Higgins and Langley Memorial Awards
in Swiftwater Rescue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Nancy Rigg
Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards in Swiftwater Rescue
Tel: 805-300-8716

The 2006 Higgins & Langley Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Swiftwater Rescue is being presented to the United States Coast Guard Integrated Support Command New Orleans Louisiana Hurricane Duty Section and Air Station New Orleans for performance of duty inside New Orleans conducting surface and air rescue operations during the first 24-hours in response to Hurricane Katrina.

According to LCDR Daryl Schaffer, USCG Integrated Support Command, New Orleans, "It's difficult to track exactly how many people were rescued in the first 24-hours; however, our best reports indicate that approximately 350 people were rescued by surface water rescue assets and approximately 210 were rescued by air." A total of 33,544 rescues were performed by Coast Guard personnel throughout the hurricane impact zone over a 10-day period, the majority of which were in the New Orleans area.

Rescues were performed under extreme conditions by personnel whose lives were also being impacted by the storm's fury. Schaffer adds, "There was a mandatory evacuation of Coast Guard families and personnel from New Orleans in advance of Hurricane Katrina. But of the approximately 1,000 Coast Guard personnel living in the New Orleans area, nearly half lost their homes or suffered significant damage to their homes and personal property as a result of the storm. And one person lost a grandparent as a direct result of the flooding."

The Coast Guard has received much recognition for their work in the aftermath of the hurricane, but the prestige of receiving the Higgins & Langley Award is of special significance to Coast Guard personnel. "Receiving the Higgins & Langley Memorial Award is an incredible honor for the members of the Hurricane Duty Section and Air Station New Orleans," Schaffer says, "but it is only a small representation of the nearly 4,000 Coast Guard personnel who responded. The award is truly honoring everyone who served."

Earl F. Higgins Writer, Documentary Filmmaker 1950-1980

Jeffrey Langley Firefighter/Paramedic Los Angeles County Fire Department 1965-1993

The Higgins and Langley Memorial Awards in Swiftwater Rescue are recognized as the most prestigious international awards honoring trained rescue personnel and outstanding achievement performed in the field of swiftwater and flood rescue. They are not heroism awards, but rather recognize preparedness, teamwork, and a job well done, often under extreme conditions, where training is vital to the success of rescue missions, as well as the safety of rescue personnel and the victims who are being rescued.

The awards were established in 1993 by members of the Water Rescue Committee of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) in honor of Earl Higgins, a writer and filmmaker who lost his life in 1980 while rescuing a child who was swept down the flood-swollen Los Angeles River, and Jeffrey Langley, a Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter-paramedic, who lost his life in a helicopter incident in 1993.

In addition to the top Higgins & Langley Memorial Award, water rescuers from around the world are being honored, including the London Fire Brigade from the United Kingdom, the first non-US agency receiving the prestigious 2006 Higgins & Langley Program Development Award in Swiftwater Rescue, and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, from Queensland, Australia, which is receiving the 2006 Higgins & Langley International Award in Swiftwater Rescue.

The awards will be presented during the annual conference of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), May 24-27, 2006, in Austin, Texas, with a special reception and awards presentation on Friday evening, May 26th, from 7:00-9:00 PM.

Renaissance Austin Hotel
9721 Arboretum Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
(512) 343-2626

2006 HIGGINS & LANGLEY AWARDS RECIPIENTS INCLUDE:

• 2006 HIGGINS & LANGLEY MEMORIAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF SWIFTWATER RESCUE
  • United States Coast Guard Integrated Support Command New Orleans,
    Louisiana Hurricane Duty Section
    • LCDR Daryl P. Schaffer
    • CWO3 Carter W. Owens III
    • MKCS Gary W. Churchman
    • EM1 Dino A. Federico
    • IT1 Jeffery D. Antwiler
    • DC2 John C. Gohier
    • MK2 Dave A. Wruble
    • MK2 Anthony G. Parrott
    • FS2 Anthony J. Ciurlino
    • HS3 Jamison C. King
    • ET3 Daniel M. McTeague
    • FN Glen D. Willard
    • SN Kimberly N. Foster
    • SN Chris L. Riley

    For performance of duty while serving on the USCG ISC New Orleans Hurricane Duty Section inside New Orleans, including the first surface rescue by a Coast Guard asset and for other lifesaving rescues during the first 24-hours in response to Hurricane Katrina.

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  • United States Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans
    • CAPT Bruce Jones, Commanding Officer Air Station New Orleans (pilot)
    • CDR Scott Kitchen, Executive Officer Air Station New Orleans (pilot)
    • LCDR Tim Tobiasz, Operations Officer Air Station New Orleans (pilot)
    • LCDR Tom Cooper (pilot)
    • LCDR Russ Burnside (pilot)
    • LT Olav Saboe (pilot)
    • LT Roberto Torres (pilot)
    • LT Aaron Green (pilot)
    • LTJG Shay Williams (pilot)
    • LT Dave Johnston (pilot)
    • LT Craig Murray (pilot)
    • LTJG Bill Dunbar (pilot)
    • AET2 Roberto Lopez (Flight Mechanic)
    • AMT2 Brett Oquist (Flight Mechanic)
    • AST2 John Rice (Rescue Swimmer)
    • ASTC Jeff Damotta (Rescue Swimmer)
    • AMT2 Mike Colbath (Flight Mechanic)
    • AST2 Chris Monville (Rescue Swimmer)
    • AET3 Warren Labeth (Flight Mechanic)
    • AST3 Lawrence Nettles (Rescue Swimmer)
    • AMT3 John Jamison (Flight Mechanic)
    • AST3 Dave Foreman (Rescue Swimmer)
    • EM2 Rodney Gordon (Ground Support)

    For performance of duty inside New Orleans, conducting air rescue operations during the first 24-hours in response to Hurricane Katrina.

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• 2006 HIGGINS & LANGLEY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AWARD IN SWIFTWATER RESCUE
  • London Fire Brigade
    London, England
    • Divisional Officer Mike W. Fleckney, Project Manager
    • Assistant Divisional Officer David M. O'Neill, Lead Officer
    • Station Officer David K. Hill
    • Mr. Kean Boenke, Training Manager

    In honor of developing a pioneering swiftwater and flood rescue program, which will serve as a worthy model for fire and rescue agencies throughout the United Kingdom.

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• 2006 HIGGINS & LANGLEY INTERNATIONAL AWARD IN SWIFTWATER RESCUE
  • Queensland Fire and Rescue Service
    South East Region, Gold Cost South
    Australia
    • Steven J. McKitterick
    • Steven J. Lohmann
    • Robert M. Smyth
    • Michael Mills

    In recognition of the outstanding preparedness and swiftwater rescue teamwork that resulted in the successful rescue of two occupants of a vehicle that was washed away in raging floodwaters on 5 March 2004. This nighttime rescue was performed under extreme conditions during a torrential downpour.

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• 2006 HIGGINS & LANGLEY SWIFTWATER RESCUE TEAM AWARD
  • Los Angeles County Fire Department
    • USAR-5103:
      • Captain Lawrence R. Collins, Team Leader
      • Firefighter/Specialist Leopoldo M. Ibarra
      • Firefighter Anthony T. Huynh
      • Firefighter Richard A. Atwood
    • Swiftwater 87:
      • Captain Christopher S. Rash, Team Leader
      • Firefighter David R. Joseph
    • Truck 86:
      • Captain Kenneth E. Whiteing . Team Leader
      • Firefighter/Specialist Martin A. Harper
      • Firefighter Corey A. Magdalik
      • Firefighter Matthew H. Briones
    • Engine 86:
      • Captain Phillip Szabo
      • Firefighter Specialist Donald Tryon
      • Firefighter Tony Haberman

  • Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
    San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team
    • Deputy David Smail, Assistant Reserve Coordinator
    • Reserve Deputy Wayne Tolosa
    • Reserve Deputy Steve Figueroa
    • Reserve Deputy Raymond Hebert
    • Volunteer Specialist Dana Dethloff

  • Angeles National Forest Fire Department
    • Everardo Gonzales, Battalion Chief
    • Sam Maldonado, Captain
    • John Flores, Captain
    • Alberto Ortega, Fire Patrol
    • Arnold Ramirez, Engineer
    • Scott Hague, Engineer
    • Allen Khary, Firefighter
    • Jeff Graham, Firefighter
    • Edgar Portillo, Firefighter

  In honor of a dangerous and complex multi-agency flash flood and debris flow rescue in San Dimas Canyon of a family of four, including an infant and young child, on January 10, 2005.

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• 2006 HIGGINS & LANGLEY SWIFTWATER RESCUE INCIDENT AWARD
  • United States Coast Guard, Air Station San Francisco
    • LCDR Michael Platt
    • LCDR Albert Antaran
    • AMT1 Timothy Johnson
    • AST2 Dennis Moyer
    In honor of the 31 December 2005 rescue by the crew of Coast Guard Helicopter 6517 of a woman who was entrapped in her submerged vehicle in neck-deep water in a torrential current during severe flooding.

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  • Ukiah Fire Department Swiftwater Rescue Team & Laytonville Vol. Fire Department

    Ukiah Fire Department Swiftwater Rescue Team Captain Charlie Miller, Team Leader Firefighter/Paramedic Nathan Vagt Vol. Firefighter/EMT Tyler Bushby Vol. Firefighter/EMT Ron Roysum

    Laytonville Vol. Fire Department Captain Terry Guerrero Vol. Firefighter Daniel Zumkeller Vol. Firefighter Ryan Smith

    In honor of the successful rescue of more than 50 residents from the flooded Oak Manor subdivision on December 30, 2005. These rescues were performed under conditions that were extreme.

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• 2006 HIGGINS & LANGLEY SPECIAL COMMENDATION AWARD
  • Randy and Mary Cooksey
    Friendly Yamaha Honda
    Baton Rouge, LA

    In honor of the tremendous service that was provided in support of the eight California Office of Emergency Services Swiftwater Rescue Task Force Teams that served in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, 2005, in New Orleans.

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  • Shawn Alladio
    K38 Water Safety
    K38 Maritime Security Training

    In honor of Shawn's unselfish dedication and initiative in supporting the California Office of Emergency Services Swiftwater Rescue Task Force Teams serving in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, as well as for her tremendous service above and beyond to the people of New Orleans, including Mr. Lionel Petrie and his beloved dog, Kita.

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For more information:

Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards in Swiftwater Rescue
www.higginsandlangley.org

National Association for Search and Rescue
www.nasar.org

Media Contact, USCG:
Robert.M.Reed@uscg.mil