U. S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY EIGHT EASTER REGION AID VERIFIER TRAINING

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U. S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARYEIGHT EASTER
REGIONAID VERIFIER TRAINING

• MODULE 2

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U. S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARYEIGHT EASTER
REGIONAID VERIFIER TRAINING

• PRIVATE AIDS TO NAVIGATION
• VERIFICATIONS AND REPORTING
• 02APR03

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INDEX OF TOPICS

• INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
• WHAT ARE PRIVATE AIDS?
• CLASSIFICATION OF PRIVATE AIDS
• RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSPECTION
• AUXILIARY PRIVATE AID VERIFICATION MISSION
• AUXILIARY VERIFICATION OF PRIVATE AIDS
• REPORTING PRIVATE AID VERIFIICATIONS
• SUMMARY

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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND REFERENCES

• Procedures and responsibilities for adminstration
  and inspection of PAToNs
• CCGD8 SOP, CHAPTER 22, SECTION6"AIDS TO
  NAVIGATION", PAGES 6-1THROUGH 6-7 "PRIVATE AIDS
  TO NAVIGATION
• COMDTINST M16500.7, "AIDS TO NAVIGATION MANUAL -
  ADMINISTRATION"
• Administered by Eighth Coast Guard District
  (oan) using above publications

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WHAT ARE PRIVATE AIDS?

• Acronym of PAToN
• Established in waters subject to the jurisdiction
  of the United States
• Privately owned (not government property)
• Privately maintained ( not CG maintained)
• Assigned a classification by District Commander
• Shall conform to 33 CFR 62 U. S. Aids to
  Navigation System
• Protected by law
• Come in all forms (lights most common)

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CLASSIFICATION OF PAToNS

• Classification assigned by District Commander
• Class I owners legally obligated to establish,
  maintain, and operate as prescribed by USCG
• Class II located in waters used by general
  navigation
• Classification determines inspection
  responsibility and frequency
• Auxiliary inspection night visual verification

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RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSPECTION
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• Private Aid Inspection Schedule
• Class I USCG () Annually
• Class II Self Inspected Three Years
• Class III Self-Inspected Five Years
• NOTE () "THE COAST GUARD AUXILIARY WILL BE
  UTILIZED WHEN AVAILABLE AS THE PRIMARY MEANS FOR
  CONDUCTING THESE VERIFICATIONS (VISUAL ONLY).
  THESE VERIFICATIONS MAY BE DONE DURING THE COURSE
  OF NORMAL OPERATIONS AND (ARE) INTENDED SIMPLY TO
  VERIFY THAT THE AID IS DISPLAYING THE PUBLISHED
  CHARACTERISTICS." (CCGD8 SOP)

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AUX VERIFICATION MISSION

• AUX tasked with Class I visual verification
• Night verification w/o entering private property
• AUX is force multiplier augmenting WMRs
• Any PAToNs AUX cant do have to be done by
  cutters
• Expectation of thorough and accurate verification
  ( 100 error-free)

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AUX PAToN VERIFICATION

• ALL Auxiliarists should observe ALL PAToNs passed
  while on patrol (or any other time PAToNs are
  observed)
• During recreational boating or from land mobile
  facility/PA, etc.
• Discrepancies reported thru Chain
• Critical discrepancies ASAP via VHF or landline

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AUX PAToN VERIFICATION

• PAToN verification results should be reported
  FSO/SO-ANs on the D8 Excel CY 200x worksheet
• For those who cant report electronically,
  alternate methods are acceptable

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AUX PAToN VERIFICATION
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• The Chain of Communication is to be followed
• AV to FSO/SO-AN,
• from SO to ADSO-AN,
• from ADSO to DSO-AN 8ER,
• then to GOHV.
• D8 Excel listing distributed down the Chain as
  early as possible
• AVs then schedule missions with FSO/SO-AN and
  FSO/SO-OP

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AUX PAToN VERIFICATION

• PRIVATE AID VERIFICATIONS BY AUX ARE VISUAL
  ONLY!
• REQUIRES NIGHT VERIFICATION OF ALL AIDS
• POSSIBLY REQUIRING DAY VISIT TO PROVIDE COMPLETE
  DOCUMENTATION OF DISCREPANCIES (INCLUDING
  OPTIONAL PHOTOGRAPH)
• WITHOUT TRESPASS OR ENTRY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
• WITHOUT CONTACTING THE OWNER OF THE AID

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AUX PAToN VERIFICATION

• VERIFICATION OF PRIVATE AIDS BY AUX AID VERIFIERS
  AND THE SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE ATON STAFF
  OFFICERS ARE VOLUNTARY ACTIVITIES
• HOWEVER, ONCE AN AUXILIARIST HAS ACCEPTED THE
  RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN AOR, THAT AUXILIARIST IS
  COMMITTED TO PERFORM THE DUTIES ASSIGNED
• OR TO NOTIFY THE SO-AN OR DSO-AN THAT DUTIES
  CANNOT BE PERFORMED. THIS NOTIFICATION MUST BE
  MADE IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO ALLOW REASSIGNMENT TO
  (AND TRAINING OF) ANOTHER AUXILIARIST

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REPORTING AToN VERIFICATIONS

• USE SAME CRITERIA WHEN VERIFYING PRIVATE
  AIDS USED WHEN VERIFYING COAST GUARD
  (FEDERAL) AIDS
• IS THE AID DEFINED AND LOCATED AS DESCRIBED IN
  THE LIGHT LIST?
• BANK,
• RIVER MILE
• BUSINESS NAME (IF AVAILABLE)
• STRUCTURE

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REPORTING AToN VERIFICATIONS

• DO PRIVATE AIDS SHOW THE PUBLISHED
  CHARACTERISTICS?
• FOR LIGHTED AIDS
• LENS COLOR
• NUMBER OF FLASHES PER MINUTE
• SEE SEPARATE TRAINING TOPIC "VERIFYING A LIGHT'S
  CHARACTERISTICS"
• SHAPE AND COLOR OF DAYBOARDS, BUOYS

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REPORTING AToN VERIFICATIONS

• IS THE AID VISIBLE UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM?
• LAMP IS GOOD -- NOT DIM OR EXTINGUISHED
• LENS IS CLEAN -- NO BIRD FOULING, NO HEAVY
  CONDENSATION, NO CRACKS
• IN FOCUS -- FIXTURE NOT LEANING MORE THAN 15
  DEGREES
• NOT OBSCURED BY TREES OR BRUSH
• DAYBOARDS, SIGNS NOT MISSING, NOT PEELING, NOT
  FADED
• RETRO-REFLECTIVE MATERIAL IS GOOD
• IF THE AID IS MISSING
• INDICATE WHETHER THE STRUCTURE IS GONE OR NOT

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SUMMARY

• AID VERIFICATION REQUIRES NIGHT VERIFICATION
  MISSION
• TO REASONABLY ESTABLISH THAT LIGHTED AIDS ARE
  SHOWING PROPER CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE DISTANCE
  AND ARC (UPSTREAM TO DOWNSTREAM) EXPECTED
• AS WELL AS TO CHECK RETRO-REFLECTIVE MATERIAL ON
  BUOYS AND DAYBOARDS
• USUALLY PERFORMED IN CONJUNCTION WITH DAYLIGHT
  MISSION TO CHECK CONDITION OF STRUCTURE (TOWER,
  PILINGS, ETC.), BOARD LAMINATION, ETC.
• CAN BE PERFORMED FROM MOBILE FACILITY WHERE
  ACCESS TO THE RIVER AND RESOURCES (FUEL) IS
  DANGEROUS OR NONEXISTENT

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SUMMARY

• WHEN VERIFYING PRIVATE AIDS, AUXILIARISTS MUST
• NEVER TOUCH AN AID TO NAVIGATION
• NEVER ENTER PRIVATE PROPERTY (TRESPASS)
• NEVER CONTACT (VERBAL OR WRITTEN) A PRIVATE AID
  OWNER
• AUXILIARISTS SHOULD
• REPORT UNAUTHORIZED AIDS
• INDICATE WHETHER AN AID IS NEEDED
• RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING NEW AIDS
• DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS TO THE DISTRICT COMMANDER

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