Degraded Communication Exercise

Division 7's contingency plans for degraded communications of Station Portland's AOR, has been developed and approved by USCG Station Portland. The contingency plan could be activated for many reason such as: system repairs, disasters, terrorism, storms, and much more. This plan uses Auxiliary Communication Units (ACU), both fixed land and land mobile. The plan allows the auxiliary to cover Station Portland's Area of Responsibility (AOR) until an active duty relief unit take over or Rescue 21 is operational. If or when the plan is activated the auxiliary would be the eyes, ears and the voice of the Coast Guard. Some things the auxiliary might do are, provide radio guards for Coast Guard resources, transmit notice to mariners and maintain a channel 16 watch for vessels in distress.

A pre-brief of the plan, followed by a Q&A session, will be held on 13 October 2010 from 1900 to 2200 on MSU Portland (the former Sector Portland) Training Deck. The plan's presentation will cover the basic operations as an ACU and a short refresher of ICS. It is requested that all qualified (AUXCOM and TCO) members who are interested in participating in the call out exercise with their ACU be at the presentation. In addition, members who are not qualified as TCO but would like to join in the exercise are encouraged to attend.

The exercise will take place on Saturday 16 October 2010. This exercise is a full scale exercise of the contingency plan. This means the call out will occur at a random time Saturday morning. The exercise could last the better part of the day and will be followed with a hot wash at MSU Portland's training deck. Therefore, your ACU should be prepared for a full day event with food, water and any other needs.

The presentation will cover all information regarding job duties, expectations and responsibilities. All ACU and AUXCOM/TC qualified members are requested to participate in the exercise, since the division has not held an exercise of this type for an extended time and many of us are dusty when it comes to using our ACU's.

If you have any questions about the prebrief or the exercise, send me an email.

Jonathan James, SO-CM

Division 7 leads the Navigator

Shipmates,
The Summer 2010 issue of the Auxiliary national magazine The Navigator features Flotilla 76 member Chris Roosevelt on the front cover and Flotilla 73 member Ken Babick on the back cover. The photos show Ken and Chris performing their duties during the 2010 Rose Festival.

Check out the entire issue online http://auxpa.org/navigator/ and in your mailboxes soon. When you are done with your print copy I'd be very appreciative if a few members pass their issues my way.

Thank you for your service,
Daren

Establishment of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River

Shipmates,
Here is the official information on the boundaries and subordinate units of USCG Sector Columbia River as of 23AUG2010.

Establishment of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River

On 23 August 2010 USCG Group/Air Station Astoria and USCG Sector Portland will be combined and renamed USCG Sector Columbia River. Sector Columbia River will be in Warrenton, OR while a Marine Safety Unit will remain in Portland. The purpose of this merger is to bring the operational control of all Coast Guard resources located in Northern Oregon under one command for the execution of all Coast Guard missions.

The USCG Sector Columbia River COTP area of responsibility will be as follows:

The USCG Sector Columbia River boundary starts at 47°32' N. latitude and proceeds along this latitude easterly to a point 47°32' N. latitude, 123°18' W. longitude; thence southerly to 46°55' N. latitude; thence easterly along this latitude to the eastern Idaho State line; thence southeasterly along the Idaho State line to the intersection of the Idaho- Wyoming boundary; thence southerly along the Idaho-Wyoming boundary to the intersection of the Idaho-Utah-Wyoming boundaries; thence westerly along the 42°00' N. latitude to the sea. The offshore boundary is bounded on the south by the southern boundary of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District which is described in §3.65–10, to the outermost extent of the EEZ; thence northerly along the outermost extent of the EEZ to 47°32' N. latitude; thence easterly along 47°32' N. latitude to the coast.

USCG Sector Columbia River offices will be located at 2185 SE 12th Place, Warrenton, OR and will include the following subordinate units:

Unit

• USCG MSU Portland
• USCGC BLUEBELL (WLI 313)
• USCG Station Portland
• USCG Station Tillamook Bay
• USCG Station Cape Disappointment
• USCG Station Grays Harbor
• USCG Aids to Navigation Team Astoria
• USCG Aids to Navigation Team Kennewick

All VHF-FM and HF radio frequencies formerly guarded 24 hours a day by USCG Group

Astoria and USCG Sector Portland will now be monitored by USCG Sector Columbia River.

Please note that all prior information on the 0700-2200 radio watch for surface operations being maintained by STATION PORTLAND remains in effect. See: http://www.division7.org/2010/08/surface-operations-radio-communications.html

Member Training - New Member Orientation

Member Training - New Member Orientation


Start Time: Aug. 14 @ 08:30

Location: Sector Portland Training Deck

The division will be hosting a new member orientation workshop on August 14. This is designed to help the newer members (anyone who did not attend last year’s orientation) learn about the aux, what missions are in our AOR, what is expect a member, dos and don’ts as a member. The instructor (Ken Babick) would also like to invite members who have been in for just over a year to present some of their trials and tribulations to help improve the process of becoming a member. I as the SO-MT would also like mentors and Human Resource staff to attend since this is could be valuable information to perform your duties.

Uniform is ODU

If you do not have ODU because you are a new member that is fine, just be in civilian clothes. If you do not have an Aux ID Card but paperwork has been submitted, you will have to be make arrangements with your flotilla to provide an escort for you to get on the base or have them inform SO-MT Jonathan Polimeni to add to list at the gate.

SO-MT Jonathan Polimeni

Surface Operations Radio Communications Change - Station Radio Guard

Shipmates,
As part of the transition from Sector Portland to the new Sector Columbia River Station Portland is now maintaining a radio watch.

Effective immediately all surface assets will maintain radio guard with STATION PORTLAND while operating within the Station Area of Responsibility (e.g. the region bounded by Puget Island, Bonneville and the Oregon City Falls) between 0700 and 2200 hours.

Guard will be maintained with SECTOR (or other guard as per policy) outside of the STATION AOR as well as overnight between the hours of 2200 and 0700.

All AUXAIR communications will remain with SECTOR or as otherwise detailed by the District AUXAIR and the responsible AIRSTA.

Bottom line: This means most communications and radio guard work done by Division 7 surface operators will be conducted with STATION.

Coxswains are directed to assure all crew are briefed on the change during pre-underway briefings. Please be cognizant that the habit of calling SECTOR may be difficult to break and that particular care should be taken before keying the microphone. Please remind each other of the changes as part of your TCT until we've established the new behavior across the surface operations community.

Best Daren and Jon James SO-CM

RBS Ready: Carbon Monoxide sticker requirement in Washington

Shipmates,
The State of Washington requires that all power driven vessels except PWCs display a Carbon Monoxide sticker. When doing vessel examinations of Washington vessels please assure compliance before issuing a Auxiliary Vessel Examination sticker. If you find this a common issue your FSO-VE can assist with procuring free CO stickers from the Washington Department of Licensing.

Full information on the requirement can be found here: http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/costicker.html

August 2010 Commander's Comments

"The success of the Coast Guard Auxiliary will depend upon the extent of your participation and upon the quality of the Auxiliary leaders that you, the member, select." - Prologue to the Coast Guard Auxiliary new member pledge

Shipmates,

We are completing another outstanding summer of boating safety and operations activity -- thank you for your service across our mission areas and a special thank you to everyone who works in the background to make our activities successful. The prologue to our new member pledge correctly notes that our success is directly tied to the leaders we select for the Auxiliary. As we move towards fall it is time to consider participating in the elected and staff leadership of your Flotilla or the Division in 2011. We elect our Flotilla Commanders and Vice Commanders directly and these elected members select the staff for our programs. Before this can happen we, as members, must self select -- we must be willing to take up the leadership roles in our units and make this willingness known. I encourage each of you to consider taking up the challenge of leadership and, if you have already done so, consider continuing your current role or seeking a new position. While many of us hope to continue in our current roles we are a better organization when the next cycle of leaders are making themselves known. Those of us in elected positions serve a maximum of two, one year terms. In many cases transitions happen more often than every two years due to choices of the leader or circumstances beyond the leader's control.

Members seeking elected office must pass the Administrative Procedures Course (APC). This course is highly recommended for all staff officers as well and serves as a good introduction to the operation of the Auxiliary for all members. The APC is generally a self study course and the Auxiliary Manual is the primary text. There are student and instructor guides available from the National Training Department: http://www.cgaux.org/training/LeadershipTrainingCourses.html. The student guide includes a series of example test questions.

The APC test is taken online from the National Testing Center (http://ntc.cgaux.org/) which is accessed using your eDirectory/AuxOfficerDirectory/ShopAuxiliary password. The test has 40 questions, is not proctored and can be taken while referencing the Auxiliary Manual in an "open book" manner.

I also encourage you to discuss you interest with your elected and appointed leadership. These members can give you a sense of what the job entails.

Thank you for your service,
Daren

August 2010 Commanders Comments

"The success of the Coast Guard Auxiliary will depend upon the extent of your participation and upon the quality of the Auxiliary leaders that you, the member, select." - Prologue to the Coast Guard Auxiliary new member pledge


Shipmates,
We are completing another outstanding summer of boating safety and operations activity -- thank you for your service across our mission areas and a special thank you to everyone who works in the background to make our activities successful. The prologue to our new member pledge correctly notes that our success is directly tied to the leaders we select for the Auxiliary. As we move towards fall it is time to consider participating in the elected and staff leadership of your Flotilla or the Division in 2011. We elect our Flotilla Commanders and Vice Commanders directly and these elected members select the staff for our programs. Before this can happen we, as members, must self select -- we must be willing to take up the leadership roles in our units and make this willingness known. I encourage each of you to consider taking up the challenge of leadership and, if you have already done so, consider continuing your current role or seeking a new position. While many of us hope to continue in our current roles we are a better organization when the next cycle of leaders are making themselves known. Those of us in elected positions serve a maximum of two, one year terms. In many cases transitions happen more often than every two years due to choices of the leader or circumstances beyond the leader's control.


Members seeking elected office must pass the Administrative Procedures Course (APC). This course is highly recommended for all staff officers as well and serves as a good introduction to the operation of the Auxiliary for all members. The APC is generally a self study course and the Auxiliary Manual is the primary text. There are student and instructor guides available from the National Training Department: http://www.cgaux.org/training/LeadershipTrainingCourses.html. The student guide includes a series of example test questions.


The APC test is taken online from the National Testing Center (http://ntc.cgaux.org/) which is accessed using your eDirectory/AuxOfficerDirectory/ShopAuxiliary password. The test has 40 questions, is not proctored and can be taken while referencing the Auxiliary Manual in an "open book" manner.


I also encourage you to discuss you interest with your elected and appointed leadership. These members can give you a sense of what the job entails.


Thank you for your service,
Daren

Updated Division presentation on Sitrep

Shipmates,
At our FC/VFC meeting in July we discussed the need for an updated introduction to the Auxiliary and Division 7. I have combined a number of existing presentations and updated the information through 01 August. You may find this useful when talking to potential members or helping your family and friends understand what we do. You can download the presentation from the SlideShare link.

Thank you for your service,
Daren

2010.08 Division7 Intro and Aug 2010 Sitrep

View more presentations from Daren Lewis.

Division Meeting: Monday 02AUG2010 - Meet our new DIRAUX

Shipmates,

Our next Division meeting will be held on Monday, 02AUG2010 - 1900hrs on the Sector Portland Training Deck. The great crew from Flotilla 71 will be our host Flotilla for the meeting.

CDR Kent Chappelka, our new District 13 Director of Auxiliary, will be joining us -- the first opportunity for many of us to meet with him. This is a great opportunity to meet the DIRAUX.

Captain Tumbarello, the Sector Commander has been invited andI also expect our new Sector Auxiliary Laison Officer (AUXLO) LT Melissa Huska will join us for the meeting. 

Hope to see you there!

Thank you for your service, Daren

RBS Ready: Accident reporting standards and forms for Washington and Oregon

Shipmates,
As we do vessel exams and teach our classes one point that often comes up is the reporting requirement and dollar value threshold for reporting accidents. Luckily the policy is substantively similar in both Oregon and Washington:

Washington (via the Washington State Parks and Recreation reporting form)

Washington State law requires the operator of a recreational vessel involved in an accident to file aWashington Boat Accident Report when:

> Loss of life occurs

> Injury occurs which requires medical treatment beyond first aid

> A person disappears from a vessel under circumstances that indicate death or injury

> Property damage is in excess of $2,000, or there is complete loss of a vessel

If there is an injury, disappearance or death, a report must be submitted within 48 hours. Reports in other accidents must be submitted within 10 days. If the operator cannot submit the report, the owner of the vessel is responsible.

Oregon (via the OSMB reporting form)

The operator of every vessel involved in an accident resulting in injury or death of any person, or property damage in excess of $2000 is required by law to file a written report. Reports must be submitted within 48 hours in case of death or injury, 10 days in accidents involving only property damage.

As RBS educators and advocates I recommend printing a copy of each form for your reference kit to show boaters as an example.

Thank you for your service,
Daren

Employer contributions for volunteerism

Shipmates,

Many large employers, and some small ones, contribute money to charitable organizations based on the volunteer hours contributed by their employees. My employer, Symantec, has a program that gives $15/hr. up to $1,000 per year. A thousand dollars can go a long way to assist with Flotilla programs.

These programs allow the companies to support employee efforts, align their giving with employee interests, and encourage employee volunteerism. There are a number of studies that show the value of volunteering in terms of health, well being, opportunities for skill development, and opportunities for leadership development -- all of which are good for employers and employees. These benefits are fairly cheap for employers since the contributions are tax deductible.

I encourage each of you still in the workforce to explore your company policy on contributions related to your volunteer activity. Your HR team is a great place to start. If you work for a company without a program it may be worth talking to your employer.

Thank you for your service,

Daren

Here is a list of some companies that have "Dollars for Doers" programs:

• AAA of CA, NV, UT
• Adobe Systems Inc.
• Advanced Micro Devices
• American Electric Power
• Aetna
• Allstate
• Altria
• American Century
• American Express
• Ameritech
• AMP, Inc.
• ARAMARK
• Aspect Telecomm
• AT&T Wireless
• Bank of America
• Bank of Tokyo-Mistubishi, Ltd.
• Baxter Allegiance
• Bay Networks Inc./Nortel
• Becton Dickinson
• BellSouth
• Binney and Smith, Inc.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Boeing Company
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• BP
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Butler Manufacturing
• C & S Wholesalers Campbell Soup
• Cargill
• Champion International
• Charles-Schwab
• Chase
• Chevron Texaco
• Chicago Tribune
• Cinergy Foundation
• Cisco Systems
• Citigroup
• Clorox
• ConocoPhillips
• Cooper Industries
• CUNA Mutual Group
• CVS/pharmacy
• Dayton-Hudson
• Deluxe Corp
• Dreyer’s Ice Cream
• Duke Energy
• Eastman Kodak
• Easton Corp.
• Eat N Park Hospitality
• Eli Lily Company
• ExxonMobil
• Fannie Mae
• Federated Department Stores
• Fireman’s Fund
• First Union Corp
• FMC Technologies
• Freddie Mac Foundation
• GA Natural Gas
• Gap
• GEICO
• General Motors
• Genzyme Corp.
• Gillette
• GTECH
• Guidant Foundation
• Halliburton
• HB Fuller
• Hoffman LaRoche
• Honeywell Aerospace
• Hospital Corporation of America, Inc.
• HSBC NA
• IBM
• ING
• International Paper
• JCPenney
• JM Family Enterprises
• Jostens Company
• JP Morgan Chase
• Kimberly-Clark
• Kindmark
• Kodak
• KPMG
• Land O’ Lakes
• LBG Associates
• LCRA Energy
• Levi-Strauss
• Lincoln Financial Group
• Marathon Ashland
• Maritime Life
• Mastercard
• Mattel
• McCormick
• McGraw-Hill
• Mead
• Medtronic, Inc.
• Memorial Healthcare System
• Mercury Marine
• MGM Mirage Voice
• Microsoft
• Millimore Foundation
• Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance
• Mobil Oil
• Monsanto Company
• MONY
• Morgan Stanley
• Motorola
• National Semiconductor Corp.
• New York Life Insurance
• Nike
• Northwestern Energy
• People Energy Corp
• PepsiCo
• Pfizer
• Pillsbury
• Pioneer Investments
• Pitney Bowes
• PNC Financial Services Group
• Portland General Electric
• PPG Industries Foundation
• Prevea Health Care
• Procter and Gamble
• Providian Financial
• Prudential
• PSE & G
• Quaker Foods
• Qwest
• RR Donnelley and Sons
• Readers Digest Foundation
• Reliant Energy
• Reliastar Financial Corp.
• Residential Peoples Energy
• Reynolds & Reynolds
• Rodel
• Rohm and Haas Company
• Rouse Company
• Safeco Insurance
• Sallie Mae
• Sam’s Club
• SC Johnson
• Shell Oil Company Foundation
• Siemens
• Sprint
• StanCorp Financial
• Standard Insurance
• Starbucks
• State Farm Insurance
• St. Paul Travelers
• Sun Microsystems
• Symantec Corp
• The Star Tribune
• TGS Nopec
• 3M
• T. Rowe Price
• TELUS
• Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
• Timberland, Inc.
• Time Warner
• Tyco
• United Defense
• UNUM Corp.
• Verizon
• Virginia Power/North Carolina Power
• Wachovia
• Wal-Mart
• Walt Disney
• Washington Mutual
• Weyerhauser Co.
• Whirlpool
• Wisconsin Public Service Corp.
• World Bank Group
• Zebco/Motorguide Corp

Reminder: TCT Refresher & Damage Control Training July 10

Shipmates,
As a reminder we have Division member training tomorrow, Saturday 10 JULY. If you plan to participate in the damage control training I recommend a change of clothing. Hope to see you there!
Daren

TCT refresher @ 08:00 on Sector's Training Deck

Division will be providing one more TCT refresher course on July 10. Therefore, those of you who still have not completed your TCT refresher this would be a great time. The Damage Control Training will follow the TCT refresher at 09:00.

Sector Portland’s Fisheries department will be providing damage control training. This training is a hand-on course where members will have the chance, in a safe environment, to learn and practice skills needed control damage taken while underway. The damage control trainer simulates different problems that can occur on a vessel such as broken pipes and hall damage.

If anyone has any questions please send them to SO-MT Jonathan Polimeni.

CG 6017

Shipmates,
The Coast Guard blog, the Coast Guard Compass published this tribute logo for the crew of CG6017.

Moments ago, Chief Petty Officer Dana Warr and Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley from the 17th Coast Guard District in Alaska created a graphic to memorialize the aircraft and its crew. We invite you to click on and download the image above and join us in making this image your social media profile photo in solidarity with the Service and in tribute to the crew of CG 6017.

If you have not already done so please read the Commandant's and the Chief of Staff's messages on the loss of 6017.

• Update 1 – Loss of Coast Guard Aircraft 6017 
• Safety stand down of Coast Guard air stations 

Finally, our Division safety evangelist, Josh Sharkey, asked me to pass along the following:

 All, The crash of 6017 yesterday is a stark reminder that what is considered a routine patrol or mission is far from that. Please always maintain situational awareness and prioritize safety. Your safety and the safety of your fellow Coasties is priority number one. Be safe out there and look out for your fellow Coasties. -- Josh

Happy 4th of July!

Shipmates,
As we enter the 2010 July 4th holiday weekend I would like to thank you for outstanding performance and dedication to duty in June. Kicking off the month with the Rose Festival fleet week security zone and inclusive of a huge list of activities including operation safe summer recreational boating safety classes, vessel exams and program visits, the Rose Festival Dragon Boat safety zone, Operation Dry Water, Deepwater Horizon support, the Flotilla 73 Crew/Coxswain academy and all our ongoing support activities. Division 7 members put in multiple thousands of hours in June. You make a huge impact on the safety and security of our region's citizens.

I'd like to highlight three notable items for this upcoming weekend.

First, I expect the recreational boating safety work will be continuing - for the week ending last Sunday our shipmates in Flotilla 78 taught two About Boating Safely classes, graduating 46 boaters who will be substantially safer on the water, conducted 123 vessel exams and put in 31 PA hours. In all 14 members participated in these activities. I don't expect this to be their high water mark for the year. Flotilla 78 is showing what a focused RBS program can accomplish and I'm glad to see a number of Flotillas stepping up in friendly competition with 78.

Second, we will have significant surface operations activity this weekend - including twelve facilities conducting patrols for fireworks shows around our region.  These events are challenging -- there is lots of public interaction which at times can include uncooperative boaters, lots of traffic, potential BUI situations, and late evening returns to moorages followed by late night drives back home. I'm sure the pride and professionalism I see from each of you will continue during this operation. Please exercise your risk management as individuals and as crews. Be safe out there and thank you for seeing to the safety of our fellow boaters.

Finally, as I've been mentioning all month in emails and on the blog… our service is engaged in an all hands on deck effort in support of the Deepwater Horizon Response. A number of you have been contributing directly in support of Sector and Station and we all do our part by maintaining focus on our traditional missions as attention is at times elsewhere. Deepwater Horizon does not reduce the chances of a significant event here in our area, in our District, or somewhere else across the nation. This afternoon our first member is in the air deploying directly in support of Deepwater Horizon. Gary Nepple has received orders to New Orleans and is on his way. We wish Gary a safe and productive deployment.

Gary is going because he exemplifies Auxiliary Readiness. Gary has embraced every possible opportunity to extend his incident management skills through taking classes, participating in drills, and assisting during actual events and incidents.  Through these activities he has become a known, and trusted, partner with our Active Duty and Reserve shipmates.

While we may not have the time or inclination to follow Gary's path directly each of us can purse a path that does increase our skill set. You can take advanced ICS courses even when not required. You can pursue a public affairs or marine safety qualification. You can put together a team to pus the Operational Excellence award to extend your surface operations skills. All of these activities contribute you your skill set, your personal development and our collective ability to meet the inevitable challenges to come.

Whatever your plans this weekend I wish you and your families a happy, celebratory and safe 4th of July.

Thank you for your service, and as always, be safe and look to the safety of your shipmates.