9/20/07
Coast Guard Auxiliary Detachment 1 swears in officers, conducting safety checks
By Eric Goold
 |
|
Newly sworn-in members of Detachment 1 of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-3 pose with officers at a recent ceremony. Detachment 1 can begin conducting boat safety checks at the Santee Lakes. |
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary has come to Lake Marion.
The Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard and is actively seeking volunteers interested in serving their country and their community. The role of the Coast Guard Auxiliary is to be a force multiplier for the Coast Guard.
Back in February, Wyboo resident Dick Phillips decided to try and form an Auxiliary Unit of the U.S. Coast Guard at Lake Marion and the surrounding area. He put the word out and got some other folks interested in the idea.
Now the Detachment has sworn in its first members and the unit is up and running.
Detachment 1 is training with Auxiliary Flotilla 12-3 from Lake Murray during its initial start-up phase. Officers of Flotilla 12-3 swore in new members of Detachment 1 last week.
Eventually Detachment 1 will become a separate Flotilla operating on the Santee Lakes after training is complete.
The formation of the Santee Lakes Detachment is a priority because of projected growth around the area and increased boat activity on the Santee Cooper system.
Coast Guard Auxiliary units conduct safety patrols, assist the Coast Guard with Homeland Security duties, teach boating safety classes, conduct free vessel safety checks for the public, as well as many other activities.
Coast Guard Auxiliary units are maintained under the Department of Homeland Security but have no authority to conduct military or law enforcement operations. Their main purposes are safety and education.
“We emphasize that we are not military and we are not law enforcement,” said Phillips.
Among other things, Coast Guard Auxiliary units conduct safety patrols, assist the Coast Guard with Homeland Security duties, teach boating safety classes and conduct free vessel safety checks for the public.
Volunteers are fully uniformed civilian members of the Coast Guard. They provide their own private boats when working for the Auxiliary.
Detachment 1 is now offering courtesy safety inspections to local boaters. To schedule an inspection, contact Larry Odom at 919-820-2782 or Steve Rodvansky at 803-460-4369.
|
