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NORTH ATLANTIC - A member of a Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules aircrew attached to Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., drops a wreath over the at-sea memorial site of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard video by Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Bob Laura.

LABRADOR SEA, CANADA – Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Monty Nijjar, stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., looks out over an ice pack that stretches to the coast of Labrador as he pilots an HC-130J Hercules aircraft transporting members of the Coast Guard International Ice Patrol, April 7, 2011. Members of the Ice Patrol will send data gathered on ice conditions, icebergs and their movements to the International Ice Patrol headquarters in New London, Conn.  This data is made available to ships traveling the North Atlantic shipping lanes. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Bob Laura.

ST JOHNS, NEWFOUNDLAND – Crew members aboard an HC-130J Hercules aircraft from Elizabeth City Air Station, N.C., wait to be towed into a hanger after a long day with the members of the Coast Guard’s International Ice Patrol, April 10, 2011.  They were searching for icebergs in the North Atlantic which could affect the shipping lanes.  U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Bob Laura.

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NEW YORK – The Coast Guard is offering accredited representatives of the media seats aboard Coast Guard aircraft during International Ice Patrol flights and the at-sea centennial commemorative wreath-layings over the RMS Titanic resting site, beginning Feb. 1, 2012.

The mission of the International Ice Patrol is to monitor the iceberg danger near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and provide the iceberg limit to the maritime community.

The RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after striking an iceberg near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic Ocean. The tremendous loss of life in this preventable tragedy led to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea in 1914.

International Ice Patrol was conducted by the Revenue Cutter Service starting in 1913 and was formally established by the SOLAS convention. The sole purpose of the International Ice Patrol is to promote the safe navigation of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean when the danger of iceberg collision exists.

Since the 1960s, International Ice Patrol has commemorated the sinking of the Titanic by dropping wreaths near the location of the sinking.

WHO: accredited members of the news media

WHAT: limited seating aboard Coast Guard aircraft to accredited representatives of the media seats aboard Coast Guard aircraft during International Ice Patrol flights and the at-sea centennial commemorative wreath-layings over the RMS Titanic resting site

WHERE: Flights are aboard U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J aircraft and depart from St. John’s, Newfoundland, CAN

WHEN: Feb. 1 - 9, 2012 
             Mar. 28 – Apr. 5, 2012
             Apr. 11 – Apr. 19, 2012 - centennial wreath laying

Please be advised of the following groundrules:

No electronic equipment (audio or video recording devices, cellular phone, etc.) with the ability to transmit or receive a signal will be permitted aboard the aircraft for safety reasons. Video and audio capture must be direct to cassette. This includes lavaliere microphones.

Flights departing St John’s for the mission flights and at-sea memorial may be delayed due to adverse weather conditions, visibility or aircraft casualty.  Members of the media are advised to make lodging arrangements in St. John’s.

There is limited seating available aboard each flight, 8-10 seats maximum.

Media are responsible for their own transportation to St. John’s.

Interested members of the media should contact Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas McKenzie at 212-668-7114

NEW YORK – Media are invited to attend a Coast Guard award ceremony for dockmaster Michelle Boggs on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at 3 p.m. at Liberty Landing Marina, located at 80 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City, N.J.

WHAT: The Coast Guard will present Michelle Boggs with a certificate of appreciation to honor Boggs’ dedicated support of Coast Guard Cutter Ridley while she worked as a dockmaster at Liberty Landing Marina.

Prior to Hurricane Irene making landfall, the Ridley contacted Liberty Landing Marina in the hopes of topping off their fuel before transiting to the avoidance area on the Hudson River.  Ms. Boggs stayed open later than recommended by local authorities to accommodate the Ridley, as well as assisting other units, local boats and ferries needing fuel. 

WHERE: Coast Guard Cutter Ridley, Liberty Landing Marina, located at 80 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City, N.J.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at 3 p.m.

The ceremony is not open to the public but media interested in attending the ceremony and touring the Ridley may contact PA1 Thomas McKenzie at 212-668-7114

WHO: Coast Guard Station Eaton’s Neck

WHAT: Dedication ceremony.

WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Coast Guard Station Eaton’s Neck
               12 Lighthouse Road
               Northport, NY 11768

The crew of Coast Guard Station Eaton’s Neck welcomes you to the dedication ceremony of their new 10,000 square foot state-of-the-art boathouse. This boathouse replaces the previous, which was destroyed by a fire Christmas Eve 2008.

The new boathouse, funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, includes a drive-through boat bay, a new launching ramp, maintenance shops and offices for personnel. The new building is designed to resemble the previous boathouse, built in 1936, and blend with the existing historical buildings on site.

 ***Media wishing to attend the dedication ceremony are asked to R.S.V.P. by 4 p.m., Tuesday, December 13, to Petty Officer 2^nd Class Jetta Disco at (212) 668-7114. Attendees are asked to arrive no later than 2 p.m.***

Who: Coast Guard Petty Officer 1^st Class Brook Milstead and Petty Officer 2^nd Class Travis Halling, both avid waterfowl hunters stationed at Sector Long Island Sound, New Haven, Conn., and Capt. Paul O'Connell and Sgt. Eric Lundin, of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

What: Members of the media are invited to speak with representatives of the Coast Guard and DEEP to discuss boating safety and hypothermia prevention techniques during the waterfowl hunting season in and around Long Island Sound. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound will host a hunting safety demonstration to highlight the precautions hunters can take to stay safe on the water and offer an example of a well-equipped hunting vessel.

When: Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Where: Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, 120 Woodward Ave., New Haven, Conn.

Members of the media interested in attending must have valid press credentials and are required to RSVP by calling Lt. j.g. Erin Dixon at (203) 468-4508.

Who: Members of the U.S. Coast Guard:

• Capt. Gregory Hitchen, Deputy Commander, Coast Guard Sector New York
• Cmdr. Michael Day, Chief of Pentagon Interagency Planning Branch
• Retired Coast Guard Capt. Dan Ronan, Transportation Safety Administration
• John Hillin, Chief of Coast Guard Sector New York Safety and Security Division
• Capt. Daniel Croce, Chief of the Cargo Vessel Branch, Coast Guard Sector New York
• The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bainbridge Island

What: Members of the media are invited to attend the “The U.S. Coast Guard 9/11 New York City Response Retrospective,” an event held to remember those who lost their lives during the attacks on the World Trade Center and to discuss the actions taken by the Coast Guard and its agency partners on and after 9/11. Representatives of the Coast Guard will be available for interviews by members of the media to discuss response and recovery operations during 9/11 and after, the Coast Guard’s role in the maritime evacuation of Manhattan and current Coast Guard Homeland Security operations in the port. 

The Coast Guard Cutter Bainbridge Island, homeported in Sandy Hook, N.J., a 9/11 first responder asset, will be open for tours during the event.

 When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 Where: Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, New York, N.Y., 10036

 10:30-11 a.m.

• Media availability with distinguished visitors and panel members

Location: USS Intrepid auditorium

12 - 4 p.m.

• Media availabilities with distinguished visitors, panel discussion members and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bainbridge Island

Location: various locations

Members of the media interested in attending must have valid press credentials and are required to RSVP by calling Petty Officer Jetta Disco at (917) 703-0983.

BOSTON - As Hurricane Irene approaches the northeastern United States, the Coast Guard is advising boaters and mariners of the dangerous weather conditions the storm is generating.

Coast Guard command centers in the northeast are issuing weather warnings and advisories via VHF channel 16 to warn people on the water of the precautions they should take. The media serve as a valuable outlet for raising awareness about the impacts of this storm on the maritime environment.

Media are invited to identify opportunities to visit Coast Guard units, speak with personnel, conduct weather reports, and discuss how boaters can prepare and take precautions for the impending storm. All availability is subject to operational demands and must be coordinated through the below points of contact:

• New York:
  Mr. Charles Rowe at Coast Guard Sector New York, Staten Island, N.Y.
  (718) 354-2359

• Connecticut:
  Lt. j.g. Erin Dixon at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, New Haven, Conn.
  (203) 468-4508

• Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts:
  Senior Chief Petty Officer Ronny German at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England, Woods Hole, Mass.
  (508) 457-3402

• Boston Metro area:
  Lt. Garrett Meyer at Coast Guard Sector Boston, Mass.
  (617) 223-5070

• New Hampshire and Maine:
  Lt. Nick Barrow at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, Portland, Maine
  (207) 767-0318

Who: Capt. Joseph Vojvodich, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound Captain of the Port.

What: The COTP will be available to answer questions from the media about the Coast Guard's response to Hurricane Irene along coastal Connecticut, Long Island Sound and the south shore of Long Island, N.Y.

When: 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, 2011

Where: Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, 120 Woodward Avenue, New Haven, Conn., 06512

Media interested in attending, please RSVP no latter than 12:45 p.m. by calling (203) 468-4444.

View Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound in a larger map

NEW YORK - The media is invited to get underway with the Coast Guard Cutter Barque Eagle and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in New York Harbor Friday.

The Coast Guard Cutter Barque Eagle, which is celebrating its 75^th anniversary, will get underway from just off Liberty Island to Pier 7 in Brooklyn.  Once at the pier, the Eagle will host a naturalization ceremony for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The timeline for the event is as follows:

• 6 a.m. - Media will meet at the south side of North Cove Marina in Manhattan to be transported to Eagle.
• 8 a.m. - Eagle will get underway from Liberty Island.  Secretary Napolitano will be available for questions during a portion of this transit.
• 9 a.m. - Eagle will moor at Pier 7 in Brooklyn.
• 11 a.m. - Naturalization ceremony will take place aboard Eagle.

Editor’s Note: Media spaces aboard Eagle are limited and will be filled by those who respond first.  The deadline to respond is Thursday at noon.  RSVP to Petty Officer Gail Dale at 212-668-7114.

NEW YORK – A Long Island, N.Y., man will be awarded a Coast Guard lifesaving medal, for a 2009 rescue, at a ceremony Saturday, July 30, 2011.

Jonathan Pearlroth, of Westhampton, N.Y., will be awarded the Silver Lifesaving Medal in a ceremony scheduled at Coast Guard Station Shinnecock, N.Y.

Pearlroth saved a man from drowning in the waters of the south shore of Long Island on the afternoon of Oct. 22, 2009. The man fell overboard from his small boat while attempting to untangle a fishing line. He was not wearing a lifejacket and was unable to keep up with the drift of his boat.

Pearlroth, who lived nearby, heard the man’s cry for help. He called 9-1-1, grabbed a floatation device and swam out to help the victim. Mr. Pearlroth was physically unable to swim the victim to shore so he held onto him and kept him afloat and alert until help arrived.

Once rescued from the water, Mr. Pearlroth continued to help the victim by covering him in emergency blankets until emergency service personnel arrived.

The Silver Lifesaving Medal was created by congress in 1874 and is awarded to people who endanger their own lives while saving or attempting to save another from drowning, a shipwreck or other perils of the water. The Coast Guard is the ultimate award authority for the Silver Lifesaving Medal and can award the decorations to members of all military branches as well as civilians. For more information about the Silver Lifesaving Medal, visit: http://goo.gl/oOcsc 

                        WHO: Capt. James McPherson, Chief of Staff for the First Coast Guard District in Boston
                                  Mr. Jonathan Pearlroth of Westhampton, N.Y.

                        WHEN: Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 11 a.m.

                        WHERE: U.S. Coast Guard Station Shinnecock
                                     100 Foster Ave.
                                     Hampton Bays, N.Y. 11946
                                     Link to interactive MAP

Editor’s note: Media planning to attend the award ceremony are asked to RSVP by 12 p.m., Friday July 29, 2011, to Lt. j.g. Erin Dixon at (203) 468-4508 or email at Erin.M.Dixon@uscg.mil.

Who: U.S. Coast Guard Station New York

What: Open House event celebrating the Station’s 35^th anniversary

Where: 1 Anchor Place, Staten Island, N.Y., 10305 MAP

When: Saturday, July 9, 2011, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The public is invited to a free open house at Coast Guard Station New York, where they can explore a variety of Coast Guard rescue boats from past and present. Also, a Coast Guard rescue helicopter and small boat crew are scheduled to perform a search and rescue demonstration highlighting the Coast Guard’s newest small boat’s capabilities.

Also at the open house:

• A hands-on rescue and survival gear display.
• A heaving line toss challenge
• A firefighting and de-watering pump interactive demonstration
• Guests will be able to purchase unit T-shirts, patches and coffee mugs

This is a great opportunity for the public to learn about Station New York’s history and the various Coast Guard missions within the New York area.  There will be plenty of information to help educate people on how to stay safe on the water this summer.

Guests are advised to bring water and sun block.

For more information please contact Lt. Cmdr. Jason Aleksak, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Station New York, at 718-354-4099.