Safety Unit Cleveland News

Emergency responders from across Ohio gathered in Cleveland this week to participate in a preparedness response exercise. Exercises such as this one are designed to improve communication, planning and emergency response proficiency across local, state and federal agencies in the event of an oil spill in any navigable waterway, like the Cuyahoga River. "Today's exercise was a big success and an excellent opportunity for numerous agencies and organizations to gather and practice working together in a unified command setting," said Cmdr. Jerrel Russell, the commanding officer of the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Unit Cleveland. The exercise was based on a scenario in which a large vessel hit a submerged object in the Cuyahoga River…

Crews are continuing their response and investigation Saturday for an unknown substance that was released Friday into Lake Erie at the Forest City Yacht Club in Cleveland. The spilled product coming from an outflow pipe near the marina appears to have ceased. Late Friday evening, Clean Harbors contractors placed boom at the yacht club basin entrance to keep the substance from spreading further into the lake. The boom held through the night and plans are in place to deploy additional boom further out as a secondary barrier, due to a forecast change in wind direction Saturday. Samples of the released product have been sent to the Coast Guard Marine Safety Lab for analysis. Clean Harbors contractors are using a vacuum truck and trailer on scene for clean up.

U.S. Coast Guard marine inspectors conducted safety and security examinations on the first-ever containership to arrive in Cleveland Saturday morning. The Fortunagracht, a 450-foot Dutch-flagged containership, delivered the first-ever load of containerized cargo to the Great Lakes. Before the establishment of the Cleveland-Europe Express, shippers relied heavily on rail service to transport goods from the larger east coast container ports, such as New York and Baltimore, to the Great Lakes region.

The US Coast Guard say that the 'Fortunagracht', a 450-foot Dutch-flagged container ship, has delivered the first-ever load of containerized cargo to the Great Lakes. Before the establishment of the Cleveland-Europe Express, shippers relied heavily on rail service to transport goods from the larger east coast container ports, such as New York and Baltimore, to the Great Lakes region. Talks to bring CEE to Cleveland began in the fall with cooperation between the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI and other government agencies.

The United States Coast Guard honored World War II veteran Phillip Sustersic for his Merchant Marine Service nearly 70 years ago with medals during a ceremony held at Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Cleveland on September 5, 2013. Rear Adm. Fred Midgette, commander of the Coast Guard 9th District, presented the Ohio veteran Mr. Sustersic with the the World War II Victory Medal, the Atlantic War Zone Medal, the Mediterranean War Zone Medal, the Honorable Service Button, the Merchant Marine Emblem, a Harry Truman presidential letter and a 9th District challenge coin. uscgnews.com

The Unified Command responded to two boats being struck on the West Bank of the Flats in . The Unified Command consists of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Cleveland, Dept. of Natural Resources, the Cleveland Fire Dept., Cleveland Police Dept., the Fire Boat Anthony J. Celebreeze and the Cleveland Harbor Master. The Station Cleveland 25-foot response boat were on scene providing a safety zone to ensure safe travel of all boating traffic. Motor Vessel Cuyahoga struck two boats while transiting up the , one boat was severely damaged and is submerged, and one received lesser damage and both were moored at the dock behind Shooters Night Club. The submerged vessel has two large fuel tanks filled with gasoline and is currently sheening.