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CLEVELAND — Coast Guardsmen assigned to Cleveland-area units pose in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum May 18, 2012 before participating in a local Coast Guard “Run to Remember” event in Cleveland. This is the second year Coast Guardsmen have participated in a walk/run to honor the Coast Guard men and women who have been killed in the line of duty, but the first time an event has been held in Cleveland. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kyle Niemi

CLEVELAND — Coast Guardsmen assigned to Cleveland-area units begin a one-mile walk/run in Cleveland to participate in the Coast Guard’s second annual “Run to Remember” May 18, 2012. About 50 Coast Guard members, including some who traveled from as far away as Buffalo, N.Y., participated in the Cleveland event, which honors the Coast Guard men and women who have been killed in the line of duty. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kyle Niemi

CLEVELAND — Coast Guardsmen cross the finish line of a one-mile walk/run in Cleveland as they participated in the local event in support of the Coast Guard’s second annual “Run to Remember” May 18, 2012. Many of the participants wore Run to Remember t-shirts, which raised money for the Coast Guard Foundation’s Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund, which supports the higher education needs of the family members of Coast Guard killed in the line of duty.  The t-shirts contain the names of 48 Coast Guardsmen who have died while serving in the past 20 years. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kyle Niemi

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DETROIT — Cmdr. Joseph Deer stands beside Rear Adm. Michael Parks and Cmdr. Michael Platt during Coast Guard Air Station Detroit’s change-of-command ceremony May 17, 2012. During the ceremony, Deer relieved Platt of command of the air station. U.S. Air Force photo by John Swanson

DETROIT — Cmdr. Michael Platt walks back to the hangar after his last helicopter flight as commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Detroit on May 14, 2012. Platt is being reassigned to be the special assistant to the commandant at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Mark Dukti

MT. CLEMENS, Mich. — Cmdr. Michael Platt transferred command of Coast Guard Air Station Detroit to Cmdr. Joseph Deer in a change-of-command ceremony on May 17, 2012, at the air station, located on Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

Platt will transfer to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he will be assigned as special assistant to the commandant.

Deer is assuming command as commanding officer of Air Station Detroit and is reporting from Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, where he was the operations officer and executive officer.

The change of command is a time-honored tradition and deeply rooted in Coast Guard and Naval history. The event signifies a total transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability for the command. The ceremony is witnessed by all members so that they all know exactly when the transfer of leadership takes place.

For further media inquiries, please contact the Air Station Detroit public affairs officer at 586-239-6702.

PHILADELPHIA — The Coast Guard rescued a 23-year-old male from the Delaware River near Timber Creek here Friday. 

Rescued was Casey Shubert, 23.

A crewmember aboard the tugboat Candice contacted Coast Guard watchstanders via VHF-FM radio at approximately 2:30 p.m. and reported that a person aboard a personal watercraft was trying to ride the tug’s wake, fell in the water, was injured and unconscious.  

A 25-foot Response Boat — Small crew, from Coast Guard Station Philadelphia, picked up Shubert from the water at approximately 3 p.m. and transported him to the Philadelphia Cruise Ship Terminal where he was transferred to awaiting emergency medical personnel. He was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.

“This situation could have escalated into a much worse scenario if Shubert had not been wearing his life jacket when he was unconscious in the water,” said Petty Officer 2^nd Class Melvin Oldham, a crewmember from the station.

KAHULUI, Maui – Coast Guardsmen from Station Maui and Marine Safety Team Maui, along with Coast Guard Auxiiliary members, are scheduled to kick off National Safe Boating Week following a proclamation reading by Maui County Mayor Alan M. Arakawa at the Kahului small boat ramp, Saturday.

The Kahului boat ramp event is scheduled for 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. Members of MST Maui will be offering free Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon testing. Coast Guard Auxiliarists will be offering free vessel safety checks. Children will also get to meet Coastie the Safety Boat.

A second boating safety event is scheduled for May 26 at the Lahaina Cannery Mall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. MST Maui members will be offering free EPIRB testing and the Auxiliary will also offer free vessel safety checks. Coastie the Safety Boat will be at the second event as well.

National Safe Boating Week is an annual Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary supported initiative with the goal of encouraging safe boating practices by mariners throughout the country.

The week highlights the importance of safety equipment aboard vessels such as life jackets, proper communication equipment, and the benefits of owning an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. The hope is to encourage people to carry appropriate safety equipment which could save their life.

“In the last year we’ve had two boating related deaths in Maui County, both of them tragic accidents which could have been avoided,” said Mayor Alan Arakawa. “It is more important than ever to obey safe boating rules to keep our waters safe. I also encourage citizens to take advantage of the free boat inspections by the Coast Guard Auxiliary to help ensure they have the right safety equipment onboard at all times. Let’s all work together to help keep each other safe out there in the water.”

Boating safety public service announcements can be found at the following links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIfWfL6ywU0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuVuhJjwA50

For more information contact the Station Maui public affairs officer at 808-870-3505.

HONOLULU – Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray, commander of the 14th Coast Guard District, representatives from the district office, Coast Guard Auxiliarists and members of Station Honolulu, will join the Hawaii Sail and Power Squadron in officially kicking off National Safe Boating Week at the Koko Marina Center, Saturday.

The event, scheduled for 9 a.m. through 3 p.m., is meant to be a day to recognize the importance of boating safety as well as a day of enjoyment for all, including kids.

Coast Guard Auxiliarists will be manning boating safety information displays, where everyone is welcome to get information and guidance on how to be safe on the water. Station Honolulu members will have a 25-foot Response Boat-Small on display.

An aircrew from Air Station Barbers Point piloting an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter is scheduled to conduct a search and rescue demonstration at 11 a.m. which can be viewed from both the Hawaii Kai Marina and the Koko Head Marina.

Along with the demonstration, there will be music, games and door prizes. Children will have the opportunity to meet Coastie the Safety Boat and make a T-shirt, which they can keep.

National Safe Boating Week is an annual Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary supported initiative with the goal of encouraging safe boating practices by mariners throughout the country.

The week highlights the importance of safety equipment aboard vessels such as life jackets, proper communication equipment, and the benefits of owning an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. The hope is to encourage people to carry appropriate safety equipment which could save their life.

Link to boating safety public service announcements can be found at the following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIfWfL6ywU0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuVuhJjwA50

For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District office at 808-535-3230.

MARBLEHEAD, Ohio — In this video screen-capture, Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Tim Whalen, a boarding officer at Coast Guard Station Marblehead, Ohio, displays different types of life jackets during a recreational boating safety public service announcement, taped May 14, 2012. The Coast Guard is releasing the PSA, available to view or download by clicking the above screen-capture or by clicking here, to the media and public to ensure that recreational boaters know what safety equipment is required by law and subject to verification during a Coast Guard safety inspection on the water. PSA is public domain, and free for you to re-post or broadcast, but please credit as “U.S. Coast Guard Video”

CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary in the 9th District are reminding boaters to “Wear it!” during National Safe Boating Week, May 19-25, 2012 and throughout the upcoming boating season.

National Safe Boating Week is observed during the week leading up to Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start of the boating season.

It is observed annually to remind boaters of the importance of wearing a life jacket at all times while underway.

“A U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket is a boater’s most important piece of personal safety equipment,” said Frank Jennings Jr., recreational boating and water safety program manager for the 9th Coast Guard District, based in Cleveland. 

“Wearing a life jacket can mean the difference between life and death when boating.  A lot of boaters are alive today because they chose to wear their life jacket whenever they got underway,” Jennings said.

With the exception of some specialized watercraft, life jackets are required, by law, to be carried on all recreational vessels.  They come in a variety of types, sizes and designs.  They should be chosen based on the age and size of the intended wearer and the type of boating activity for which they will be used.  State laws mandating child life jacket wear vary.  Absent a state law, federal law mandates life jacket wear for all children under age 13, when aboard recreational vessels, underway.

In addition to wearing a life jacket, National Safe Boating Week serves to remind boaters of the importance of education and ensuring one’s vessel is “ship-shape.”  The Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons have a long history of educating boaters, both in the classroom and at the dock, with a free vessel safety check.

Reminding boaters why wearing a life jacket and taking advantage of a VSC is so important is reinforced by the 2011 boating safety statistics just released by Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Despite a 37 percent overall reduction of water-related deaths on the Great Lakes between 2010 and 2011, boating fatalities increased to 44, up from 20 in 2010.

“Convincing boaters to voluntarily wear life jackets and adopt safe boating practices is an ongoing challenge,” said Rear Adm. Mike Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District.

“I’m a life-long boater and understand the risks one faces on the water because I’ve spent much of my career at sea.  The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary are committed to educating boaters on ways they can increase their margin of safety when on the water with family and friends,” Parks said.

“Your Great Lakes Coast Guard is committed to ensuring that those who choose to recreate on the lakes remain safe and secure,” said Parks.

“We also ask that you do your part — take personal responsibility for your own safety and the safety of others and always maintain vigilence on America’s waterways.  Report anything suspicious to the Coast Guard or law enforcement.  If you see something, say something.”