Recognizing Coast Guard Auxiliary Clearwater Flotilla 11-1's 75th Anniversary

Floor Speech

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Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Coast Guard Auxiliary Clearwater Flotilla 11-1's 75th Anniversary. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary was established by Congress to support the Coast Guard with its boat safety mission. Clearwater Flotilla 11-1's service to the Clearwater area predates the Coast Guard's presence in the city. Today, though, the auxiliary provides direct and continuing support to Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and to Coast Guard Station Sand Key. This June, the Clearwater Chapter, Flotilla 11-1, celebrates its 75th anniversary of service to the boating public throughout the Tampa Bay area. The Coast Guard Auxiliary and Flotilla 11-1 provide invaluable support to the active-duty Coast Guard through a variety of non-law enforcement programs. These include search and rescue missions, marine environmental patrols, youth programs, public education and safety patrols. Additionally, their missions include search and rescue ``call outs'', back up marine radio coverage and near short patrols as part of the America's Waterway Watch Program. As the Coast Guard's homeland and national security responsibilities continue to expand, the men and women of the auxiliary have stepped up to increase their port security patrols to provide for the defense of our Nation's and in our case Florida's coastline and waterways.

Last year, the Flotilla 11-1 volunteered more than 9,100 hours in support of the Coast Guard. The group conducted ten boating safety education classes with more than 200 graduates, including over 100 children ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. The group also performed almost 150 Vessel Safety Checks to ensure recreational boaters have all the safety gear they need to be legal and safe and conducted more than 175 Recreational Boating Safety Program Visits to boat equipment stores, marinas, and harborages to improve public safety. Flotilla 11-1 Clearwater operates under the leadership of Karen Miller, Commander, and Betsy Scott, Vice-Commander. The Flotilla 11-1's officers include: Jeff Otto--Communication Services, Debbie Mallorie-- Finance, Steve Bushnell-Fowler--Human Resources, Karen Miller-- Information Services, Public Affairs, and Public Education, Joe Garisto--Materials, Mavrick Putnam--Marine Safety and Environmental Protection, Lisa Repetto--Publications and Recreational Boating Safety Program Visitations, Gerard Gaudry--Navigation Systems, Tim Dolan-- Operations and Rescue and Survival Systems, Mark Kolupa--Secretary/ Records, and Andre Skoinezny--Vessel Examinations. It is my hope that my colleagues will join me in thanking the men and women of Clearwater Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-1 for their 75 years of service to our community and for a job well done.

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