Coast Guard Seeking New Members For Citizen`s Action Network

The only requirements for participating are having access to a phone and a view of the water.

Coast Guard crews can use some additional eyes and ears from local residents Photo By: Tim King

(NEWPORT) - The Coast Guard is looking for dependable and proactive volunteers to assist in keeping the waters of the Pacific Northwest safe and clean.

Citizen's Action Network, a program that assists the Coast Guard in protecting waterways and communities in the Northwest, is looking for additional volunteers along the Oregon and Washington Coasts and the Columbia River.

The Coast Guard calls on Citizen's Action Network members to assist with a variety of missions to include search and rescue, pollution incidents and aids to navigation.

Citizen's Action Network is successful in not only lending aid to the Coast Guard, but it also saves taxpayers thousands of dollars.

It costs approximately $1,200 per hour to operate a Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboat.

A helicopter or larger cutter may cost anywhere from $9,000 to $12,000 an hour.

Citizen's Action Network members can reduce search times by providing valuable eyes on scene information when called by operation centers.

Individuals interested in becoming a Citizen's Action Network volunteer, or who would like more information on the program, should contact the 13th Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office at (206) 220-7237 or visit the Citizen's Action Network website at www.uscg.mil/d13/can/default.htm.