Coast Guard 47 foot boat

Five members of Flotilla 17-3 recently returned from an action-packed few days at Coast Guard Stations Emerald Isle and Fort Macon. Special thanks to Auxiliarist Charles Woodie for his time and effort in getting this trip arranged for us.

The Search and Rescue (SAR) seminars we had hoped to attend at Fort Macon were filled up with active duty personnel. However, Emerald Isle Station Chief Brodie graciously took four hours out of his own day and assembled and instructed an impromptu SAR seminar for us

Chief Brodie covered plotting positions, calculating drift and plotting various search patterns. The following morning Brodie arranged for us to go out on a 27' vessel and watch the station’s crew plot and run these same search patterns. It was a tremendous help and education for us all.

The next afternoon we were given a tour of CG Station Fort Macon by Chief Olsen. Chief Olsen arranged a ride on the station’s 47' boat. While underway, quite unexpectedly, the 47' coxswain called on each of us to take the helm!

Unknown to us, the active duty crew had an evil plan ready. The 47' has dual controls. When the coxswain told us to steer starboard; his accomplice at the other set of controls steered the boat hard to port. This made for some priceless facial expressions on our parts, which the crew really enjoyed!

On a serious note, myself, Auxiliarists Jim Boxerman, and Jim Bland got to experience an actual coastal SAR and were able to give aide to the active duty crew. The morning following our tour of Station Ft. Macon we were out practicing search patterns when a distressed boater radioed Station Emerald Isle.

A 20' fishing boat skipper fell on deck and broke his leg. He was immobile on deck and his vessel was adrift. Our boat responded to the call.   

One of the Flotilla 17-3 Auxiliarists aboard, Jim Bland, is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Jim advised the boat’s coxswain that he was an EMT and, if needed, he could provide on-scene first aid. The vessel’s coxswain was grateful, and on arrival at the distressed vessel, placed Jim aboard.

Auxiliarist Bland applied a splint, and immobilized the victim's leg. Bland propped the leg up and wrapped it in blankets and towels for the choppy ride back. A Station’s crew member went aboard the distressed vessel with Auxiliarist Bland to assist the injured skipper's wife with piloting the vessel back into channel.

This left myself and Jim Boxerman aboard the Station’s boat to serve as crew for the coxswain. We served as his forward and aft lookouts as we escorted the distressed vessel back in.
All during the hour long ride back, Auxiliarist Bland kept Emerald Isle advised by radio of the victim's vital signs and pain levels. Bland was also able to advise Station Emerald Isle the specifics of the victim’s leg injury. This allowed county EMTs to have a special leg splint on hand when we arrived.
 
Once back to station, the Station’s crew expressed sincere gratitude to us, and especially to our own Auxiliarist Bland. To sum it up, our 27's coxswain remarked, “This is why you guys are so great.”
 
“We are already looking forward to the next trip,” said one.