The Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River is out of sight to many residents, located in the trees west of Rhododendron Drive. The station was established in 1917 and remodeled in the 1980s.
However, personnel at the station remain ready to help and dedicated to serving the coast community.
BM1 Jared Barnes explained that the station responds most frequently to vessels that are disabled in the water, either from fuel or mechanical issues. He said distress calls for missing hikers, kayakers and other are also not uncommon.
Station Siuslaw River personnel also serve as law enforcement on the water, responding to everything from boaters under the influence to environmental protection calls.
The station’s area of responsibility is south the Siltcoos River, and north to Cape Perpetua.
Asked how often the station works with personnel from Stations Yaquina River in Newport and Station Umpqua River in Winchester Bay, Barnes said if something happens near the edges of each station’s area, both will usually respond.
“If we don’t know who can get there first, we both go,” he said. “We work pretty closely with the other stations.”
Guarding the inland
Asked how far up the Siuslaw River personnel will respond, Barnes said, “All the way to Mapleton.”
The station is staffed by 30 to 36 personnel, using two 47-foot lifeboats and a 29-foot response boat that can easily get to Mapleton.
Asked if Coast Guard personnel will go inland to help other first responders, Barnes said it’s decided on a case-by-case basis.
“We work with first responders on everything,” he said. “If we pull someone out of the water and they’re having a medical emergency, we’re going to drop them off to EMS. We have a standing policy to meet them in Old Town or down here. We work with law enforcement agencies all the time, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and park rangers.
He said boat personnel don’t assist with inland emergencies as much as the air crews do, and helicopter personnel have transported injured loggers from mountain regions.
Coast Guard personnel will assist with marine mammal entanglements by helping locate and report the information to rescuers, but does not have divers or personnel specialized to deal with it.
A career in service
Having been with the Coast Guard for 19 years, BM1 Barnes recommended it as a career to high school students considering it.
“The Coast Guard is a great way to set your life up for success,” he said, noting that initiatives will allow them to save money and have their college paid for, as well. “When you get out of the Coast Guard at 22, you are set up to conquer life.”
Asked what careers one could move into from the Coast Guard, Barnes said, “I think it sets you up for almost any career because it’s just a good work ethic.”
Fireman Aidan Gunderson is just starting his Coast Guard experience at age 20, in his third month at Station Siuslaw River.
He said he made the choice because he was in a job he didn’t like and a place that was too expensive. With a lot of family in the Navy and the Coast Guard, was left to choose.
“The Coast Guard recruiter did a better job than the Navy recruiter,” he laughed.
He explained that the Coast Guard “solved 90 percent of my problems,” offering, food, shelter, education, and a way to save money. He said basic training is tough but is worth it, adding that he has signed on for a six year enlistment.
Saying he hopes to move into aviation, he feels the Coast Guard is a great first step.
Gunderson said life with the Coast Guard is just what you see in tv shows and promotional materials, and has exceed his expectations.
He said a down day at the station is pretty routine, involving boat maintenance checks, cleaning and training, as well as studying.
“It’s a really nice environment here,” he said. “Everyone is always willing to help out.”
Taking that step
MK2 engineer Jose Rios has been with the Coast Guard for four years, all but six months at Station Siuslaw River.
Rios also spends time inspecting boats and doing maintenance, while also standing ready to answer calls for service.
Towing distressed vessels is common, but Rios said he has also responded to rescues of people from a sinking boat on the ocean and swimmer in distress in the Siuslaw River. He will leave Siuslaw this summer but plans to stay in the Guard for 20 years.
He said he will transfer to a larger station in Alameda, Calif. where he will work national security details.
Asked what advice he had for students considering the Coast Guard, he said they should give it a try.
He said it was a dream for him, and learning English was difficult, but he was able to get in after 10 years.
“It’s been good, I would recommend it,” he said, adding that saving people and being vigilant of their safety has been the most rewarding aspect for him.
“It feels good when people say, ‘thank you for your service,’” he said, “You feel like you’re not here only for your self but you’re here to watch out for your people.”
Asked if he’d like to add a message to the people of Florence, Rios said personnel are here to help.
“We always like to help and if you ever need anything, anyone from the community can come in and ask for help,” he said. “Say, even if you’re moving and you need help putting stuff in your house, we are always willing to help.”
