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By WILBUR B. SCOTT
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 13, 2001
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one of an occasional series of columns which are run periodically. Today's column is written by Wilbur B. Scott, Public Affairs Officer for Flotilla 15-4 of Homosassa, FL, call him at 628-0639.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary is charged with three missions:
Public education -- teaching basic boating and sailing skills, free, every spring and fall. Safety patrols -- assisting distressed boaters with first aid and other emergencies.
Courtesy vessel examinations -- giving free safety examinations to boat owners.
If you would like to volunteer to work on a certified trained, Coast Guard Auxiliary crew to help serve the boating public, call your local USCG Auxiliary Flotilla for details.
During the past five years, auxiliarists have saved the lives of more than 6,000 pleasure boaters, assisted more than 100,000 other boaters, and helped save property, valued at more than $2-billion.
Each year the boating skills and seamanship course for powerboaters is taught for 12 consecutive weekday nights starting in January, and again in September. The sailing and seamanship course for sailors is taught 12 consecutive weekday nights starting and January, and September.
These courses are taught by certified USCG Auxiliary instructors, who are also experienced powerboat and sailboat skippers. The program has an excellent national reputation, and has been part of the community for many years.
To fulfill the safety and rescue mission, your USCG Auxiliary Flotilla patrols 10 and 20 square miles of local waters. The volunteer patrols run from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The crews are certified, trained and equipped to deal with first aid emergencies, fires, towing and to assist pleasure boaters in distress. The USCG Auxiliary also has qualified volunteer pilots and observers overflying areas of high density ship traffic to aid in search and rescue missions.
The USCG Auxiliary also conducts courtesy vessel examinations in public and private marinas, yacht clubs, and local boating mooring areas, for any local boat owner, who would like to have a free, ship and safety equipment check, to help him double check if he has the latest, updated and properly maintained safety equipment and mandated by federal and state regulation, and prudent boat ownership policy.
The auxiliary courtesy examiners are usually boat owners, or experienced boat crew members themselves, who are certified and trained to know the latest federal boating regulations, and safety equipment needs. If an inspected vessel is found to be safe, a "Seal of Safety" is affixed on it.
Boaters are urged to use USCG Auxiliary public services on the water, and ashore, take time out to attend the USCG Auxiliary basic boating classes, then spend some of their spare time volunteering to be qualified and certified to be a part of auxiliary boating safety mission crews. For information call your USCG Auxiliary today.