WAVES

Watercraft and Vessel Safety

The Newsletter from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Department of Boating
VOLUME 04 00-06
Editor: Karen L. Miller, BC-BNN 2931 Buttonbush Court Palm Harbor, FL 34684
Department Chief: Warren E. McAdams, DC-B 894 Surrey Ridge Drive Cincinnati, OH 45245



From the Deputy
Jesse Harrup, DC-Bd

GRANTS

Its that time of year where we traditionally look
forward to the holidays and oftentimes to look back
at our accomplishments during the year soon to
end. The National Boating Department (B.) is no
different, and collectively wishes everyone happy
holidays and a great new year. As we look back at
some of the departmental accomplishments, there
has been much that we believe has benefited the
Auxiliary membership in this year of 2000.

We have strengthened our management team with
the additions of new personnel in our offices of:

Division Chief-Boating State [Liaison] (DVC-
BS),
Division Chief-Boating NASBLA/News (DVC-
BN),
Branch Chiefs-Boating State [Liaison] Atlantic
(West), and Pacific, (BC-BSI and BC-BSP), and
Branch Chief-Boating Liaison Industry (BC-BLI).

Additionally, we are actively recruiting for stronger
managers in our offices of:

Division Chief-Boating Liaison (DVC-BL), and
Branch Chief-Boating NASBLA/News Grants (BC-
BNG).

We believe the hard personnel decisions weve made
will ultimately produce a stronger department to serve
our customers, the largest in number of which are you,
our members, nationwide through our many divisional
and branch initiatives and programs.

At the 2000 International Boating & Water Safety
Summit (IBWSS), the B. Department acquainted many
new potential non-Auxiliary organizations in our Vessel
Safety Check (VSC) program. This was accomplished
through a break-out session presentation and the after
session comments were all positive from the 50+
attendees. Additionally, the B. Dept. has been notified in
November 2000 that two (2) USCGAUX presentation
applications have been accepted for the 2001 IBWSS
meeting in April. Such recognition and acceptance is a
veritable advertisement for the U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary to international and many other national
boating organizations, as well as an opportunity to
contribute to recreational boating safety worldwide
through our presentation messages. It is further
indicative of the safety message quality with which the
IBWSS has come to expect from USCGAUX members
participation.

Attendance by B. Dept. senior officers at the 2000 NASBLA
Conference allowed for very favorable face-to-face
discussions and dialogue between the USCG, USCGAUX,
and the 50+ various State Boating Law Administrators
(BLAs). These discussions have the impact of creating an
even larger teamwork of recreational boating safety
professionals through closer working relationships between
the BLAs and the Auxiliary, particularly through our State
Liaison Division.

Our Grassroots Grant program (more on that in future
issues of WAVES) was even larger this year than last,
(meaning the third consecutive year of increased
applications to BoatUS) as well as the initiation of the
BoatUS Clean Water Grant program with the Auxiliary.

Our boating partners program was expanded this year to
contact dozens of outside boating organizations to
determine if partnering with their organizations could
expand the USCGAUX boating safety program and
message.

There are many more programs the B. Dept. was involved
with in year 2000 that further showed the banner of
recreational boating safety to more organizations than ever
before, but space precludes my only outlining some of the
major ones above. We hope that our nationwide efforts this
past year to support the Auxiliary membership, right down
to the Flotilla level, has been of assistance to you and we
look forward to more progress in 2001. Until next issue,
keep er tween the buoys.

State Boating Law Administrators
Ed Huntsman, DVC-BS

Report on the International Workshop For
Emergency Response (IWER-2000)

One of several programs designed to support the
Partnership for Peace Program (PIP), the workshop
was conducted Monday through Friday, November 13
to 17 at the Papago Military Reservation located in
Phoenix, Arizona. This facility is the location of the
Headquarters of the Arizona Department of
Emergency and Military Affairs, as well as the Arizona
National Guard and Air National Guard. The PIP is a
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) initiative,
which, through the combined efforts of partner states
is designed to enhance both the political and military
cooperation throughout Europe. Participation in the
program reinforces regional security, increases
stability and promotes strengthened relationships

2
between the cooperative states. NATO launched
the Partnership for Peace programs in 1994.

The State Partnership Program (SPP) was
established in 1993 to align American states with
newly independent states located throughout
Europe and Asia. The SPP encourages the
development of economic, political and military
affiliations between partnering states. Program
efforts focus on the exchange of information, ideas
and technology to improve military support to
civilian authorities as they respond to natural
disasters.

Both governmental and non-governmental
agencies at all levels and other first responders
participated in the workshop that focused on
improving the response to urban and rural flooding
and other water or flooding related catastrophic
emergencies.

Several central Asian countries, including
Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan and Uzbekhistan, and
members of the SPP joined Army, Navy, Air Force,
National Guard and Air National Guard personnel
for the exercise. The Coast Guard Auxiliary
participated as an observer, as did emergency
response personnel from a several other nations in
central Europe and Asia. Also participating were
members of the US Armed Forces representing
various commands, Louisiana, Montana and other
U.S. states. Several Federal Agencies including
the Department of State, National Weather
Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal
Emergency Management Agency, United States
Geological Survey, The Bureau of Reclamation
and the Civil Air Patrol also participated with
demonstrations or as observers.

The event was opened with welcomes from a
variety of senior diplomatic, elected and military
officials.

The weeklong workshop provided the opportunity
to observe emergency operations centers at the
municipal, county and state levels working in
conjunction with operations centers at the Salt
River Project and the Central Arizona Project. Field
demonstrations featuring high-incline mountain
rescue, car-top retrieval and in-water rescues,
medical air evacuation, dike building and
emergency housing capabilities were conducted
both on and off-site of the Papago Military
Reservation.

The goal(s) of the workshop were:

Exchange principles of flood disaster
response and techniques for responding to
flood disasters
Afford participants the opportunity to review
and apply techniques learned
Teach and apply advanced techniques for
use of Emergency Information Software
(EIS) and Net-based Emergency
Management Software for use by emergency
team personnel to help manage disaster
situations
Learn how U.S. emergency response units
utilize the news media to keep the public
informed in disaster situations
Demonstrate the integration of the National
Guard into the response plan and demonstrate
military support for civil authorities
Demonstrate the Incident Command System
(ICS) and how the Emergency Operations
Center (EOC) supports the on scene ICS
commander

The workshop also promoted international
engagement of the participants by providing a forum to
exchange ideas, concepts, methods, practices,
techniques and standards for addressing a natural
disaster. Various computer modeling, planning and
decision-making processes, emergency service field
response and interaction to military support response
to civil authorities were also effective demonstrated.
Many new friendships were also established between
the participants.

Additionally, one of highlights during the week was the
signing of a mutual aid compact and letter of
agreement for ongoing exchanges involving training,
seminars, and other areas of mutual support between
FEMA on behalf of the United States and Kazakhstan.

BOATING PROFESSIONALS
Bill Griswold, BC-BLN

It's not too early to begin planning for the fifth annual
International Boating and Water Safety Summit, which
will be held in Nashville, TN, next April 8-11. It will be
held at the Opryland Hotel, a magnificent facility, next
to the Grand Old Opry House. This gives all those in
the middle south easy access to the Summit. More
information can be found on the National Safe Boating
Council's web site at: www.safeboatingcouncil.org

Last year in Las Vegas, 500 boating professionals
gathered and participated in one of the best
networking sessions ever held. If you are interested in
boating education, public affairs, member training, or
want to meet boating pros from dozens of
organizations and agencies, Nashville is the place for
you. There is even a scholarship program to help you
attend; check the web site for an application. The
Summit is being sponsored by the National Water
Safety Congress, which is celebrating its 50th
birthday, and the National Safe Boating Council
funded in part by a grant administered by the U. S.
Coast Guard under the Wallop-Breaux Trust Fund. I
highly recommend that any Auxiliarist who can attend
should.

There is a wealth of information available, the
presentations are directed to the boating teacher or
professional, and you will come away with a new
appreciation for the larger view of recreational boating
in America and in foreign countries. Try it, you'll like it

Distribution: NEXCOM, N-H, DCOs, VCOs, DCPs,
FCs, G-OPB, G-OPB2, G-OCX, G-OCX2