Police and Fire
New co-chair of the FHA Safety and Security Committee, Larry Logue attended the Harbor Advisory Council representing FHA along with Giff Jones, the outgoing FHA representative on 21 January 2010 and again on 18 March. Attendees represented Seattle Police Department (SPD), Seattle Parks, terminal operators, cruise operators, marinas and boat brokerages, as well as FHA. Participants expressed their appreciation to Giff for his energetic participation and support in the past.
Chairman Lt. Marc Olson, commander of the Harbor Patrol (HP) introduced Captain Ron Wilson, the new head of Seattle Special Operations Bureau, to which the Harbor Patrol reports. Lt. Olson explained that the HP has bid on a new 30-foot trailer-able boat equipped with a Remote Underwater Vehicle (RUV) for underwater recovery purposes. HP has also requested funds from the 2010 fiscal plan for another patrol boat. He also reported that the Seattle Fire Department was happy with the HP support on the recent fire on the 1200 Block of Westlake. And, on the night of 17 March while doing SWAT training exercises, there was a HP boating accident on Lake Washington. One of the training vessels flipped and spilled several officers into water. All were recovered safely.
The attendees discussed how the Shoreline Management Plan will put more people along the waterline in coming years. Asked where the HP staff will come from, Lt. Olson indicated their budget has not yet been reduced due to the current budget crisis, but there will probably be a cap on overtime. Several participants indicated their respective organizations are communicating with the City Council regarding their own requirements for the Shoreline Management Plan.
To date no company has signed up to sponsor fireworks on the 4th of July, or SeaFair. A final decision is expected in the next week. Opening Day plans are underway, with one of the proposed events being a stand-up paddleboard race around Mercer Island.
Terrie Johnston from the SPD Crime Prevention Unit is working with the Eastlake Community Council to host a community meeting to discuss crime prevention/ emergency preparedness/graffiti at the TOPS school on 7 April 2010 at 7:00 pm. Terrie has been working with Tiff McNamara and Kathy Kimball from FHA on this. Terrie distributed samples of three brochures/cards describing ways to prevent auto theft, including one card designed to be displayed in parked vehicles. These will be available at the meeting at TOPS on 7 April, and Terrie said she would be willing to attend the FHA Annual Meeting with additional brochures. Lt. Olson added that any incident of prowling, theft or crime, whether on shore or from the water should be called into 911.
He also mentioned that there were people rowing boats down channels, and stealing gasoline from moored motor craft. Situations like this should be initially phoned into 911, not HP.
The Harbor Patrol regularly takes 911 dispatchers on patrol boat ride-along so that they better understand our environment and 911 water-based reports are immediately passed on to the HP. Houseboat residents can keep track of ongoing activity on Lake Union by monitoring Channel 16 on marine band radio, which is used by the Harbor Patrol.
Officer Mark Jamieson, from the SPD Media Response Unit, described a program, which has been in place for around a year, which documents emergency and crime reports in a blog and twitter, which can be found through the SPD web site. This information is updated 24/7 by the Media Response Unit.
The attendees representing the boating community suggested periodic distribution of water related information (i.e. Harbor Patrol activities, boater safety updates and water safety classes by Seattle Parks) to the area's boating magazines would be both useful to the boating community and beneficial to SPD public relations.
Larry informed the participants of the upcoming FHA Annual Meeting on 22 April, and our Houseboat Tour in September. Lt Olson will be happy to coordinate with FHA to ensure any support needed from the HP during the Tour.