Posts Tagged ‘Station LIttle Creek’
Coast Guard rescues man in Chesapeake Bay
PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The Coast Guard rescued a 26-year-old man after he fell overboard from a 26-foot boat near the east side of the second island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Video - 45 Foot Response Boat Medium
Coast Guard Station Little Creek, VA - Coast Guard Petty Officer Adam Eggers reports for the Pentagon Channel on the introduction of the Coast Guards newest boat, the 45 foot Response Boat-Medium.
Coast Guard prepares for severe weather in Virginia and North Carolina
PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Coast Guard personnel in Virginia and North Carolina are preparing Wednesday for forecasted high winds and heavy seas.
For the safety of personnel and their boats, Virginia Station’s Milford Haven and Little Creek are currently unable to respond due to weather outside their boat’s operating standards.
Coast Guard crews aboard 25-foot rescue boats cannot respond if conditions exceed 25 knot winds and six-foot seas. Coast Guard aircrews aboard HC-130J Hercules aircraft cannot take-off if direct sustained crosswinds exceed 25 knots and MH-60J Jayhawk helicopter crews are restricted when gusts or sustained winds are in excess of 35 knots.
Coast Guard units along the coast are transmitting Safety Marine Information Broadcasts to notify mariners of the predicted severe weather.
The Coast Guard urges mariners to always:
- Stay Informed - The public should be aware of weather conditions and monitor the progress and strength of the storm through local television, radio and internet. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF channel 16.
- Check the current and expected weather and water conditions before heading out, and be aware that weather conditions can quickly change.
- Wear their life jackets while on the water.
- File a float plan with friends, family members and their local marina before heading out. The list should include the number of passengers aboard the vessel, their destination and expected time of return.
- Always have a working radio onboard their vessel as cell phone coverage varies from region to region.
- Carry marine flares aboard their vessel to signal rescuers while in distress and emergency situations.
- Keep a Global Positioning System or Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon so that they may be easier to locate in the event of distress.
- Secure your belongings - Owners of recreational boats are urged to take appropriate precautions to prevent damage to their boats and others.
For maritime emergencies in Virginia, contact Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads at (757) 638-6641. For maritime emergencies in North Carolina, contact Coast Guard Sector North Carolina at (252) 247-4570.
Marine Safety Information Broadcasts can be found at HomePort.uscg.mil, click on Port Directory to view port conditions for different areas.
Weather information is available through the National Weather Service at www.NWS.noaa.gov
Coast Guard stops unmanned boat after operators fall out
PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The Coast Guard and a Good Samaritan assisted two boaters who were ejected from their 17-foot boat near Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Beach, Va., 9:20 p.m. Wednesday.
The two boaters were rescued by a Good Samaritan after falling overboard, but their boat continued to run in circles, creating a hazard to anyone nearby.
Coast Guard boat crews conducting training aboard a 25-foot response boat and a 45-foot response boat from Station Little Creek, Virginia Beach, Va., heard the report from Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads and diverted to assist.
Coast Guardsmen threw heaving lines to stop the boat’s propellers, but when that didn’t work, they pulled alongside and used a boat hook on the throttle to stop it.
Most boats have a kill switch which will cause the engine to stop if the driver is thrown from the vessel.
“We recommend that you use your kill switch at all times when the boat is underway,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Poston, a coxswain at Station Little Creek. “If they had used their kill switch, this situation could have been prevented.”
Ocean claims life of teenager at Rudee Inlet, Va.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. - A 19-year-old male was found deceased near Rudee Inlet by the Virginia Beach Marine Police after he reportedly went bodyboarding Sunday.
A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Little Creek, an HH-60 helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., and the Virginia Beach Marine Police conducted the search. The body was located Sunday at approximately 11:14 p.m., after a three hour search.
The Coast Guard reminds all boaters, beachgoers and tourists visiting the oceanfront to exercise caution at all times, especially Labor Day weekend.
Rip currents can be killers. The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that the number of deaths due to rip currents on our nation’s beaches exceeds 100 per year. Rip currents account for over 80 percent of rescues performed.
For boaters, three-quarters of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, nearly 90 percent were not wearing a life jacket. It is the law on all federal waters, including Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, coastal waters and tributaries, to have life jackets for each person aboard. Also, children under 13 must wear an appropriate Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times, unless they are below decks or within an enclosed cabin.
Coast Guard hosts Homeland Security Advisory Council visit
PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The Coast Guard hosted a Homeland Security Advisory Council visit today involving demonstrations of Coast Guard assets, units and capabilities at Integrated Support Command Portsmouth.
The event highlighted Coast Guard capabilities through demonstrations and tours from:
* Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane, homeported in Portsmouth
* Coast Guard Port Security Unit 305 from Fort Eustis, N.C.
* Marine Security and Response Team from Chesapeake, Va.
* Coast Guard Cutter Elm, homeported in Atlantic Beach, N.C.
* Station Little Creek, Va.
The HSAC toured the Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane and was briefed on its capabilities.
The PSU simulated a scenario, which highlighted its ability to maintain security checkpoints and respond to threats.
The MSRT performed a demonstration, which showed its capabilities for fast-rope decent and a hooking climb from a small boat onto the Coast Guard Cutter Elm. This demonstrated the MSRT’s ability to gain positive control of a boat in case of a threat or emergency.
Station Little Creek also provided the HSAC with the opportunity to ride in a 45-foot Response Boat - Medium, the newest small boat in the Coast Guard’s fleet.
The HSAC serves as an advisory body to the Secretary of Homeland Security, providing advice and recommendations independent from any organization of which the department consists.