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U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary hosts boat crew training seminars

Event organizer Dick Stevenson, left, and principal instructor Don Gerhart (in doorway) are shown with Bud Trainor considering questions from the floor. COURTESY JOHN BALLANTYNE
July 17, 2014
U.S. Coast Guard Station Indian River Chief Michael Kristiansen instructs on and reviews various search and rescue patterns, the need for each, and how to determine the best pattern for the situation. COURTESY JOHN BALLANTYNE
In this group from the Indian River Inlet class on the first seminar day, the participants are in back (l-r) John Umbel, Bob McCleary, Dick Stevenson, Bud Trainor, Dennis Murphy, Doug Deiss, Bob Tigani, Bruce White, Betty Smith, Joe Harris, Dave Ritondo, Denny Nield, and John Ballantyne. In front are BM3 John Nash, Len Gerhart, Don Gerhart, Bob Adams, Alan Boucher and Ron Martz. COURTESY BILL JACKSON
The class at the Lewes Coast Guard Station in back are (l-r) Bob Bradish, Marianne Bernardi and Marti Inteli. In third row are Leslie Hegamaster, Jamie Tourison, Len Gerhart, Fred Zikas and Denny Nield. In second row are Alan Boucher, Dave Hermansader, Angelo Caputo, BM2 Coleman and Don Gerhart. In front are Al Grimminger, FN Sosa, BM2 Thurman, BM3 Strack and FN McIntrye. COURTESY BILL JACKSON
Coxswain Dave Hermansader prepares to heave a rescue line during a training exercise. This technique allows for passing a tow line to a distressed vessel. BY JOHN BALLANTYNE
Auxilarists learn from Coast Guard Station Indian River personnel how to operate a de-watering pump.  This type of pump has saved many sinking vessels. COURTESY JOHN BALLANTYNE

After a long, freezing winter of scarce boating in this area, the Coast Guard Auxiliary conducted two-day-long refresher courses for trainees, crewmen and coxswains (captains). The first class took place June 6 at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control facility at North Shore Marina, Indian River Inlet. The following week, the course was held in the Coast Guard station at Roosevelt Inlet on the north end of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.

Attending were auxiliarists from all around the Fifth Northern Region plus instructors from the active Coast Guard Station Indian River. More than 40 Coast Guard Auxiliary members and active-duty personnel actively participated throughout the two courses.

Many topics were covered in the morning classroom and afternoon on-the-water sessions including search and rescue patterns, knots and splices, communication (radio) procedures and techniques, operation of de-watering pumps, crew coordination, risk management assessment (GAR Model), boat handling, anchoring, Standardized Aux Boat Operation, and more.

The overarching mission of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is to contribute to the safety and security of U.S. citizens, ports, waterways and coastal regions. The Auxiliary balances its missions of recreational boating safety and Coast Guard support with maritime homeland security and other challenges that emerge as a result of the growing understanding of changes required in the post-9/11 era.

To find a nearby flotilla, go to www.5nr.org/flotilla/fllinks.php. For more information go to wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=053-12-09.

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