Senator Steve Smith has introduced a Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) designed to inform the public and the members of the Legislature about the vital role Arizona members of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGA) play in supporting the lifesaving work of the US Coast Guard

“The release of a major motion picture about one of the most dangerous and dramatic rescue operations ever undertaken by the Coast Guard is the perfect opportunity to point out that patrols and search and rescue operations are conducted by Auxiliarists all along the Colorado River System in Arizona,” said Senator Smith. “People are surprised when they learn of the work of the Coast Guard in Arizona, but when you realize that Lake Powell alone has more miles of coastline than the entire west coast of the United States it becomes clear that the role is significant.”

About USCGA Arizona activities, SCR 1013 says in part, “… Coast Guard Auxiliary members contacted over 6,000 boats and over 20,000 boaters in 2015 resulting in assistance being given to 217 boats or over 676 boaters in distress, and saving 76 lives.”

In addition to search and rescue operations on Arizona lakes, the Auxiliary conducted 600 vessel safety checks in 2015, ensuring that Federal and Arizona safety requirements are met. Also in 2015, Auxiliary members taught boating safety classes, offered their personal watercraft to patrol Arizona waterways and volunteered a total of 50,000 hours to support the work of the Coast Guard.

“The work of the 200+ Arizona members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary enables the US Coast Guard to focus greater resources on defending our nation’s maritime borders and saving those in peril.” Smith said. “It’s time we recognized them.”

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the US Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit www.cgaux.org

http://www.cgaux.org/