- Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay
-
Coordinates: 40°58′36″N 124°06′40″W / 40.97667°N 124.11111°W
Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay
Unit Unit Patch CGAS Humboldt BayActive 1977-Present Country United States Branch United States Coast Guard Type Air Station Role To patrol coastline from the Mendocino - Sonoma County line north to the California - Oregon border. Aircraft flown Helicopter 3 HH-65 Dolphin Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay is a United States Coast Guard Air Station located at Arcata-Eureka Airport in McKinleyville, California is one of five air stations in the Eleventh Coast Guard District.[1]
Contents
Operations and missions
Air Station Humboldt Bay consists of 3 MH-65C helicopters and the primary mission is search and rescue (SAR). Most cases are dramatic and lifesaving in nature due to the rough seas and generally poor weather conditions prevalent on the northern California coast. The Air Station also provides MEDEVAC support for injured personnel in the mountains surrounding the Group area. Secondary missions include aerial support for Aids to Navigation, Maritime Law enforcement, and Marine Environmental Protection along 250 miles of rugged coastline from the Mendocino - Sonoma County line north to the California - Oregon border.
The Command Center located at CGAS Humboldt Bay monitors for distress 24 hours a day and directs Coast Guard boats and aircraft to respond to any maritime emergency in the region; along the coast, well offshore, or even inland. The Group / Air Station also works with many local, state and federal agencies as needed.
History
Coast Guard Group / Air Station Humboldt Bay was commissioned on June 24, 1977 at the Arcata-Eureka Airport in McKinleyville, California
This completed a multi-year initiative by local residents to gain a year-round aviation search and rescue (SAR) facility for Northern California. Prior to 1977, an aviation detachment from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco provided air coverage during the summer season, but the response time of over two hours was not fast enough for victims to survive in the 40-50 degree water commonly found along the north coast.
Originally named Air Station Arcata, the Group / Air Station was re-designated to its current name in May 1982. The new $3.5 million facility also relocated boat station support offices from nearby Samoa to establish centralized command and control over all Coast Guard assets in the area.[2]
References
External links
- States Coast Guard official site
- CGAS Humboldt Bay official site
- Coast Guard District official site
- HH-65 Air Stations
Operational military installations of CaliforniaArmy FortAirfieldHeliportRangeMarines Air StationCampRangeLogisticsNavy DepotOutlying FieldPortStationRangeSchoolAir Force RangeNational Guard SchoolCoast Guard StationCategories:- Buildings and structures in Humboldt County, California
- United States Coast Guard Air Stations
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.