Editor’s note: Since 2002 SITREP has reported the proceedings of the Caribbean Search and Rescue Conferences held in the United States and the Dominican Republic. This report is one example of the Auxiliary’s outreach program to our neighbors in the Caribbean. Several members of the USCG Auxiliary traveled to Curacao for an Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE), mainly to assist the local volunteer organization CITRO (Citizen’s Rescue Organization) with items mentioned in the below report. Rather than attempt to rewrite the report into a journalistic article I chose to publish the report in its original verbiage (with some acronym clarifications). This is a good one example of the wide spread approach of promoting safety at sea by the USCG Auxiliary and an excellent opportunity for members of our organization to get a thumbnail view of one of our fellow volunteer organizations at work.

Greetings COMO Tucker, -

Sunday, August 13. My mission in Curacao ended this morning with a visit to the Royal Dutch Navy base and Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) Netherlands Antilles/Curacao with LT Willem Knol (Royal Dutch Navy attached to the Coast Guard here).  This brought to an end what I believe may have been the most successful of our Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) outreach ventures into the organizations of our Caribbean Search and Rescue (CSAR) colleagues:

I arrived on Curacao late Wednesday evening and started my activities with CITRO (Citizen’s Rescue Organization) mid-day on Thursday.  Initially, I had an extended strategy meeting with Mr. Curd Evertsz and Mr. Adriaan Van der Hoeven, vice president and president, respectively, of CITRO.  Thursday and Friday evening and all day yesterday was spent with about 20 of their core personnel.

Since this is now the third such mission we have conducted with CSAR organizations here in the Caribbean, it's a bit easier to assess the success of such a mission.  CITRO has a depth and breadth of capabilities that may be as good as anything we have encountered elsewhere.  They are a far stronger organization than SARFA (Search and Rescue Foundation-Aruba) and may be as strong or stronger than even BASRA (Bahamas Air and Sea Rescue Association). 

They operate two SAR vessels that were donated to their effort by KNRM (Royal Dutch Navy) and also provide support to SARFA and CITRO-Bonaire insofar as vessel maintenance and repair.  CITRO also has a unique organizational structure as there are actually two organizations within one, the business side of CITRO and the operational side of CITRO are two separate operating entities that to the general public appear as one. 

However, for example, the President of KNRM is on the foundation board of CITRO...the money end of the operation.  At present, there is a SAR vessel that was brought to Curacao for repair from Bonaire and will end up going to Aruba since SARFA is in a bit better shape operationally at present.  As you probably know, the Bonaire element was welcomed into CARSARF* at the 2005 CSAR-SMEE in Miami but they are still in a rebuilding mode.

*(In the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba five sea rescue organizations, managed and operated by volunteers, joined forces in the Caribbean Search And Rescue Foundation “CARSARF”.)

CITRO is an energetic group with excellent public support but we were even able to, as a team, take some CG Auxiliary concepts and localize them for use here:

Utilizing digital photographs that I took while here, the SMEE developed a localized version of America's Boating Course that CITRO is enthusiastic about promoting.

The same team will be launching CITRO courtesy vessel examination that is very close to our CG Auxiliary Vessel Safety Check program but will initially focus on the equipment that is required here by the island government.  In conversations with some of the subsistence fishermen yesterday, we learned that even they will support such examinations and the fishing community clearly embraces CITRO since they are the most frequent beneficiaries of CITRO's SAR efforts. 

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to see CITRO in action as fishing boat became disabled at the east end of Curacao and CITRO responded and brought the boat back to the fishing harbor where, incidentally, CITRO is housed.  This actual alarm situation gave me an opportunity to observe the level of community support since after concluding our formal activities late yesterday, I had an opportunity to go on board the Antje (High-speed Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) and meet the other CITRO vessel bringing the disabled fishing boat back in tow.

Aside from community support, there is also an excellent working relationship with the local military assets.  Saturday afternoon, CDR Brian Peter, USCG, spent several hours with us.  CDR Peter is the Liaison Officer (MLO) at the Consulate as well as being seconded to the International Marine Organization (IMO).  He has agreed to be the conduit for us to get either AUXCEN or ANSC materials to our CITRO colleagues.

LT Knol, mentioned above, was present at our SMEE in Miami and is an enthusiastic supporter of CITRO and due to normal Dutch Naval policy would be lost to them in about 3-4 months.  However, he has decided that he wishes to stay in Curacao till his retirement and will soon switch positions from his current assignment to the Coast Guard back to a Naval billet right in Curacao with the Joint Task Group.  This will enable CITRO to continue to take advantage of his enthusiastic support.

In addition to America’s Boating Course (ABC) and the vessel safety check program, we also worked together to localize “Waterway Watch” (WW) to make it more appealing to the citizens of Curacao.  We focused on the high-value risk target, Isla Refinery and the collateral impact that a terrorist incident in the US involving civilian aviation or a similar incident involving a cruise ship might have on tourism in Curacao. 

The possibility of using the WW materials for Rotary, Kiwanis, etc. was aired but of all the programs we consulted on this was likely the one that received the least enthusiastic response.  Nevertheless, with the close working relationship between CITRO, Royal Netherlands Coast Guard, Royal Netherlands Marines, RCC and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, they may take a more proactive approach to this project in the future.

A project, while we were in Miami, was high on the CITRO agenda was getting Global Positioning System (GPS) into the hands of the fishermen.  Many already have VHF radios. 

However, when I mentioned the Uniden Mystic to the CITRO folks, they agreed this was the ideal solution to their identified exposure:  VHF, GPS, GMDSS compliance, and DSC all in a device that is rugged and submersible.  Several CITRO members ordered the device almost immediately and plan to heavily promote same with the purchases being made via the shopauxiliary.com portal.