By Andrea G. Rollin
Sun-Sentinel
BOCA RATON, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary may not be as familiar to many as the Coast Guard, but it’s equally as deserving of recognition.
On Sept. 14, the Padre (an auxiliary facility from Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton) assisted with a search-and-rescue mission that ultimately saved the lives of two boaters whose vessel had overturned.
“When Station Miami requested that the Padre assist with searching for a missing swimmer off the beach in Fort Lauderdale, the boat and its crew were already four hours into their patrol,” said Marc Brody, auxiliary coxswain on the Padre. “They had just finished training with another auxiliary vessel performing stern and side-to-side tows.”
Fortunately, Brody said, the Padre was close to the Boca Inlet and responded immediately. Crew members Gail and Jerry Edelman, Art Makenian and Richard Tepper were quickly briefed by Brody.
The station notified crew members to make contact with the Coast Guard vessel when they arrived on the scene.
“The search area was already congested with Fort Lauderdale police and fire-rescue vessels, a U.S. Customs boat, a sheriff’s helicopter and two vessels from Station Fort Lauderdale, along with a Coast Guard Rescue helicopter,” said Brody, a Highland Beach resident and 14-year veteran of the auxiliary.
The crew was requested to do a parallel search pattern for several miles off the beach to look for the missing person in the water.
“After completing 12 legs of the search pattern, we were given permission to halt our search and return to Boca,” Brody said. “Ten minutes into the ride home, I noticed an overturned boat with survivors clinging to the vessel 45 degrees off starboard.”
The Padre crew went into response mode, Brody said, and a textbook rescue of the two men - clinging to their capsized 17-foot power boat - was performed.
“Once the two men were safe on the auxiliary vessel, it was apparent that both were close to being in shock and showing signs of the beginning stage of hyperthermia. They both had cuts and abrasions from hanging on the overturned boat while trying to stay alive,” Brody said. “The crew immediately went about administering emergency medical treatment and wrapped the men in blankets to keep them warm. We all went home with a good feeling of accomplishment and camaraderie after a hard day’s work.”
Although not a typical day in the life in a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Brody explained that as a coxswain, he’s been involved in numerous search-and-rescue operations from sinking boats to people with medical emergencies.
“With nearly 28,000 members, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary actively provides safety patrols on area waterways and regularly meets with the boating public at marinas and in classrooms,” he said.
Pat Feighery, of Boca Raton, who has been with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (Division 3, Broward and Southern Palm Beach counties) since 2001, said the group’s primary mission is recreational boating safety.
“This mission is carried out by teaching boating safety courses, giving courtesy vessel examinations to recreational boaters, and performing on the water and in the air safety patrols,” he said. “Flotilla 36 of Boca Raton [headquartered in the Marine Safety Building at 3939 N. Ocean Blvd. in Boca Raton] has been in existence for over 30 years and boasts more than 100 volunteer members.”