UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY UNOFFICIAL NEWSLETTER
10 AUG 07
U.S. Coast Guard Volunteers Assist AMVER In N.Y. Harbor
August 10, 2007 OSSINING, N.Y. Yesterday was a perfect day for Greg Porteus and his crew to take Launch 5, a Philip Rhodes designed, 52ft, 26 ton, former NYPD Harbor Unit patrol boat on a cruise around New York Harbor . But this was not just a pleasure trip. Launch 5 is Operational Facility 523356 of Flotilla 67, D1SR, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and had been tasked by Coast Guard Commander Elizabeth Young to provide a platform for Videographers to shoot a video promoting one of the most important Coast Guard supported programs - AMVER.
AMVER Director Ben Strong AMVER Team and Launch 5 Crew
The Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER), sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, is a computer-based voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea.
AMVER Videographer CWO Manny Zambrana USCG
Prior to sailing, participating merchant ships send a sail plan to the AMVER computer center. Vessels then report their locations every 48 hours until arriving at their port of call.
AMVER Staffers Beverly Howard & Michelle Morino Jim Picciano & Ted Foster
In an emergency, any rescue coordination center determines the relative position of AMVER ships nearest the distress location and divert the best suited ship or ships to respond.
There are over 17,000 merchant vessels enrolled in the AMVER network, representing 155 countries. On any given day there are over 3,200 vessels available to divert and assist in a distress situation. AMVER participating ships rescued 333 lives in 2006 including 13 crew members of a sinking Chinese merchant vessel 370 miles off the coast of Guam, 5 crew members from a sunken vessel in the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and 19 crewmen from a sunken vessel off the coast of Yemen .
Launch 5 coxswain Greg Porteus with crew members Cliff Forrest , Ted Foster, Jim Picciano, and Vinny Stafford were joined by CDR. Elizabeth Young USCG, CWO2 Manny Zambrana USCG, Benjamin Strong AMVER Director of Marketing, Beverly Howard AMVER Marketing Officer, and Michelle Morino AMVER Marketing Intern.
AMVER and CG Group Shot
The footage of Coast Guard, commercial, and recreational boating activities in New York Harbor will become part of a promotional/recruitment video presented at major maritime trade shows around the world for recruiting commercial vessels to assist in search and rescue (SAR) missions in areas outside the range of U.S. Coast Guard SAR Helicopters.
AMVER is a valuable force multiplier in support of the Coast Guard's search and rescue mission. Additional AMVER information, photographs, and video clips are available at www.amver.com.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed volunteers who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for direct military and law enforcement. These men and women can be found performing a variety of missions - on the nation's waterways, in the air, in classrooms, and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, Marine Safety and Environmental Protection patrols, Free Vessel Safety Checks, and boating safety public education.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and re-designated as the Auxiliary in 1941. Over 29,000 members donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions. Membership is open to US Citizens 17 years of age or older who must also pass a Personal Security Investigation.
For more information on the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, visit www.cgaux.org.
For more information about Launch 5 and Flotilla 67 USCG Auxiliary go to www.launch5.com , www.force67.com , or www.ratlines.com
www.ratlines.com Revised: 12/29/07
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