Travis Daniels Talks About The Auxiliary on Mac's World Live

Auxilarist Travis Daniels (left) talks about the Coast Guard Auxiliary with
host, Rooster McRoberts (right).
(Photo Courtesy of Mac’s World Live)

Today our Flotilla Commander, Travis Daniels, was able to spend an hour on Mac's World Live talking about the Coast Guard Auxiliary. During the program the video and audio was broadcast live on the internet while he spoke with hosts J. Michael McKoy and Rooster McRoberts.

The primary conversation was between Rooster and Travis, who discussed how Rooster’s boat had been disabled at Saylorville Lake and Travis and his boat crew helped to tow Rooster and his family in to safety. Rooster had been previously unaware of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was very interested in who the Auxiliary is and what it is that we do.

Mac’s World Live is a local, daily Internet radio show broadcast live Monday through Friday on Talkzone.com. Podcasts of the show can be found at www.macsworldlive.com.

Social Media, 175+ Tweets, 100+ followers and 1 Commandant

Less than a year ago Flotilla 4 embarked into the world of Social Media feet first following the lead of Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen. Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Google Calendar and Blogger, just to name a few, have been our applications of choice.

After trial and error we have been pleased to have grown quite a following through these outlets. So what have we done?

With Facebook we were able to begin social networking and communications between flotilla members with various members of the public. We have been socializing to build fellowship in our flotilla on Facebook and it has been a very important part to our growth. We generated a Flotilla 4 page that ties in to our news blog, Twitter feed, Flickr account and Google Calendar. This page allows other Facebook users to find us and get a source of information on the flotilla.

Blogger was somewhat familiar to us before we implemented it. We decided to use it as a virtual news area to keep our members and the public up to date between publishings of our traditional newsletter "Above Board." Our news blog also links in to various RSS feeds from Coast Guard sources, our Flickr photostream and our Twitter feed. It automatically publishes new posts to our Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Flickr has allowed us to create our own visual imagery location on the web to let Auxilarists and the public see what the Land-Locked Auxies of Flotilla 4 are up to. By tagging our photos, it has enabled search engines to help people find us quicker. The Flickr photostream feeds the front of our static website at http://www.flotilla4.org/ with pictures and also feeds our Facebook page.

Google Calendar was implemented to let us display our calendar in an organized fashion. We have a layered calendar that displays our public education and general flotilla activities with information including mapping. It is publicly searchable and we have used it to advertise our Public Education Courses. It feeds into our Facebook page as well.

Twitter was a big mystery when we started. Initially we couldn't find any Auxiliary presence to speak of on Twitter but we jumped in. Now we have over 100 followers, including Admiral Thad Allen (we are just one of a little over 50 people that he follows), and we have posted over 170 updates. We are able to update our Facebook page status via Twitter and "Tweet" from the field in real time regarding the happenings of the flotilla.

Finally, we did a complete overhaul on our static page at http://www.flotilla4.org/. A new design, a new feel, and integration with our social media applications have helped us to increase our presence. We utilize Google Analytics to track our viewers and see what it is about our site that they are interested in and how they found us.

It has been an exciting first year into Social Media for our flotilla. Thanks to Auxilarists John Halbrook, Trevor Henderson and Doug Jansen for spearheading this project and helping to put Flotilla 4 on the Social Media map.

Despite Bad Weather, 15 People Complete Safe Boating Course

Auxilarists Jeff Towle (left), Norma Newton (center) and Ralph Tomlinson (right) speak with students during the Safe Boating Course at Lake Red Rock.

(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo by Suzanne Tomlinson)

Severe weather warnings did not deter 15 future mariners from attending the State of Iowa Safe Boating Course taught by members of Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 4.The class was held at the Lake Red Rock Visitors Center near Pella.

The class covered topics that included navigation rules, fueling, trailering, Iowa boating laws, the proper wearing of life jackets and the handling of boating emergencies. By completing the course, students earned the Iowa DNR Safe Boating Card.

Under the guidance and leadership of Auxilarists Norma Newton and Jeff Towle, all 15 future boaters passed the final exam.

Meanwhile, Auxilarists Ralph and Suzanne Tomlinson conducted voluntary Vessel Safety Checks at Lake Red Rock for local boaters. Despite a very poor forecast, six vessels were inspected by the duo.

Auxilarist Ralph Tomlinson (left) prepares to inspect a PWC at Lake Red Rock.
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo by Suzanne Tomlinson)

Jansen Selected for AUX-12 Auxiliary Public Affairs C School

Auxilarist Doug Jansen, Flotilla Staff Officer for Public Affairs, has been selected to attend the Auxiliary Public Affairs C School at Coast Guard Air Station San Diego.

AUX-12 Auxiliary Public Affairs C School is basic training for Auxiliary Public Affairs officers. The course teaches the students how to correctly prepare and distribute Press Releases, manage Media Relations, Media Interviews, Photography, Copy Editing/News writing, Article submissions to local, national level and other public affairs matters of special interest to the Auxiliary.

Auxilarist Doug Jansen serves as the Flotilla Staff Officer for Public Affairs and is responsible for public relations for Flotilla 4.

Flotilla 4 Auxilarists Stand Communications Watch at AUX Station Omaha

Auxilarists Roland Newton and Trevor Henderson stood watch at AUX Station Omaha this weekend. The watchstanders maintain a communications watch with the Auxiliary Vessels on the Missouri River to relay information to Sector Upper Mississippi in St. Louis.

Auxiliary vessels were able to assist two boaters in distress and make sure that they made it back to port safely.

It was also time for some spring cleaning at the AUX Station as well as the installation of a new air conditioner for the season ahead.

Phil Patterson Becomes A Vessel Examiner

Congratulations to Phil Patterson, Flotilla 4's newest Vessel Examiner! He completed the Vessel Examiner Course and his trainee Vessel Safety Checks and has been approved by the Coast Guard to complete Vessel Safety Checks!

May 2009 Above Board Newsletter

The new edition of Above Board is available at http://www.flotilla4.org/newsletter.htm



This month's newsletter has articles about the new boat crew qualifications, the DNR ramp painting project, vessel safety checks, and the Certificate of Recognition for our flotilla from the Iowa House of Representatives.

Thank you to all of our contributors who made this month's edition possible.

The submission deadline for Above Board is the first Friday of each month. Photos, narratives, and information is always appreciated.