First responders stress boater safety measures amidst Coast Guard changes

Connor Ball, Star Beacon, Ashtabula, Ohio
·2 min read

Mar. 25—ASHTABULA — As a result of staffing issues, changes were made to the Ashtabula Coast Guard before the onset of the summer season, leaving city officials concerned about public safety.

"We're down 10 percent across the Coast Guard with recruiting and retention," said Chief of External Affairs Loren Thomas. "This summer we will be converting the USCG Station Ashtabula to a forward operating location, which means it will not be manned 24/7. We're working closely with other agencies that have marine capabilities to mitigate risks as much as possible when we are not there."

Ashtabula Fire Chief Shawn Gruber is currently meeting with officials from other lakeshore communities to determine what assets are available to respond on the water.

"We do encourage all boaters to get a membership with a towing company," Gruber said. "The only one that we are aware of for Ashtabula County is Marine Assist. They have a membership of $89 a year and provide up to three tows per season."

Marine Assist Ashtabula has been in business for 24 years.

It services boaters from Fairport Harbor east to the Ohio-Pennsylvania line.

"We have about 2,000 members in this area," said Marine Assist Ashtabula owner Mary Schoenfeld.

They also serve non-members. They are charged by the hour.

"We will be out on the water doing what we do every year and servicing the boaters with or without the Coast Guard," Schoenfeld said. "They did not do any towing unless it was a health or life-saving situation."

Schoenfeld said that she didn't know the Coast Guard had been shut down until she was called from several different fire chiefs in Geneva, Madison and Painesville.

She is worried that without the Coast Guard, people drinking will continue to go back out into the water.

The AFD predicts that boaters will be in the water to watch the eclipse.

"We are putting our rescue boat in the water the first week in April in anticipation of boaters trying to get on the lake to watch the eclipse on the 8th," Gruber said.

Those interested in a Marine Assist Ashtabula membership can visit marineassistllc.com.