Guardians,
As I write this [Note: This was prepared on 21MAR to meet the Daymark publication schedule] we've just completed two days of focused outreach to Columbia and Willamette fishermen participating in the Spring salmon run. Over two days you made contacts with 750 fishermen launching from locations around our region. I had the opportunity to see a number of you in action on the ramps, in the Incident Command Post, and on the water. It was an impressive effort and I thank everyone who participated in planning and executing the effort. Bravo Zulu! Beyond simply looking at the numbers this operation showed a number of our strengths. First, our members local knowledge helped the Coast Guard understand the issue and allowed us to approach the effort effectively. This local knowledge is something that the active duty simply cannot accumulate in the short few years they are here. Second, our Flotillas took different approaches to organizing their ramp presence and made changes on the fly as the situation developed. As we try different approaches and then share what we've learned we build experience among our membership and find the best methods to meet our missions. Third, we used a wide variety of member skills and capabilities including our surface and air facilities, our PA and VE teams, and our communications teams.
As we consider our activity and our goals it is important not only to gauge ourselves against other units or our past performance but also against the size of the task we face. To put this task in context please keep these facts in mind about the area we serve in Washington and Oregon:
- 2.25 million residents
- 80,000 registered boats* and many visiting boats from the surrounding area and further afield
- 66,000 people getting on the water to kayak at least once each year*
- 66,000 people getting on the water to canoe each year*
- 2,500 port calls of commercial traffic*
- Large number of waterside facilities
- Numerous major ports
- Significant critical environmental habitat
- Critical highways, bridges, rail, pipelines and other infrastructure
- Year-round boating and fishing events
- Unexpected weather and regular high winds
- Significant history of, and potential for, natural disasters including storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, ...
- Cold snow fed rivers
- ...all focused in a relatively few square miles of rivers which are the heartbeat of our region
With 248 Auxiliarists we need to think creatively to approach these challenges as individuals, in teams, as Flotillas and as a Division. What's your idea?
Respectfully,
Daren Lewis
*Estimates based on State/regional statistics
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