U.S. Coast Guard Northwest District is based at the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building, in Seattle, Washington. It covers the Pacific Northwest and its area of responsibility encompasses four states; Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Northwest District is divided into two Sectors â Puget Sound and Columbia River. The district has more than 3,000 active duty and reserve members, civilian employees, and auxiliaries and operates twenty-one cutters, 132 boats and eleven aircraft.
Command and duties
Northwest District's assets carry out an array of daily operations including search and rescue, coastal patrols to enforce safety and fisheries regulations, conduct safety and compliance inspections, examine commercial vessels and waterfront facilities, and protect strategic defense and critical infrastructure. The District also contains the United States largest domestic ferry system, as well as the third largest domestic port, the third largest cruise ship port, and the largest grain export gateway in the country. Northwest District also provides support and ports to various Coast Guard Pacific Area assets, including two high endurance cutters, three medium endurance cutters, two icebreakers, a Port Security Unit, Maritime Safety and Security Team, and Base Seattle.
Northwest District is commanded by RADM Charles E. Fosse.
Northwest District units
Northwest District
Sector Puget Sound
- USCG Station Seattle, Seattle, Washington
- Sector Puget Sound HQ
- Aids to Navigation Team Puget Sound
- Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service
- Marine Safety Office Puget Sound
- USCG Station Quillayute River, La Push, Washington
- USCG Station Port Angeles, Port Angeles, Washington
- Sector Field Office (SFO) Port Angeles
- USCGC Adelie (WPB-87333)
- USCGC Swordfish (WPB-87358)
- USCGC Wahoo (WPB-87345)
- USCG Station Bellingham, Bellingham, Washington
- USCGC Sea Lion (WPB-87352)
- USCGC Terrapin (WPB-87366)
- USCG Station Neah Bay, Neah Bay, Washington
- USCGC Blueshark (WPB-87360), Naval Station Everett, Everett, Washington
- USCGC Osprey (WPB-87307), Port Townsend, Washington
- Maritime Force Protection Unit Bangor, Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Silverdale, Washington
Sector Columbia River
- Sector Columbia River HQ, Portland, Oregon
- USCG Station Cape Disappointment, Ilwaco, Washington
- National Motor Lifeboat School
- USCG Station Grays Harbor, Westport, Washington
- USCG Station Portland, Portland, Oregon
- Marine Safety Office/Group Portland
- USCG Station Tillamook Bay, Garibaldi, Oregon
- Aids to Navigation Team Astoria, Astoria, OR
- Aids to Navigation Team Kennewick, Kennewick, Washington
- Sector North Bend HQ, North Bend, Oregon
- USCG Station Chetco River, Harbor, Oregon
- USCG Station Coos Bay, Charleston, Oregon
- Aids to Navigation Team Coos Bay
- USCGC Orcas (WPB-1327)
- USCG Station Depoe Bay, Newport, Oregon
- USCG Station Siuslaw River, Florence, Oregon
- USCG Station Umpqua River, Winchester Bay, Oregon
- USCG Station Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon
PACAREA Units
- USCG Base Seattle, Seattle, Washington
- Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) 91101, Seattle
- Port Security Unit 313, Tacoma, Washington
- , Seattle
- , Seattle (Out of service since 2010, and now provides spare parts for Polar Star.)
- , Seattle
- , Seattle
- , Seattle
- , Port Angeles, Washington
- , Warrenton, Oregon
- , Warrenton
HQ Units
Training
Not only does the Northwest District deal with the nation's largest amount of recreational traffic, but it is also home to one of only two Maritime Force Protection Units, which are responsible for escorting America's Trident ballistic-missile submarines to and from their home port. It is also the home of the National Motor Lifeboat School near Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Washington. The Advanced Helicopter Rescue School across the Columbia River teaches extreme rescue scenarios at the Tongue Point and Air Station in Astoria, Oregon.
References