David Crockwell, have been working together to document the training they have received at the MSD in Fort Myers and make it available to others.

Awards! Awards! Awards!

At the March 16 meeting, John Cullen and Alfred Lazzaro received the ribbon for five years of Auxiliary membership.

Robert Morrison received the AUXOP device for completing the requirements for AUXOP.

Mel Milstein received the RBS Program Specialist award.  Larry explains, “This is a new award that Mel qualified for with a combination of PV, VE hours and VSCs and PE.  He needed two consecutive years exceeding 120 points which he achieved. To the best of my knowledge he is the first in 96 to do this."

Flotilla 96 Members Receive AUXOP Recognition

Congratulations to Bob Morrison and John Tyson for completing the Operational Auxiliarist Program (AUXOP) this year.  Bob received his award at the March meeting, and John received his award in February.  They join four other active and two retired Flotilla 96 members who have attained this honor.

Bob began working on AUXOP right after he became an Auxiliary member more than 10 years ago.  Bob took the required courses and tests at his own pace.  Looking back, he said:  “It’s a lot of work, but it’s great to get the pin.”  Both the current Flotilla 96 Bridge and commanding officer Jeff Kerner at Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach are encouraging active members to do the necessary work and qualify for AUXOP.

So how do you earn the AUXOP award?   Under the recently revised requirements for the program, “Auxiliarists will be required to successfully complete a minimum of seven credits to receive the AUXOP qualification.” 

Three of the credits must be earned by completing these three courses:  Auxiliary Weather (AUXWEA), Auxiliary Seamanship (AUXSEA) and Auxiliary Communications (AUXCOM).  One credit must come from completing any one of several leadership courses, including the Flotilla Leadership Course and courses offered by the Auxiliary Leadership and Management School. 

 Finally, three credits need to be earned from a variety of courses designed to cover a wide range of interests, including Auxiliary Search Coordination and Execution (AUXACN), Introduction to Marine Safety and Auxiliary Patrols (AUXPAT).   A complete listing of requirements and available courses is available at http://www.cgaux.org/training/AUXOP.html

By Jim Samples

Dredging Done, For How Long?

The dredging of Wiggins Pass is done, but the controversy rages on in Collier County.  After a $750,000 contract with Southwind Construction, the Collier County commissioners want to know how to prevent all this from happening again soon.  Since Wiggins is a natural inlet rather than a manmade pass, the EPA forbids structures such as groins and seawalls to prevent further silting.  The Naples Daily News quotes Councilman Fred Coyle as saying, “If it was up to me, I’d build a concrete pier on either side of the pass and be done with it forever.”

The Minutes In a Minute

16 March, 2011 Attending:  41 members and guests

After preliminaries, Larry Urbanek, FC, introduced guests Ron Burling and AUXLO BM2/E5 Shaun Cervenka and presented awards.

Announcements of interest:

·         Matt Chester will be deployed by the FBI to Afghanistan for four months.

·         The Open Water Festival begins June 9 on Fort Myers Beach; we will coordinate coverage with FL 91.

·         STAFMB will give no advance warning of SAR exercises and we are expected to participate.

·         Next fellowship is lunch at Coconut Jacks on May 13.  Contact Bernie Appelman or Jordan Pollack.

·         The next Change of Watch is scheduled for December 15, 2011.

Dave Shuster, VFC, summarized staff reports and said the reluctance of qualified radio watchstanders to take a turn in the radio room is hampering flotilla operations.

Ops report by Michael DiPierro brought up the question of what our patrol boats are expected to do when they see recreational boats operating at dangerous speed near the public beach.  Our AUXLO, BM Cervenka, reminded that our first responsibility is boating safety and education.  Ask the offending vessel to slow down, he said.  If they continue, back off and contact STAFMB immediately.

Approved addition of Allen Thompson, FSO-FN and Jim Mayer, FSO-MT to the signature card for our checking account at Bank of America. 

Coasties on Patrol

Michael DiPierro snapped these crewmen from the Coast Guard Cutter Marlin as they prepared to board his boat, Pegasus , while on a rare patrol in the Wiggins Pass area earlier this year.  With the Marlin anchored near the Alpha Marker, crewmen zipped back and forth to check out the many boats enjoying the sunshine.  Pegasus, not on a flotilla patrol at the time, passed the friendly inspection and enjoyed a visit with the Coasties.   The crew also noted the Auxiliary’s Vessel Examination sticker with approval