Buoy 13 C.A.N. Articles

Winter 2001 – “ Eyes on the Sound” - Page 13

Spring 2004 – Northwest Watch- Page 13

Spring 2008 – USCG "Citizen's Action Network - Page 16

Fall 2008 – Saving canoeists life near Sequim – Page 24

Spring 2009 – Meet the new C.A.N. officer - Page 36

News Release - Vandalism costs taxpayers $117,000

News Release - Vandalism costs taxpayers $117,000

In this image released by the Coast Guard, an aid to navigation located on the Columbia River near Boardman, Ore., shows evidence of vandalism. Numerous lights and other aids are damaged every year costing taxpayers an estimated $117,000 since 2005. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Aids to Navigation Team Kennewick, Wash.) In this image released by the Coast Guard, an aid to navigation located on the Columbia River near Boardman, Ore., shows evidence of vandalism. Numerous lights and other aids are damaged every year costing taxpayers an estimated $117,000 since 2005. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Aids to Navigation Team Kennewick, Wash.) SEATTLE — The Coast Guard is asking for the public's help to put a stop to the vandalism of Aids to Navigation (ATON) throughout Washington and Oregon. Vandalism to ATON has cost taxpayers and the Coast Guard more than $117,000 since 2005. Navigational aids along the Columbia River between Astoria, Ore., and Kennewick, Wash., have been the target of more than 30 counts of vandalism during that time. "We've had problems with people shooting at the aids and using their vehicles to inflict damage to the land-based aids," said Timothy Westcott, an Aids to Navigation manager for the Coast Guard. "People don't realize vandalizing an ATON is like vandalizing a stop sign. If you remove a stop sign, people could be injured. Damaging an ATON can have the same effect possibly resulting in serious injuries, loss of life or catastrophic damage to the environment." Those found guilty of vandalism to ATON can be fined up $2500 and imprisoned for up to five years. Anybody witnessing vandalism to a navigational aid or finding a damaged aid should contact the nearest Coast Guard unit. "The loss of an ATON affects everybody using a waterway," said Westcott. "Not only does it affect the unit responsible for servicing the ATON, it can affect a search and rescue unit who might need that aid to help them find an endangered vessel. Worse yet, is the possibility the Coast Guard will have to respond to a case that could have been prevented if that aid were functioning."

THIRTEENTH DISTRICT INSTRUCTION 5720.1 – CITIZENS ACTION NETWORK (CAN)

THIRTEENTH DISTRICT INSTRUCTION 5720.1

Maritime Search and Rescue Background Program Objectives and Goals

SAR background statistics/information:
	· 95% of all Coast Guard SAR occurs less than 20 nautical miles offshore.
	· Approximately 90% of cases involve assist/rescue only.
	· 8% of cases involve minor searches (less than 24 hours).
	· 2% of cases involve major searches (greater than 24 hours).
	· Those 10% of cases involving searches (minor and major) cost the Coast Guard more than $50 million annually.
	It is advantageous to reduce the time spent searching in order to:
	· Save more lives
	· Save Coast Guard resources
	· Place fewer Coast Guard personnel at risk
	The school provides search planners with the skills and practice they need to become SAR detectives and information distillers.
	They must aggressively pursue leads and obtain all information available to successfully prosecute cases.
	SAR program objectives are:
	1. Minimize loss of life, personnel injury, property loss and damage to the maritime environment.
	2. Minimize search duration and crew risk during SAR missions.
	3. Maintain a world leadership position in maritime SAR.
	SAR program goals are (after Coast Guard notification):
	1. Save at least 93% of those people at risk of death on the waters over which the Coast Guard has SAR responsibility.
	2. Prevent the loss of at least 85% of the property at risk on the waters over which the Coast Guard has SAR responsibility.

How to start a “Citizen’s Action Network” Program in your arear

Starting a program at the USCG Group level in 1999 / 2000 without an allocated budget was a big challenge that we had to overcome if the program was to receive support from the public, the Citizen’s living on our shorelines.

Since the USCG 13th District Group Seattle Website contained one page with a picture of a USCG vessel, and a telephone number for the “Eyes on The Sound” program, and at the time had no real structure, and no-one was assigned to manage the program full time, we decided the best way to promote the program was through the USCG 13th District Auxiliary’s website.

We envisioned that the Auxiliary website would be the best and most economical way to start promoting the program without a budget.

Our promotion / marketing of the program targeted Island and Waterfront Community Websites, large event websites like Seattle Seafair, Media websites like the Seattle Insider Magazine at the KIRO TV (CBS Affiliate) Website which also added a USCG SAR Slide Show, other Television News Websites, Port Websites in Washington State and in Oregon, Yacht Club Websites, Public Websites including Access Washington State and the Governor of Washington State Environmental website, and at the Americas Waterway Watch (AWW) and the National Response Center (NRC) Websites. Other websites include Private Business websites, Police and Fire Department Websites.

Examples some of the over sixty (60) website links –

(1) Seattle Seafair – Get Involved with the Coast Guard! - If you are interested in becoming involved with the U.S. Coast Guard year-round, the new "Citizen's Action Network" (CAN) program might be for you! This program focuses on saving lives by joining local volunteer residents who live on waterfronts or have views of the water from their homes. For more information, visit the Citizens' Action Network website.

http://www.seafair.com/events/fleetweek/

(2) KIRO TV – Seattle Insider Magazine - Become a Citizen’s Action Network member and help the U.S. Coast Guard save lives and property, prevent oil spills, and protect wildlife, all from the comfort of home.

http://www.kirotv.com/boating/4047563/detail.html

(3) Herron Island – Join the Citizen's Action Network and help the U.S. Coast Guard save lives, prevent oil spills and protect wildlife, all from the comfort of your own home. Check out the Citizen's Guidebook and print an application.

http://www.herronisland.org/home/home.html

(4) Camano Island Fire and Rescue 525 E. North Camano Dr. Camano Island, WA 98282 - The Citizen's Action Network program within the U.S. Coast Guard is a wonderful volunteer opportunity - providing your home has a view of our waterways. From the comfort of home, members help the USCG save lives and property, prevent oil spills, and protect wildlife. Become a Citizen's Action Network member to help the U.S. Coast Guard protect your community. Your participation could also be very helpful to Camano Island Fire & Rescue's responses to marine rescues!

http://www.camanofire.com/page.asp


(5) National Response Center – http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/links.html


(6) America’s Waterway Watch - Related to AWW, Northwest Watch is a Coast Guard/Coast Guard Auxiliary public involvement program also addressing maritime safety and security concerns in the Pacific Northwest -- through the use of formally organized citizen volunteers living around navigable waterways) -

http://homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/channelView.do?channelId=-18383&channelPage=%2Fep%2Fchannel%2Fdefault.jsp&pageTypeId=13489

The News documents contained in our Documents file contain many Newspaper, Magazine and Television News Stories.

This was the next method of getting the information on our program out to the Public, and this method greatly benefited and accelerated the expansion of the USCG “Citizen’s Action Network” to the six hundred (600) plus waterfront members we have today in Washington State, Oregon State, and in British Columbia, Canada.

The USCG “Citizen’s Action Network” program is very proud to include the Canadian members who work directly with the RCMP in Canada who created their own program called the Canadian Citizen’s Action Network.

Another great media source we worked with was Washington State Public Television. (TVW)

TVW created a ten (10) minute segment in June 2006, and ran the CAN segment four (4) to five (5) times a week, for over a year to approximately 1.3 Million cable viewers throughout Washington State.

The TVW segment was shown at various times of the day and night which allowed many more TVW viewers to watch the CAN broadcast at times they were available to watch the TVW Station programs.

Reaching out to the Public, Government and Private sectors through Public Speaking opportunities was another rewarding way we worked to gain more members.

Another outreach approach in our marketing of CAN we approached organizations and set up Speaking engagements before groups such at the Power Squadron, the USCG Auxiliary, the Marine Law Enforcement Officers Boating Safety organization, the Washington State Recreational Boaters Association, and Environmental organizations, and Waterfront Community Clubs which has resulted in new friendships, supporters and membership growth, and Maritime Domain awareness.

The success of the CAN program wouldn’t have been so successful if it hadn’t have been implemented into the C2PC electronic mapping system, which lists all waterfront members at their Latitude / Longitude and includes all of the members contact information.

This implementation of the C2PC overlays would never have occurred in such an organized and scheduled manner if it hadn’t been for Mr. Bruce Miller, USCG Auxiliary 2007 District Commodore, and District 13 USCG IT / Webmaster.

The development of the first USCG Auxiliary D-13 Eyes on the Sound program, and later the Northwest Watch program Website’s success was also the result of Bruce Miller’s dedication to supporting the vision of Commander Andre Billeaudeaux, which has resulted in the creation of a very important and needed program to work with the USCG Coast Guard, and serve as a reliable asset for our Government, and a patriotic way Citizens can be a part of their Government.

Commandant Thad Allen - America's Waterway Watch

Commandant Thad Allen introduces America's Waterways Watch program and answers the question "What should I do?"

America's Waterways Watch Program

This short video explains America's Waterway Watch program and how to call and report if you see suspicious activity.