Coast Guard

Published on: June 20, 2017

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage Medevacs Injured Crew Member

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevaced a 58-year-old male after he suffered an ankle injury while aboard the F/V NEW DAWN. The 50-foot commercial vessel was near Shelikof Strait when the incident occurred on Sunday, June 18th.

“Due to the crewman’s possible need for an orthopedic surgeon, we determined the best course of action was to get him off the New Dawn and place him aboard the Jayhawk helicopter for transfer to advanced medical care” said Mr. Cory Cichoracki, watchstander at Sector Anchorage command center. “Despite the weather, the aircrew alongside the crew of the New Dawn, was able to complete a successful hoist.”

Watchstanders requested the Jayhawk launch after the duty flight surgeon recommended medevac of the injured crewmember. You can watch the heroic video here.

Published on: June 6, 2017

Named for Heroes: New and Improved Coast Guard Cutters Coming to Astoria and Ketchikan

by Joseph Stacey

Astoria is set to receive two new lifesaving Sentinel-class cutters. One has already been deployed in Ketchikan, the USCGC John McCormick. These are part of a Coast Guard plan to commission 58 new Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters, replacing aging Island-class cutters.

The new cutters are 154 ft. long (compared to the 110 ft. Island-class) and feature technology updates, such as weapons systems upgrades, small boat stern launch capabilities (to achieve safer and more efficient operations), and a five knot speed increase over the Island-class vessel. Command, control, communications, and intelligence systems have been updated with state of the art technology. The Sentinel-class cutter can reach speeds in excess of 28 knots, and the new small boats can reach speeds of 40 knots.

The new Sentinel-class vessels are to be named after enlisted Coast Guard servicemen and women who distinguished themselves in the line of duty. The first deployed cutter of its class, the USCGC Bernard C. Webber, is named for the Coxswain of the 36-foot wooden Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG 36500, which pulled one of the most daring rescues in Coast Guard history. Webber and his crew faced 60-foot seas to rescue 32 crewmen from the SS Pendleton in February, 1952.

Published on: April 4, 2017

Coast Guard 13th District Honors Officers

by Joseph Stacey

We are pleased to report that the Coast Guard has named Tara Dodd 2016 active-duty enlisted person of the year and Nicole Cimino 2016 reserve enlisted person of the year for the 13th Coast Guard District.

Tara Dodd, Petty Officer 1st Class, is an active-duty culinary specialist assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter SWORDFISH. She has been described as a motivated self-starter who epitomizes sound leadership with her unique ability to instill confidence in others, and for her attention to detail, empathy, and mentorship. She is a respected leader, and through her own initiative has qualified for three additional special unit certifications. Dodd spends her off-duty time assisting a World War II veteran in the maintenance of his home and volunteers at the local Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, inspecting and replacing smoke detectors in local retirement facilities.

Nicole Cimino is the Lead Reserve Petty Officer of the armory at PSU 313 in Everett. Cimino supervises maintenance, training and range operations as well as maintaining the weapons qualifications for the 159 members assigned to the unit. Cimino has also served as a Level I trauma center nurse, where she has saved more than 1,000 seriously injured and critically wounded people. In addition to these accomplishments, she has led an armory team that exceeded Navy standards and received honors.