Flotilla Participates in a Public Affairs Mission with FOXNEWS

Swansboro, North Carolina - January 18, 2012. There were three of us in a crew cab towing a 23 ft skiff to Coast Guard Station Ft. Macon, Atlantic Beach, NC. The air temperature was hovering around the 50 degree mark and it started to drizzle as we passed through the station gate and headed for the boat ramp. As I looked at an ominous squall line to the West, I was thinking "This is not going to be a 'fun in the sun' day on the water."

On January 10th, the 110 ft USCG Cutter Monomoy rescued 6 Iranian fisherman and a few days later, FOXNEWS decided they wanted to do a follow up story using stateside Coast Guard assets. They requested use of a 110 ft cutter for a few hours to see how a typical rescue operation would be carried out.

The crew of USCG Cutter Block Island listen to BM3 Justin Keeper as he gives environmental conditions prior to getting underway for a public affairs mission. Photo by Dennis Szeba

A steady stream of emails started circulating throughout Coast Guard District 5 on the East Coast. After several options were discussed, a decision was made to use USCG Cutter Block Island (WPB 1344) out of Station Fort Macon, North Carolina. Not only was it one of the few immediately available for a public affairs mission, but Block Island’s Commanding Officer Grant Thomas was a former Commanding Officer of the Monomoy.

Next, a request for Auxiliary assistance was sent out from CG Public Affairs to provide a vessel facility and personnel to use as boater-in-distress role players. Flotilla 20-2 is the resident Auxiliary group at Station Ft Macon, but they didn't have a facility available on such short notice.

Auxiliarists Barbara Pohlman, Fred Jelinek & Dennis Szeba underway on their vessel as part of a public affairs mission with USCG Cutter Block Island. Photo by PA3 David Weydert

25 miles away, Flotilla 20-10 in Swansboro, NC stepped up and volunteered. Facility owner and Flotilla Commander Fred Jelinek, Coxswain Barbara Pohlman, and myself got involved and were notified that January 18 was the tentative date for the event.

As we got boat into the water and tied up, it started raining and we made a wet dash along the pier to the Block Island. We were warmly welcomed aboard and taken below to the mess deck where Lt. Thomas joined us with his officers and senior enlisted crew.

 

 

 

 

Auxiliarists Barbara Pohlman, Fred Jelinek & Dennis Szeba role play as boaters in distress as BM3 Justin Neeper and MK3 Chuck Seckinger come alongside to render aid.Photo by PA3 David Weydert, USCG

 

 

 

 

We discussed the mission as it currently stood, and went over different scenarios we might be going through. We all felt comfortable with the weather, which was supposed to clear, but would leave the final decision to the FOXNEWS crew when they arrived.

While we waited for them, we were shown around the cutter. You would think that a 110 ft ship would be fairly spacious, but that's not the case with this class. The 18 crewmembers have little room to spread out because every square inch of the ship is utilized for shipboard equipment and operational gear. In spite of it, the crew seemed proud of their assignment.

Auxiliarist Dennis Szeba in yellow climbs aboard USCG Cutter Block Island to simulate a boater in distress rescue after being transferred from the Auxiliary facility. Photo by Fred Jelinek

 

 

 

 

The news crew arrived with a reporter, cameraman and two CG Public Affairs photographers. We had a briefing and decided that the weather was ok but due to six foot seas outside of the port entrance we would stay inside the Morehead City State port area.

After a brief break for some of us to put on dry suits, the cutter crew mustered on the foredeck for the formal mission briefing. Every contingency was discussed by mission leaders and Lt. Thomas stressed safety as the primary concern of the mission.

Auxiliarists Barbara Pohlman and Fred Jelinek role playing as boaters in distress for FOXNEWS camera crews. Photo by Dennis Szeba

The Auxiliarists took off in their boat with a Coast Guard photographer on board and proceeded to a pre-designated rendezvous point. We went dead in the water and put on colored ponchos to look like civilians for the camera crew on the Block Island. The cutter then launched their 17 ft Zodiac to respond to our simulated distress call.

I was the designated person to be rescued and was taken back to the cutter where I was treated to a tasty lunch. The FOXNEWS team then transferred via the Coast Guard Zodiac to our boat so they could film everything from that viewpoint. Auxiliarists Jelinek and Pohlman maneuvered around the cutter while demonstrations of Zodiac recovery and crane operations were filmed from different angles.

FOXNEWS correspondent Mike Levine gets assistance donning a foul weather suit aboard USCG Cutter Block Island prior to transfer to the Auxiliary facility. Photo by Dennis Szeba

Our vessel then provided a camera platform for the news crew, and safety coverage while the Block Island conducted a man overboard drill. An “Oscar” dummy was recovered from the water by a rescue swimmer deployed from the cutter.

Lastly, our boat came alongside, the film crew clambered up the Jacobs ladder and I went back aboard for the trip back to the station. The weather had held, and though it was chilly, everyone stayed dry.

 

 

 

 

FOXNEWS crew and USCG public affairs personnel transferring from USCG Cutter Block Island to the Auxiliary facility. Photo by PA1 Brandyn Hill

 

 

 

 

I was later told by the FOXNEWS reporter that the story was pushed back due to the Costa Concordia grounding and pre-election coverage. So, we may never get to see ourselves on national TV, but we experienced something we don't usually do on our normal operations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~efl 06-15-12