Coast Guard will honor two south coast fire departments for January boat rescue

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Coast Guard to honor local responders for heroic actions during boat rescue near Coos Bay, OR

Who: Capt. Olav Saboe, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector North Bend, Ore.
What: Meritorious Public Service award ceremony to honor Hauser and North Bay Fire department volunteers
When: Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 3 p.m.
Where: Hauser Fire Department, 93622 Viking Ln, North Bend, Ore., 97459

Editors’ note: Media wishing to attend the ceremony are requested to RSVP to Lt.j.g. Jordan Long at Jordan.J.Long@uscg.mil by noon Thursday.

NORTH BEND, Ore. — The commander of Coast Guard Sector North Bend is scheduled to present the Meritorious Public Service award to Hauser and North Bay Fire Department personnel Thursday at 3 p.m., at the Hauser Fire Department.

Members of both fire departments assisted in the rescue of three mariners from a capsized fishing vessel, Pacific Miner, near the entrance of Coos Bay this past January. During the rescue, the volunteers put themselves in harm’s way on the North Jetty of Coos Bay to successfully rescue all three crew members of the wrecked vessel.

Capt. Olav Saboe, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector North Bend, is scheduled to preside over the ceremony and discuss events of that day.

“The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard serving on the Oregon Coast are appreciative of all our local, state, federal, and tribal partners who we work with to protect and serve the maritime community,” said Saboe. “Having personally witnessed the capsizing of the fishing vessel Pacific Miner in January, I am thankful and extremely impressed with the heroic and selfless actions of the volunteers at the Hauser and North Bay Fire Departments.”

Saboe said it is an honor and a privilege to recognize their life-saving actions by presenting the Meritorious Public Service Award on behalf of Rear Adm. Jack Vogt, commander of the Coast Guard’s Thirteenth District.