U.S. Coast Guard

The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) is in the fast Ice Jan. 2, 2020, approximately 20 miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. (Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi / USCG)

Coast Guard heavy icebreaker retasked for Arctic deployment

The ship typically spends these months breaking trail to McMurdo Station in Antarctica.

The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) is in the fast Ice Jan. 2, 2020, approximately 20 miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. (Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi / USCG)
Coast Guardsmen aboard the cutter USCGC John McCormick rescued two people off the fishing vessel Reluctant near Hoonah after it grounded Tuesday morning, Sept. 22, 2020. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard)

Coast Guard rescues 2 from grounded fishing boat

No injuries were reported.

Coast Guardsmen aboard the cutter USCGC John McCormick rescued two people off the fishing vessel Reluctant near Hoonah after it grounded Tuesday morning, Sept. 22, 2020. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard)
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel Rainier pulls into port Wednesday at Coast Guard Station Juneau for rest and replenishment of stores.

NOAA survey vessel takes break from updating charts in Juneau

It will not be open to public tours due to pandemic concerns, unfortunately.

Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel Rainier pulls into port Wednesday at Coast Guard Station Juneau for rest and replenishment of stores.
Several Coast Guard Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew members speak with the owner of a disabled 22-foot sailing vessel after towing it from Marmion Island to Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor in Juneau, Sept. 13, 2020. (Courtesy Photo/Petty Officer 2nd Class Anthony DeLorenzo)

Coast Guard assists family aboard stricken vessel

The sailing vessel was low on fuel with a damaged rudder

Several Coast Guard Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew members speak with the owner of a disabled 22-foot sailing vessel after towing it from Marmion Island to Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor in Juneau, Sept. 13, 2020. (Courtesy Photo/Petty Officer 2nd Class Anthony DeLorenzo)
Coast Guard rescues man who ran aground near Sitka

Coast Guard rescues man who ran aground near Sitka

His vessel later reportedly caught fire

Coast Guard rescues man who ran aground near Sitka
Capt. Steve White, from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau, gives a presentation to the Visitor Industry Task Force in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Sector Juneau CO urges teamwork, safety in strange times

The Coast Guard works with its partners to get the job done.

Capt. Steve White, from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau, gives a presentation to the Visitor Industry Task Force in the Assembly chambers on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Coast Guardsmen aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk rescued a boy injured hiking near Haines on Wednesday evening. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard

Coast Guard rescues injured boy hiking near Haines

It’s the Coast Guard’s 31st rescue since June.

Coast Guardsmen aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk rescued a boy injured hiking near Haines on Wednesday evening. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard
An MH-60 Jayhawk from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka conducts a training flight on Dec. 11, 2006. (U.S. Coast Guard photo / Petty Officer 1st Class William Greer)

Coast Guard medevacs fisherman near Sitka

Foul weather initially interfered with the rescue

An MH-60 Jayhawk from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka conducts a training flight on Dec. 11, 2006. (U.S. Coast Guard photo / Petty Officer 1st Class William Greer)
The United States Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick, rear, prepares to take over towing a stranded vessel after assistance from the Canadian Coast Guard on Aug. 1, 2020. (USCG photo / PA2 Alexandria Preston)

US and Canadian coast guards work together to rescue stranded vessel

The inter-service rescue went off smoothly.

The United States Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick, rear, prepares to take over towing a stranded vessel after assistance from the Canadian Coast Guard on Aug. 1, 2020. (USCG photo / PA2 Alexandria Preston)
Members from Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro stand in formation on the back of the cutter, July 24, 2020. The cutter’s hull day, July 24, correlates with its hull number, 724. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard)

Cutter Douglas Munro celebrates Hull Day at sea

USCG WHEC-724 represented on their day — July 24.

Members from Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro stand in formation on the back of the cutter, July 24, 2020. The cutter’s hull day, July 24, correlates with its hull number, 724. (Courtesy photo / U.S. Coast Guard)
Cmdr. Brian McLaughlin speaks to Coast Guard Air Station Sitka personnel during a change of command ceremony held at Air Station Sitka, Alaska, July 17, 2020. (Courtesy photo | U.S. Coast Guard)

Air Station Sitka welcomes new commanding officer

This isn’t his first tour in Alaska.

Cmdr. Brian McLaughlin speaks to Coast Guard Air Station Sitka personnel during a change of command ceremony held at Air Station Sitka, Alaska, July 17, 2020. (Courtesy photo | U.S. Coast Guard)
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick conducts a patrol in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, near Hubbard Glacier, June 13, 2017. The cutter and crew are homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska, and conduct Coast Guard operations throughout Southeast Alaska. (Coast Guard photo | Petty Officer 1st Class Matt Miller)

Ketchikan-based Coast Guard cutter welcomes new commanding officer

The John McCormick has a new CO.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick conducts a patrol in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, near Hubbard Glacier, June 13, 2017. The cutter and crew are homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska, and conduct Coast Guard operations throughout Southeast Alaska. (Coast Guard photo | Petty Officer 1st Class Matt Miller)
A signal flare burns bright enough to light up the day lit shores of the Sacramento Delta during a flare training exercise held at Coast Guard Station Rio Vista, Friday, April 6, 2012. (Courtesy Photo | Petty Officer 2nd Class Levi Read)

Coast Guard reminds boaters not to use flares as fireworks

It’s punishable by a fine and prison time.

A signal flare burns bright enough to light up the day lit shores of the Sacramento Delta during a flare training exercise held at Coast Guard Station Rio Vista, Friday, April 6, 2012. (Courtesy Photo | Petty Officer 2nd Class Levi Read)
The USCGC Healy, the Coast Guard’s only medium icebreaker, lies moored to the pier in Juneau as it returns to Seattle at the end of deployment, Oct. 27, 2019. The Healy is one of two U.S. icebreakers, but perhaps that will change, as a White House memorandum directs the government to look at options for expanding the icebreaker fleet. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)

White House examining more options for expanding U.S. icebreaker fleet

Leasing and further construction are both possibilities.

The USCGC Healy, the Coast Guard’s only medium icebreaker, lies moored to the pier in Juneau as it returns to Seattle at the end of deployment, Oct. 27, 2019. The Healy is one of two U.S. icebreakers, but perhaps that will change, as a White House memorandum directs the government to look at options for expanding the icebreaker fleet. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
“Alaska is consistently rated very high, in part because of the consistent boating safety programs, such as Kids Don’t Float,” said Mike Folkerts, boating safety specialist for Coast Guard District 17. He said such campaigns and widespread use of life jackets help explain why Alaska saw fewer boating-related deaths last year than in 2018. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)

2019 boating deaths, injuries in Alaska down from previous years

Alaska’s high rate of life jacket use likely saved many lives.

“Alaska is consistently rated very high, in part because of the consistent boating safety programs, such as Kids Don’t Float,” said Mike Folkerts, boating safety specialist for Coast Guard District 17. He said such campaigns and widespread use of life jackets help explain why Alaska saw fewer boating-related deaths last year than in 2018. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)
A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka carries out training in Juneau, Alaska, June 26, 2018. (Petty Officer 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios | U.S. Coast Guard)

Good Samaritans, Coast Guard rescue capsized boaters

Good Samaritans and good life jacket use likely saved their lives.

A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka carries out training in Juneau, Alaska, June 26, 2018. (Petty Officer 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios | U.S. Coast Guard)
A Coast Guard Station Juneau 45-foot medium response boat patrols Auke Bay during an exercise in 2018. Coast Guardsmen from Station Juneau aboard a similar boat rescued two stranded kayakers on Couverden Island on May 1, 2020. (Lt. Brian Dykens | U.S. Coast Guard)

Coast Guard rescues two kayakers near Admiralty Island

They were exhausted but unhurt.

A Coast Guard Station Juneau 45-foot medium response boat patrols Auke Bay during an exercise in 2018. Coast Guardsmen from Station Juneau aboard a similar boat rescued two stranded kayakers on Couverden Island on May 1, 2020. (Lt. Brian Dykens | U.S. Coast Guard)
Petty Officer 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios | U.S. Coast Guard An MH-60 Jayhawk crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka carries out training in Juneau on June 26, 2018.

Coast Guard flies pump to vessel taking on water

Civilian vessels also responded to the situation.

Petty Officer 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios | U.S. Coast Guard An MH-60 Jayhawk crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka carries out training in Juneau on June 26, 2018.
Coast Guardsmen perform an inspection of a fishing vessel in Sitka Sound on March 19, 2019. (Coast Guard Photo | Ens. Lindsay Wheeler)

All towing vessels to require inspections by July

Owners with multiple vessels will have longer.

Coast Guardsmen perform an inspection of a fishing vessel in Sitka Sound on March 19, 2019. (Coast Guard Photo | Ens. Lindsay Wheeler)
Petty Officer 1st Class Bradley Pigage | U.S. Coast Guard An aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter makes an approach on their return to Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, June 5, 2019.

When you need them most: Coast Guard MH-60s and their crew

Sitka aircrews have performed four medevacs in the last week.

Petty Officer 1st Class Bradley Pigage | U.S. Coast Guard An aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter makes an approach on their return to Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, June 5, 2019.