Topic: Coast Guard feats and events

[oldcoastie6468]

Coast Guardsmen assist in tornado cleanup
Posted by LT Stephanie Young, Tuesday, December 3, 2013

A version of this story originally appeared at Coast Guard Heartland and was written by Petty Officer 2nd Ayla Kelley.

When dozens of tornados tore through the Midwest mid-November, the Coast Guard joined fellow responders with the National Guard and other state and local agencies to help the impacted communities.

The six members of Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Peoria, Ill., are usually responsible for inspections and investigations activities along the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. For the last two weeks, however, they have been going above and beyond their normal duties to help those in need.

The team has been working with impacted communities to salvage household goods while also volunteering in donation shelters and other government-run response sites.

“We first had to escort water into one of the first shelters as there was a concern about looters,” said Alan Guedesse, a civilian marine inspector.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Cody McLaughlin worked with a joint information center set up in Washington, Ill., answering phone calls from the public and updating social media sites with critical response information.

With the arrival of donated food and clothing at the East Peoria Event Center in East Peoria, Ill., Guedesse has spent the last few days assisting with the distribution of goods along with Petty Officer1st Class Johnathon Lowman.

“I’ve been at the shelter for three days sorting and distributing clothing, household supplies, food and hygiene items. We are receiving from Wisconsin, Iowa and even New York,” said Guedesse.

The detachment members also leant a hand to members of the Coast Guard Family. A Coast Guardsman previously stationed in Peoria still has a mother in the area whose home was severely damaged by the storm. Lowman and McLaughlin, along with Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Owens and Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Johnson, moved their the Coast Guardsman’s mother’s belongings and undamaged property to a relative’s home in Peoria.

“It’s terrible that we have to be out here to do this, but we are glad we can be here to help. This is what we do,” said Chief Warrant Officer Harry Guntheroth.

As residents are able to return to their homes to assess damage and take care of belongings, members of the unit will be helping the Illinois State Police and other local authorities escort people in and out of buildings that are structurally dangerous.

“What we’re doing is taking groups out to their property and helping them look for personal belongings. We’ve been successful with some,” said Lowman. “We only allow 30 minutes for safety and time to help everyone have a fair chance to get their stuff.”

Guntheroth anticipates he and his crew will be volunteering as needed for the next couple of weeks.

“It’s rewarding to be able to help the community any way we can and to hear some of the stories. It’s amazing some of these people even survived,” said Lowman.

http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2013/12/coast-guardsmen-assist-in-tornado-cleanup/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCoastGuardCompass+%28The+Coast+Guard+Compass%29#sthash.MqmaUCrA.dpuf

[AlanS]

 

[Libertas]

Having seen a post-tornado site more than once...it is the closest thing to a war-zone many people will ever see.

Most communities (especially in the more rural areas) pull together, but there is so much clean up and general assistance needed, these volunteers are more than needed and much appreciated.

 

[oldcoastie6468]

Thanks. The Coastguardsmen are just doing their jobs, and will get very little credit for that.

[oldcoastie6468]

Mountainside rescue
Posted by LT Stephanie Young, Thursday, December 19, 2013

The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter rescued a man who fell more than 100-feet from a mountainside in Yauco, Puerto Rico, yesterday.

Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received a request for assistance from Yauco Municipal Police for a Coast Guard rescue helicopter to hoist the 60-year-old man, who reportedly sustained multiple injuries after being kicked-off the side of a mountain while handling a goat.

The aircrew from Air Station Borinquen arrived on scene and deployed their rescue swimmer to receive the injured man from local emergency management rescue crews.

“Our junior co-pilot did an outstanding job working with an experienced flight mechanic and rescue swimmer to maneuver the helicopter in close proximity to the steep terrain in order to complete this demanding rescue,” said Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Dill, the aircraft commander.

Lt. Min Kim, the co-pilot who had just finished his vertical surface qualification last week, utilized his new training to safely maneuver the helicopter into position. Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Bayne and Petty Officer 2nd Class Ray Rivera-Rodriquez managed the hoist and provided first aid to save the man’s life.

“It is a testament to the standardization and quality of our unit’s training program and the professionalism of our watch standers that we were able to work together to save this man’s life,” added Dill.

The man was stabilized and hoisted from the mountainside – just as a rainbow developed on the mountainside ridge. The aircrew transported him to a nearby field, where he was transferred to awaiting emergency medical service personnel. The patient was transported to a Yauco hospital to receive further medical care.

http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2013/12/mountainside-rescue/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCoastGuardCompass+%28The+Coast+Guard+Compass%29

[AlanS]

 

........who reportedly sustained multiple injuries after being kicked-off the side of a mountain while handling a goat.

The goat must not have like how he was being "handled".

[oldcoastie6468]

2013 Videos of the Year: Breaking Ice
Posted by PA2 Kelly Parker, Monday, December 23, 2013

The second video finalist features Coast Guard Cutters Tackle and Shackle as they break ice along the Penobscot River in Bangor, Maine. These crews regularly break ice along Maine’s rivers to keep the waterway open for commercial traffic and to prevent flooding.

The 2013 Videos of the Year began yesterday, with voting open through Jan. 4, 2014. Continuing through New Year’s Eve, Coast Guard Compass will publish one of the top 10 videos each day.

Make sure to watch the videos as they are posted on Compass, Facebook and YouTube, and then cast your vote!

To vote for your favorite videos, click “like” on the Coast Guard’s Facebook page or on the Coast Guard’s YouTube 2013 Videos of the Year playlist. You can also see a highlight compilation of the top 10 videos.

http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2013/12/2013-videos-of-the-year-breaking-ice/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCoastGuardCompass+%28The+Coast+Guard+Compass%29#sthash.WVNNDGzm.dpuf

[AlanS]

That team's going to have to up the ante. I've seen way cooler vids with cutters breaking ice.

Is it just me or does it look pretty chilly there?