U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Sierra Division 11

Date: November 18, 2009
Division: Sierra Division 11
DCDR Name: Diana Kincade

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Exposure Suit Qualification Swims
2. Member Training – AUXSC&E Class
3. Nevada Day Parade
4. Sierra Division Website Videos
5. Change of Watch
6. 2-Boat Training with Station Lake Tahoe
7. Reno National Weather Service - Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake PowerPoint

DETAILS

1. Exposure Suit Qualification Swims – Water temperatures at Lake Tahoe are now into the mid 40’s; air temperatures in the 30’s. Time to breakout the exposure suits. Station Tahoe has loaned the Auxiliary 17 MSD900 dry suits and we have on order 4 Kokatat dry suits, 2 to be used by our PWC Operators. We have conducted 3 exposure suit swims this month qualifying 19 operational members. We have 1 more swim organized to pick up the remaining members. Our goal is to continue 2-Boat training throughout the winter months, prepare for the Pyramid Lake fishing derbies and train Boat Crew year round. Our first winter patrol took place on 09NOV and we have several 2-Boat patrols planned between now and the end of the year with Station Tahoe including a couple of night trainings.

2. AUXSC&E Class - COMO Mike Maddox DSO-MT spent 2 weekends in Reno (07-08NOV and 14-15NOV) conducting an AUXSC&E class to 9 students of Division 11. A very special thank you goes out to Mike and Hannelore for traveling the distance and teaching the class. This is the final AUXOP class for many of these students. Flotilla 11-04 is conducting a AUXWEA class.

3. Nevada Day Parade - On October 31 eight members from three of our flotillas participated in the Nevada Day parade in Carson City, NV. The Nevada Day Parade honors the day Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864. The Coast Guard Auxiliary participated in the parade towing the Reno unit owned Auxiliary facility, The Melroy. There were over 200 entries in the parade and over 40,000 in attendance.

4. Press Release- Senior Chief Bennett reported at our Change of Watch that there had been zero deaths on Lake Tahoe this year. Our Flotilla 11-01 PA officer picked up on this news and sent a press release to the local papers and to the editor of the electronic eBeacon.

5. Sierra Division Website Videos– Check out our newest videos www.sierracgaux.org. The Nevada Day Parade is under our Sierra Division News tab. See our Reno unit owned facility The Melroy. Our headline video is on our Exposure Suit Swim conducted on 14NOV.

6. Change of Watch - Our Sierra Division Change of Watch took place on Saturday evening November 7 at the Arrow Creek Country Club in southwest Reno. The Division members were pleased and honored to have several Coast Guard present: Captain Paul M. Gugg, CDR David K. Chareonsuphiphat, Senior Chief Daniel Bennett OIC Station Lake Tahoe, BM1Jason Grimm XPO Station Lake Tahoe and MK1 Adam Barton EPO Station Lake Tahoe. Many District Auxiliary members were also present: COMO Gail Ramsey, COMO Mike Maddox, COMO Mike Williams, DCOS and Masters of Ceremony Angelo Perata, DCAPT-RES Wayne Farnholtz, DCAPT-SUP Rod Collins, P-PCA Charlie Duncan and DSO-VE Mike Lauro. The members of Division 11 greatly appreciate that the District Auxiliary members took the time to attend the event. Several awards were presented including two Vessel Examiner recognitions for conducting over 200+ VSCs, four Auxiliary Letters of Commendation, one Auxiliary Achievement Medal, one Auxiliary Commendation Medal and five Division 11 Auxiliarists of the Year.

AGENCY INTERACTIONS

1. 2-Boat Training - We plan to provide 2-boat training for Station Lake Tahoe during the next two months. Station Tahoe has asked for 8 possible patrol dates including 2 night patrols.

2. Fellowship –Flotilla 11-01 will have their annual Holiday Party at the Blue Onion in Kings Beach, CA. on December 10. This event is traditionally attended by Station Tahoe active duty. Station Tahoe has extended an invitation to all Division 11 Board and Staff and Flotilla 11-01 members to attend their Christmas Party to be held on December 12.

3. Reno National Weather Service – The Reno NWS has developed a Boating Safety and Marine Program Services PowerPoint presentation for Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake. The presenter is Alex Hoon, one of our partners and a presenter at our Division Training and Picnic Day. You may view the presentation at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/rev/wxgraphics/Marine/player.html. We will be using this presentation to teach our operational members and other boating activity organizations how to use the tools on the NWS website to forecast local lake weather conditions.

UPCOMING EVENTS, DATES AND LOCATIONS

1. 10DEC, Flotilla 11-01 Annual Holiday Party, Kings Beach, CA.
2. 12DEC, Station Tahoe Christmas Party, TBA