Narragansett Bay Marine Task Force, Coast Guard Conduct Drills

NARRAGANSETT, RI — Saving "Oscar," the dummy, could help train rescuers who will someday save people swept overboard, according to the Coast Guard's 1st District Northeast. The Coast Guard last week hosted a crewman course in Narragansett for some Narragansett Bay Task Force members, including the Cranston, North Kingstown and Narragansett fire departments and the Narragansett police. The course included skills needed for water rescues. Last summer, the Coast Guard and marine task force members were involved in several water rescues, saving people swept off the rocks at Camp Cronin in Narragansett around Sept. 17, and a woman who almost perished Sept. 28 after she fell into the water near the Coast Guard House Restaurant. A Middletown firefighter, who happened to be at Narragansett Town Beach, saved her. Among the incidents, earlier, in July, the Coast Guard rescued two teens after their boat lost power in Harbor of Refuge in Point Judith. They were stranded on the rocks.

"It's important during a search and rescue case that our partner agencies understand how we communicate and how we can best communicate as a team," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Grant. "Making sure task force response skills and communication are on the same page can greatly increase the chance of survival for a person in a life or death situation."

Last week's training included "line handling, man-overboard drills, towing evolutions, and conducting search patterns for potential water emergencies," the Coast Guard said.

Photo Caption: Seaman Josh Olsen assists a North Kingston fire fighter in rescuing the Coast Guard training dummy 'Oscar' from the sea off Point Judith, Rhode Island, Thursday, April 19, 2018. Station Point Judith hosted a boat navigation course for the Narragansett Bay Task force to refresh basic boat crew training prior to the summer boating season. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicole J. Groll)