Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District

DHS USCG BANNER

 

Press Release

Date: Sept. 23, 2005
Contact: Sector Portland

(503) 240-9311

PORTLAND AREA COAST GUARDSMEN LEAVING FOR

HURRICANE RITA SUPPORT 

PORTLAND, Ore. - Coast Guard members from Coast Guard Sector Portland, Ore., are preparing to deploy to the Gulf Coast in anticipation of Hurricane Rita support operations.

Six Coast Guardsmen are awaiting orders to deploy to support various upcoming missions while four Coast Guardsmen from Sector Portland are currently deployed and supporting Hurricane Katrina operations.

Personnel from Sector Portland have already been placed in important roles as: Federal On-Scene Coordinators for environmental cleanups; an operational commander for a small boat unit conducting search and rescue missions; a Critical Incident Stress Management Team member, who supports first responders in dealing with stresses generated by daily involvement with human devastation and death; and a communications controller, among others. 

Thirty-one members from Coast Guard Air Stations’ Port Angeles, Wash., Astoria, Ore., and North Bend, Ore., flew to Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, where they will remain ready to deploy to the areas impacted by Hurricane Rita. A total of 58 Coast Guard members from Oregon and Washington have already been deployed for Hurricane Katrina relief.  Twenty-nine members remain in the affected region for Katrina relief and 15 more Coast Guardsman from the Pacific Northwest are scheduled for deployment.

To arrange interviews with soon-to-be-deployed personnel contact Sector Portland at 503-240-9311.

###

The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and security of America.

Printer Friendly Versionprinter friendly