Auxiliarists Awarded Silver Medal for Lifesaving
Three United States Coast Guard Auxiliarists, the uniformed volunteer component of Team Coast Guard, are the recipients of the Association for Rescue at Sea's (AFRAS) Silver Lifesaving Medal.
(PRWEB) July 23, 2005
Three United States Coast Guard Auxiliarists, the uniformed volunteer component of Team Coast Guard, are the recipients of the Association for Rescue at Sea's (AFRAS) Silver Lifesaving Medal.
Richard Runde of Cedarburg, WI, Jay Croy and Linda Croy of East Grand Fork, MN were crew members on an Auxiliary facility providing a safety patrol for the 33rd Annual Leech Lake Regatta and Sailboat Race held in August 2004.
The weather took a turn for the worse, and the crew of the sailing vessel Wind Dancer became hypothermic, and were unable to sail their vessel. The Auxiliarists took the 25 foot Wind Dancer in tow, under extremely dangerous conditions, where winds were 15-20 knots, with gusts to 30-35 knots and the seas were topping 5 feet.
Both the crew of the Wind Dancer and the Auxiliary facility returned safely to port.
AFRAS (http://www. afras. org (http://www. afras. org)) tries to award yearly a Gold medal (given to Active Duty or Reserve members of the Coast Guard), a Silver medal (for Coast Guard Auxiliarists) and a AMVER award (for commercial vessels who are part of the Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue System). The Silver award was established in February 2000, and only one other Auxiliarist, Henry 'Cleve' Chandler has been awarded this prestigious award (in 2002).
The award ceremony will be held in Washington, DC in early October.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteer's who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation's waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve and re-designated as the Auxiliary in 1941. Its 30,000 members donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions.
The release is available at: http://www. auxpa. org/releases/auxaction/072205.html (http://www. auxpa. org/releases/auxaction/072205.html)
Contact: Aux. Wayne Spivak
Chief - External Communications
Public Affairs Department
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
Http://www. auxpa. org (http://www. auxpa. org)
516-353-9155
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