Portland Press Herald
June 21, 2001
Portland, ME–As a firefighter in the coastal town of Wells, Bob Nolette is ready for most anything–car crashes, heart attacks, building fires. And now, as families flock to the town beach, and yachts, kayaks and lobster boats fill the harbor, Nolette’s got to prepare for another kind of emergency. Rescues at sea have become a big part of the job description.
On Wednesday, Nolette and more than 100 other rescue workers came to the Portland waterfront to get ready for a busy–and potentially dangerous–summer on the Maine coast. “The coastal communities are all faced with this,” Nolette said. “It can happen everyday. The threat is always there.”
The U.S. Coast Guard and Maine Marine Patrol held their first search and rescue training forum on the Portland waterfront. Firefighters, police officers, harbor masters and lifeguards, representing coastal communities from Kittery to Port Clyde, came to practice their skills and improve communication and cooperation.
While the Coast Guard and Marine Patrol have fleets of rescue boats and search aircraft, local police and fire departments may or may not have boats or diving equipment. Local rescuers seemed most interested in finding out who they’re going to call first for help.
“The municipalities don’t have the resources,” said Debbie Southard, a Wells firefighter. “Just to know what everyone else can do, it can’t help but be a good thing.”
Getting help fast is especially critical along the Maine coast, where the cold water at this time of year can render a person unconscious within an hour. Southard, Nolette and several others rode a Marine Patrol boat into Portland Harbor as Coast Guard Senior Chief David Keleher offered tips about rescues: Plan ahead. Get as much information as possible. Keep eyes peeled.
As he spoke, a couple of cantaloupes came into view, bobbing on the surface of the harbor. “That’s all you’ll see out here,” Keleher said.
Communities such as Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth and Bath sent officers and firefighters. No town appeared better represented than Wells, however, which also sent four of the lifeguards who watch over Wells Beach.
“We’re kind of the first line of communication because we’re right there,” said Krystyna Dzialo, a lifeguard. “It’s nice to know the process–the lines of communication.”
Wells’ preparation is understandable. The town has a popular swimming beach and busy harbor, which is expected to get even busier this summer now that a long awaited dredging project is done.
“We’ve got twice as many boats, twice as much traffic,” said Marc Bellefeuille, a firefighter. “So you know sooner or later, we’re going to have a mishap.” There have been plenty of mishaps, and worse, along Maine’s coast.
The South Portland rescue station is one of the busiest in the Coast Guard district, said Keleher. Sunny weekends like the last one generate a steady flow of distress calls from boaters.
Last year, the southern Maine Coast Guard responded to more than 250 calls for help. Some of the calls ended in tragedy, with 11 commercial fishermen and pleasure boaters dying at sea.
Those tragedies and the increasing traffic in Maine’s coastal waters are generating more concern and advance planning–like Wednesday’s training forum.
“There’s a lot of interest in doing it again next year,” said Coast Guard Lt. Tony Soliz, “and the following years.”
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324 or at: jrichardson@pressherald.com.
For more Maine news, from the Press Herald, Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal, go to http://www.mainetoday.com..
Copyright 2001 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
