Newport Coast Guard Cutter Oak Leaves For Irma

NEWPORT, RI — A Newport, Rhode Island Coast Guard cutter crew is among the resources headed to Florida to help with Irma. Three air crews from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod also deployed in support of anticipated Hurricane Irma rescue and recovery operations, the Coast Guard said.

Sunday, the Newport crew aboard Coast Guard Cutter Oak loaded the cutter’s buoy deck and cargo hold with nearly 137,000 pounds of aids-to-navigation gear. The equipment included buoy chain, sinkers, and other hardware, which will be used after the storm to restore impacted waterways and facilitate the flow of maritime commerce.

"We anticipate repairing and relocating damaged and detached buoys in the major shipping lanes,” said Cmdr. Mark Chrysler commanding officer of Coast Guard cutter Oak. He said the cutter will make an additional stop Monday at Coast Guard Base Portsmouth, Virginia, to load additional gear and supplies.

Saturday, Air Station Cape Cod deployed a HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane and crew, and one MH-60 Jawhawk Helicopter with two crews aboard. They are currently pre-staged at the forward operating base at Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, awaiting further orders in the event of mass rescue operations, the Coast Guard said.

Photo Caption: Coast Guard cutter Oak crew members pull the brow onto the ship in order to crew to deploy down south on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Newport, Rhode Island. The cutter deployed to assist in revitalizing the waterways in wake of Hurricane Irma. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicole J. Groll)