Fire Suppression Exercise on San Francisco Bay

Article by Auxiliarist Steve Salmon and LTJG Lauren Kolumbic, USCG, Sector San Francisco, CA

Photos by LTJG Lauren Kolumbic, USCG

Vessels (SF FD) Phoenix and (CG AUX) Sunrise

On April 15, the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the San Francisco Fire Department and the San Francisco Police Department staged a mock, but very dramatic, rescue of a burning vessel in the waters of San Francisco Bay.

Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel Sunrise, skippered by coxswain Rae Kleinen with crew Bill Burns and Steve Salmon played the role of the “burning” boat.  Two representatives of the CG Public Affairs Department, LTJG Lauren Kolumbic and PA3 Kevin Neff, USCG, were also on board as observers. 

The event was organized by USCG Sector San Francisco.  The “fire” aboard the Auxiliary vessel was started with an electric fog machine.  An HH-65C Dolphin helicopter from Air Station San Francisco then spotted the fire, and directed surface vessels to the scene. 

Coast Guard Auxiliarist Steve Salmon prepares to participate in a fire drill on San Francisco Bay.

Coast Guard vessel 41404, a 41-foot utility boat from Station San Francisco, responded and “rescued” Auxiliarist Bill Burns from the burning vessel.  The San Francisco Fire Department’s large fireboat Phoenix then drenched Sunrise with its powerful fire hoses, effectively dousing the fire (and the fog machine).  A smaller “SAFE” boat from the fire department and San Francisco Police Department’s vessel Marine 1 stood by to assist as needed.

~DW