We’re sad to report on the passing of Mathew Woods, Captain U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.), who served twice as Captain of the Port, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville.You're invited to attend the service at Fort Caroline Christian Church (7535 Fort Caroline Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32277), on Friday, June 9. A public viewing will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a memorial with full military honors from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Oct. 9 letter from Club President Virginia Bailey re: El Faro
Dear Members and Friends,This week our city suffered a tragic loss. The crew of the El Faro served our community and Puerto Rico, and now it is our time to honor their contributions and their families and friends.As the needs of the families are provided, we will begin to explore the various ways we can assist, and we will share that info with you.I want to take this time to thank the men and women of the United States Coast Guard and U.S. Navy for their selfless efforts this past week and always.United, we continue to support our friends at TOTE and extend our prayers and friendship to their loved ones.Sincerely,Virginia BaileyPresident, Propeller Club of the United States – Port of Jacksonville
Jacksonville Women's Leadership Symposium to be held Sept. 23
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, in partnership with the U.S. Navy League Mayport Council, will host the third annual Jacksonville Women's Leadership Symposium for Men and Women on Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. The event is free to attend, but you must RSVP as seating is limited.The symposium is a forum where military and civilian women and men can discuss pertinent leadership issues that women face in the workplace today. Many of the participants in this year's Symposium currently reside in the local area and are dynamic leaders with great perspective to offer.Jacksonville Women's Leadership Symposium for Men & WomenWednesday, Sept. 23, 2015Jacksonville Public Library303 N. Laura Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202Please use the Main Street Entrance to the Library.[button link="http://www.uscg.mil/d7/sectJacksonville/2015JacksonvilleWomensLeadershipSymposium.asp" linking="default" size="medium" type="simple" text_color="#ffffff"]Register[/button]Uniform/Attire:Coast Guard - Tropical Blue Long with Garrison CoverNavy - Summer Khaki/Summer WhiteArmy - Army Green/Class BMarine Corps - Service "C"Air Force - Blues with Short Sleeve ShirtCivilian - Business CasualIt's free to attend but seating is limited so please register to attend.Click here to RSVP.
Captain's Corner: Heavy Weather Preparedness
This Captain’s Corner is brought to you by LT Alberto Martinez, the Sector Jacksonville National Disaster Preparedness Officer (NDPO).As the NDPO, LT Martinez brings a breadth of knowledge to the position, and uses it to develop and maintain the Port Heavy Weather Plan for Northeast and Eastern Central Florida, which encompass the Ports of Canaveral, Jacksonville, and Fernandina. As always, if you have recommendations for future topics, we would appreciate your input. See you in the port! - CAPT Tom Allan
US Coast Guard & Port Heavy Weather Preparedness
By LT Alberto Martinez, the Sector Jacksonville National Disaster Preparedness Officer (NDPO)Jacksonville’s history tells us that it suffered less damage from hurricanes than many other east coast cities. As with investments, past history is not always a good indication of the future and therefore we must remain vigilant and ready in the event this area is hit by a major hurricane. Hurricane Dora in 1964 hit the First Coast with sustained hurricane force winds of 110 mph (180 km/h), making it a strong Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd severely damaged the Jacksonville Beach Pier. Tropical Storm Bonnie caused minor damage in 2004, spawning a minor tornado in the process. In 2004, hurricane Frances and Jeanne were the costliest storms for the region, leading to more than 3,090 deaths and over $17.6 billion in damage between Florida, the Bahamas, and Haiti.The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs annually from June 1st to November 30th. During this part of the year, the entire Jacksonville Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone is at significant risk from Tropical Cyclone activity, including Tropical Depressions, Tropical Storms, and Hurricanes. Most often, more damage is caused by tidal surge than by wind during Tropical Storms and Hurricanes. For this reason, storm surge is regarded as the greatest threat to marine interests during severe weather. Storms approaching from the Southeast are particularly dangerous to the ports of Jacksonville, Fernandina, and Canaveral. The National Weather Service’s Sea Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model indicates that a storm surge in excess of 20 feet is possible in downtown Jacksonville, if a Category 5 storm were to make landfall just south of the entrance of the St. Johns River. In addition, due to the low topography of the area, the Port of Jacksonville and the Naval Station Mayport Basin are NOT considered suitable refuge for vessels from Hurricanes.In February 2015, the Department of Homeland Security Hurricane Scenario Analysis Report indicated the Port of Jacksonville is subject to potentially extensive damage to port and maritime infrastructure due to the combination of storm surge and strong winds associated with a hurricane. The 2015 Hurricane Season predictions from the Jacksonville office of the National Weather Service will be published this May or June. Initial indicators are that this year it is looking borderline “el Niño” meaning we will see neutral conditions, to slightly below normal activity.Effective June 1st, the COTP will release a Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) setting Hurricane Condition IV in Northeast and East Central Florida ports. The MSIB will address the actions required by all vessels greater than 500 GT operating within the COTP Jacksonville Zone. Once the COTP sets Port Hurricane Condition ZULU, no vessel, regardless of size or service, will be allowed to enter, transit, or conduct cargo operations without permission from the COTP. No vessel will be allowed to remain at facilities which are within one half mile of any bridge without special considerations by the COTP. The table below outlines the various port hurricane conditions.While the Coast Guard will work with the National Weather Service and our port partners during the approach of a storm, it is our experience that those who will best be able to weather the storm will be those who prepare early. We encourage everyone to take the time now to assess your facilities and vessels. Work with your crews to determine where risks may lie for you with the prediction and arrival of heavy weather. Determine what actions you can take early and how long it will take you to prepare to reduce damage to facility and vessels. Talk with your employees, are their homes ready if heavy weather approached and will they be able to help your company recover once the storm passes? While we may not be able to prevent storm impacts, the better we are prepared for the storm’s approach as a community and port, the better we will fair and more resilient we can be to return to full operations.For more information regarding Sector Jacksonville’s Port Heavy Weather Plan please go to the Port of Jacksonville Directory at https://homeport.uscg.mil - Semper Paratus!
Captain's Corner: Sector Commander Roles and Responsibilities
This month’s Captain’s Corner is brought to you by CDR LaDonn Allen, Deputy Commander, Sector Jacksonville. As the Deputy Sector Commander, Ladonn is an exceptional representative of the Coast Guard and leader of our crews. A strong background in emergency response and a former Prevention Department Head, she brings tremendous knowledge and experience to her position, benefiting the Sector and all of northeast Florida. An exceptional Deputy, she is certain to be a Sector Commander in the near future. Please enjoy the article, and as always, we appreciate your input regarding future topics or recommendations. See you in the Port!- CAPT Tom Allan
Sector Commander Roles and Responsibilities
By CDR LaDonn Allen, Deputy Commander, Sector JacksonvilleWhen one thinks of the roles and responsibilities of Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, you normally think of the Captain of the Port (COTP). In addition to COTP responsibilities, the Sector Commander is vested with all the rights, responsibilities, duties, and authorities of the previous Group Commander and the previous Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Office.The Sector Commander serves as the principal agent and representative of the District Commander, responsible for the command of all staff and Sector units and accomplishment of all Coast Guard mission objectives within the Sector AOR. The Sector Commander also serves in several designated roles and has many responsibilities.The COTP within the Sector AOR is responsible for the control of vessel movements, moorings, and vessel anchorages within the zone, including vessel traffic control, monitoring vessels and facilities that transfer bulk liquid cargoes, enforcing regulations concerning port security, port and waterways safety, tank vessel operations, shipment of military explosives, bulk solid cargoes, and packaged hazardous materials, enforcing all pollution prevention laws and regulations, issuing COTP orders and establishing safety and security zones, when necessary, to prevent accidental or intentional damage to any vessel, waterfront facility, or structure. The COTP conducts safety and security boardings of certain foreign vessels entering U. S. waters, and ensures the general safety and security of ports and waterways within the COTP zone and the prevention of destruction, loss of, or damage to vessels, facilities, or structures in U. S. navigable waters or on adjacent shorelines.The Sector Commander also serves as the designated Federal Maritime Security Coordinator (FMSC) within the Sector AOR and is responsible for establishing, convening, and directing the Area Maritime Security (AMS) Committee, the AMS plan, AMS exercises and records.The Sector Commander serves as the designated Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC), unless otherwise delegated or assigned, and is responsible for developing and maintaining a federal local contingency plan covering the Coast Guard FOSC’s zone, while chairing the Area Committee. In this capacity, the FOSC evaluates the magnitude and severity of a discharge or release, works with the Regional Response Team (RRT) as appropriate, determines the feasibility of removal of the discharges, determines whether removal efforts of the suspected polluter are proper, assumes federal control when a polluter is unknown and not acting responsibly, or whose removal effort is insufficient, and makes final determinations of when removal is complete in order to terminate the federal response efforts.The Sector Commander serves as the designated Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) within the Sector AOR, unless otherwise delegated or assigned. The OCMI administers the Coast Guard’s marine safety field activities within a marine inspection zone delineated by regulations. The OCMI’s duties are to administer and enforce the programs and regulations for marine safety, relative to the inspection of vessels to determine their fitness for the services for which they are intended, and their compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and standards related to construction, equipage, manning, and operation, inspection of shipyards, waterfront facilities, investigation of marine casualties, personnel injuries, and death aboard commercial vessels, recreational vessels, and OCS facilities, detection of, and investigations into reports of, violations of statutes or regulations, misconduct, incompetence, or misbehavior of merchant mariners or other persons aboard commercial vessels; initiation of remedial action to suspend or revoke licenses and certificates of merchant mariners for such occurrences, and the enforcement of the navigational and vessel inspection laws and of all laws relating to seamen in general.Search and Rescue (SAR) Mission Coordinator (SMC) and Active Search Suspended (ACTSUS) authority is designated by the SAR Coordinator District Commander. SMC is responsible for following the policy and procedures established in the U. S. Coast Guard Addendum to the United States National Search and Rescue Supplement (NSS) to the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual (IAMSAR), COMDTINST M16130.2 (series), insofar as practicable, for all SAR cases. ACTSUS authority provides suspension of SAR cases.As you can see, the roles and responsibilities of the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville Commanding Officer encompass numerous designations and authorities. These authorities have a long history, with COTP authority dating back to June 15, 1917 when Captain Godfrey L. Carden was appointed the first Coast Guard COTP for the Port of New York.Featured image by Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony L. Soto on Flickr, CC License
