RIO VISTA, Calif. – The crew of Small Boat Station Rio Vista was presented the Coast Guard’s prestigious Sumner I. Kimball Readiness Award today by Rear Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, commanding officer Eleventh Coast Guard District.
Station crewmembers undergo an intense evaluation, once every three years, by an independent Coast Guard Standardization Team to measure the units ability to carry out its various missions. Units that not only meet, but far exceed all requirements for readiness receive the Kimball Award.
The station crewmembers received good test scores, kept their vessels in great condition, performed excellent in underway drills, have ran a successful and progressive training program, survival systems were kept in a ready status, and good administrative work was conducted by all members.
Sumner I. Kimball was the general superintendent of the Revenue Marine Bureau from 1871 to 1878, which evolved into the U.S. Life Saving Service, a predecessor to the modern day Coast Guard. Kimball is credited for putting the service on the road to professionalism by defining and heavily enforcing the fundamentals of training and equipment.
The 35 active duty and 18 reserve members, assigned to the Rio Vista, are responsible for 1,500 miles of navigable waterways in the Bay Area Delta Region. Their area of responsibility stretches from Sacramento south to Tracy and to Stockton in the east.
