Coast Guard Archives - Muskoka411

Canadian Coast Guard Inshore Rescue Boat Training In Parry Sound

Muskoka411 Staff — Sat, 06 May 2023 15:07:08 +0000

The Canadian Coast Guard’s Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) program is holding search and rescue training for crews, between now and May 16, 2023 in Parry Sound, Ontario.

Training will be carried out during daytime and nighttime hours at the Canadian Coast Guard Base in Parry Sound and surrounding waters south to Midland, and north to Britt. The public can expect to see upwards of 10 CCG Zodiac Fast Rescue Craft, and helicopters throughout the area.

There is no real emergency or danger to the public.

This training certifies and prepares students to respond to marine emergencies during the summer months, such as, but not limited to, medical emergencies, missing persons/boaters, vessels aground, vessels taking on water, and disabled vessels.

Each summer, the Canadian Coast Guard hires post–secondary students and trains them as IRB crews at stations across Canada. These stations provide supplementary search and rescue services during the busy summer boating season. The IRB program provides employment experience and mentorship to post–secondary students.

On the Great Lakes, the Canadian Coast Guard operates six Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) stations. They are located at Britt, Brebeuf Island (Georgian Bay), Hill Island (St. Lawrence River), Port Lambton (St. Clair River), Thames River (Lake St. Clair) and Long Point (Lake Erie). IRB stations are open annually from May–October.

For more information on the IRB program, visit: https://www.ccg–gcc.gc.ca/search–rescue–recherche–
sauvetage/irb–esc/index–eng.html.

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Canadian Coast Guard Welcomes 51 New Graduates Into Its Fleet

Muskoka411 Staff — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 17:33:06 +0000

Since 1965, the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney, Nova Scotia, has been providing internationally recognized training to personnel of the Canadian Coast Guard.

Today, during its first in-person graduation ceremony since 2019, the College is bidding fair winds and following seas to 51 graduates from its Officer Training Program. These new Officers have completed the 45-month program, which is delivered in both official languages and offers a choice between Navigation and Marine Engineering streams.

These graduates have persevered through ongoing disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and are now ready to serve Canadians by helping mariners in need, protecting marine ecosystems, and ensuring safe passage through Canada’s waterways.

In a year full of celebration for the Canadian Coast Guard’s 60^th anniversary, the arrival of 51 new officers into our fleet is one more reason to celebrate. We extend sincere congratulations to all graduates, who will join their colleagues in making a positive impact in communities across Canada.

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Ice Breaking Operations At Fisher Harbour And Midland

Muskoka411 Staff — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:47:03 +0000

The Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) annual icebreaking season on the Great Lakes, which provides assistance to the shipping industry, is underway. Working in partnership with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) District 9, the CCG has two icebreakers assigned to the Great Lakes for the entire winter season: CCGS Griffon and CCGS Samuel Risley. These vessels are supported as required by additional CCG vessels after the St. Lawrence Seaway reopens in March 2022.

Icebreaking requests are coordinated by CCG’s Ice Office in Montreal. CCG and USCG officials hold daily operational conference calls with industry representatives to provide updates on ice extent, concentration, and thickness. Environment and Climate Change Canada provides regular updates on ice conditions through satellite imagery and ice reconnaissance flights, using both CCG and USCG helicopters.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, CCG is working closely with organizations and governments, industry, and other partners to make decisions based on the best guidance available from federal, provincial, and municipal health authorities. The safety of our people is our highest priority, and our policies and procedures are flexible and are adapted as the COVID-19 situation evolves.

Marine Communications and Traffic Services in Sarnia, ON, and Prescott, ON, are in contact with mariners 24-hours-a-day providing information, managing marine traffic, and responding to calls for assistance. Winter maritime search and rescue operations are coordinated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, ON. CCG icebreakers and other vessels may be called upon to help. Aircraft from the Department of National Defence and USCG are also involved in maritime search and rescue operations, as necessary.

In addition to icebreaking for the shipping industry, both Coast Guards work to prevent the formation of ice jams and flooding in communities. Problems occur when ice accumulates and blocks the flow of a river. That obstruction, known as an ice jam or ice plug, can cause flooding as water builds up and overflows the banks. Coast Guard ships are also at the ready to respond to environmental incidents or other urgent or humanitarian emergencies.

All ice surface users should plan their ice activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and avoid shipping lanes and icebreaking operations. Broken and fragmented ice tracks and ridging left behind by passing icebreakers or commercial vessels may not freeze over immediately. This can result in hazardous conditions for ice users. In addition, newly fallen snow will obscure ship tracks. Unsafe ice conditions can persist long after icebreakers have left the area.

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New Equipment For Canadian Coast Guard Will Help Clean Up Oil Spills

Kelly Hart — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 23:29:00 +0000

The Canadian Coast Guard plays a vital role in protecting our oceans from coast to coast to coast. Under the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is ensuring the Coast Guard has the equipment it needs to respond to environmental pollution quickly and effectively.

Following open and competitive processes, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, has awarded two contracts: a $6-million contract for three offshore skimmers to GRIFFIN Engineered Systems Inc. of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a $3.5-million contract for five high-speed sweep systems to Navenco Marine Inc. of Chateauguay, Quebec. In the event of an oil spill, the new equipment will help recover spilled oil and prevent it from spreading further.

The $1.5-billion Oceans Protection Plan is the largest investment ever made to protect Canada’s coasts and waterways, while growing the economy. This national initiative is creating a marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coastlines and waters for generations to come. This work is being done in close collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, local stakeholders and coastal communities.

Quick facts

Since the Oceans Protection Plan launched in November 2016, over 50 initiatives have been announced in the areas of marine safety, research and ecosystem protection that span coast-to-coast-to-coast.
The Coast Guard uses skimmers to recover oil in sheltered waters, calm waters and from inside small vessels likely to cause marine pollution.
The offshore skimmers will be delivered to Mount Pearl (N.L.), Dartmouth (N.S.), and Saanichton (B.C.) by March 31, 2023.
The Coast guard uses high-speed sweep systems to prevent spilled oil from spreading further in protected waters such as bays and inlets.
The high-speed sweep systems will be delivered to Mount Pearl (N.L.), Port Hastings (N.S.), Parry Sound (ON), and Quebec City (QC) by December 31, 2022.

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Ice Breaking In Midland Around March 19, 2021

Muskoka411 Staff — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:47:29 +0000

The Canadian Coast Guard advises residents of Midland, Ontario that the CCGS Samuel Risley will be carrying out icebreaking operations in the area on or around March 19, 2021.

It is recommended that all recreational users of the ice – pedestrians, fishers, snowmobilers, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) operators – leave the ice during icebreaking operations. The ice may move, creating a real danger for anyone on the ice. Additionally, they should plan their activities carefully and use extreme caution after operations are complete as the ice will remain unstable after the icebreaker has left the area.

Coast Guard icebreaking service on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways is delivered in close co-operation between the Canadian and United States Coast Guards. By working together the two Coast Guards ensure scheduled vessel traffic can move through the shipping channels and into and out of community harbours.

The date is subject to change with no notice, as activities could begin before or after that period, depending on operational requirements or weather conditions.

Details of the Canadian/U.S. Coast Guard icebreaking partnership can be viewed, here

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More Ice Breaking Operations In Midland Around March 9, 2021

Muskoka411 Staff — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:27:09 +0000

The Canadian Coast Guard advises residents of Midland, Ontario that the CCGS Griffon will be carrying out icebreaking operations in the area, and in the North Channel, Lake Huron, on or around March 9, 2021.

The date is subject to change with no notice, as activities could begin before or after that period, depending on operational requirements or weather conditions.

Details of the Canadian/U.S. Coast Guard icebreaking partnership can be viewed, here.

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