Coast Guard, Harbor Beach to meet about station's future
The U.S. Coast Guard will meet with officials in Harbor Beach Friday to discuss how to best optimize response in the area.
The private meeting is similar to those held in western Michigan communities before officials announced stations in Frankfort, Ludington and Muskegon would be cut back to summer-only service.
Chief Petty Officer Lauren Jorgensen, a spokeswoman for the Coast Guard’s ninth district in Cleveland, would not say whether there were plans to seasonalize Station Harbor Beach, which currently operates year-round.
She said she’d prefer to meet with Harbor Beach officials before announcing any changes at the station. Station Harbor Beach's area of responsibility stretches from Port Sanilac in Sanilac County north to Wildfowl Bay below Sand Point in Huron County.
“We’re always looking at how we can best serve the maritime public and all of the communities we serve,” Jorgensen said.
Harbor Beach City Director Ron Wruble said he couldn't speculate on what the meeting would entail.
"I’m hoping they’re not talking about making it a seasonal operation or curtailing operations in any way," Wruble said.
Coast Guard has long history and big presence in area
The meeting in Harbor Beach comes shortly after the announcement of the partial closure of stations in Ludington, Muskegon and Frankfort.
Jorgensen said that although making those stations seasonal is still a proposal, it will probably happen.
She said several years of data from the stations show few to no search and rescue missions during the non-boating season, leading officials to believe a presence there is not warranted outside the summer months.
Since 2005, search and rescue cases involving the Coast Guard have decreased by 63 percent across the Great Lakes, and by 47 percent nationwide, Jorgensen said.
“Making this change to seasonal operation allows us to better allocate our resources to areas where there’s greater risk,” Jorgensen said.
Under the new plan, Coast Guard members at the Frankfort and Ludington stations will operate out of Manistee during the off-season. During the summer boating months, staff will return to the Frankfort and Ludington stations, Jorgensen said.
Coasties at Station Muskegon will shift to Grand Haven during the off-season. During the summer boating season, Station Muskegon will be staffed Friday through Sunday.
About 15 people work out of Station Harbor Beach. The closest stations to Harbor Beach are Station Saginaw River and Station Port Huron, Jorgensen said.
The Coast Guard’s meeting with Harbor Beach officials will be private.
Besides those meetings in Frankfort, Ludington, and Muskegon, Coast Guard officials have held similar meetings regarding Station Two Rivers, Station Lorraine, Station Ashtabula, and Station Kenosha.
Jorgensen said Coast Guard officials have no similar meetings planned regarding Station Port Huron.
Contact Beth LeBlanc at (810) 989-6259 or eleblanc@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @THBethLeBlanc.