Presented at:

Spring Business Symposium 2010

Date presented:

March 20, 2010

Citation (in part)

"While on patrol in the vicinity of Mile Marker 221 on the Upper Mississippi River the crew was notified by the sector Upper Mississippi River Command center of an 18-foot open-bow runabout with three persons on board adrift in the channel twelve miles downstream from your position.  You responded without hesitation, despite poor visibility, plummeting temperatures, driving rain, 25 knot winds, frequent lightning, and wind-driven waves in excess of three feet.  You quickly established cell phone communications and located the distressed vessel.  After relaying all pertinent information to the Sector Upper Mississippi River command Center, you received permission to take the disabled vessel in tow.  Cognizant that the three occupants of the distressed vessel had been exposed to the elements for over an hour without rain gear or shelter, you alertly decided to bring the survivors onboard and provided them with warm blankets and shelter in the cuddy cabin, narrowly averting the onset of hypothermia.  You then radioed ahead to the nearest safe harbor and arranged dockage and transportation for the three very grateful boaters."