BAMSAR MINUTES
Minutes of the April, 2007, BAMSAR meeting, held jointly with the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Thanks to the Auxiliary for their hospitality.
Present: Patchogue, Hagerman, South Country, Bellport, Center Moriches, and Tim Dahlen.
Excused: Ed Michels (EHTMP), Jim Bowra (SCSD), and Mastic Beach..
Old Business:
Dive Rescue 1 course reminder: Dates are 17-20 May (Thursday & Friday nights, all day Saturday & Sunday). Participating departments are asked to get their vouchers in to BAMSAR, by no later than the last day of April. The cost, per person, is $150. Departments participating include: Westhampton Beach: 10 persons; Center Moriches: 2 persons; Bellport: 3 persons; Hagerman: 4 persons; Mastic Beach: 1 person. Mastic Beach has offered to host. Jim Bowra will be able to teach again. Please send your vouchers to BAMSAR, Box 947, Upton, NY, 11973-0947
Coast Guard boat operator class: Classroom sessions were held over the past few weekends, at various locations. Thanks to Lt. Kris Tsairis and all the individual representatives of the various Coast Guard Stations, who presented a very informative program. In-water practical work will start in the next month, or so, when the weather and sea warm up a bit.
Please have your Chiefs write in support of having the Sheriff’s boat remain in the water up until at least 1 November, instead of them pulling it out in October. The extra eyes and hands out there can only enhance safety.
Inventory list will be “going to press” at the end of the month.
Dues: Eight departments have paid. Dues, for those who have not yet paid them, are due on the 31st of March.
New Business:
We met with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, at their meeting, held in the Large Group Instruction Room, at Center Moriches High School. We introduced ourselves and gave them a picture of our capabilities, a bit of our history, and offered our services to them. The Auxiliary appointed two persons to be liaisons with us, and would like to include us in their emergency/disaster response plan. They would also like to drill with us as much as possible, too. They also offered to do free (non-law enforcement) courtesy vessel examinations of our boats, to make sure they comply with all applicable Federal and State rules/laws.
Our condolences and a flower arrangement were sent to the family of Greg Miglino, Sr. Greg was head of Special Operations in South Country Ambulance. He will be missed by all.
Patchogue now has eight more diver candidates going through their open water certification class.
For those transiting Moriches Bay, near the Coast Guard Station: The Auxiliary has found a submerged tree stump, approximately 4 feet long, obstructing the channel, near to where buoy 29 is normally positioned. Please use caution when transiting this area.
Training:
Patchogue is hosting Lifeguard Systems class at the end of June and the first weekend of July. Cost is $250-$300/man
If anyone has, or knows of, any training going on that may be of interest to the membership, please feel free to send notice of the training to either the BAMSAR webmaster@bamsar.org or to the Secretary, at o_foghladha@yahoo.com.
Next meeting: Thursday, 10 May, 2007, at 1930, at Hagerman FD.
Anyone needing directions, please contact the Secretary. Any unit that is unable to host their assigned meeting, please contact the Secretary.
Any corrections, additions, or questions; please contact the Secretary.
Respectfully,
John Foley