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.