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Welcome to the First District

Navigation SystemsPATON Workshop

Presented by:

The First District Navigation Systems Team

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Is composed of five missions:

ATON – Federal Aids to Navigation.

PATON – Private Aids to Navigation.

BAP – Bridge Administration Program.

CU – Chart Updating.

SCF – Small Craft Facility Updating.

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ATON - TheFederal Short Range Aid to Navigation Program

Primary Focus . . .Prevention, Accuracy, Credibility, Professionalism, and

Service to the Coast Guard

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The ATON program’s goals are:

To Check Federal Aids to Navigation as a year-round Auxiliary activity (seasonal in the northern districts). Generally, a boat is needed to participate.

Encourage all operational Auxiliarists to check ATONs while underway on patrols.

Provide accurate, credible and professional discrepancy reports to the Coast Guard.

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Every Auxiliary OPFAC, while underway, should be checking every Federal and Private Aid to Navigation and Bridge for discrepancies and be reporting all observed discrepancies to

the Coast Guard. And, be checking the shoreline for

chart updating corrections.

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PATON - The Private Aid to Navigation Program

Focus is also on. . .

Prevention,

Accuracy,

Credibility,

Professionalism, and

Service to the Coast Guard.

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Our PATON program goals are:Encourage Auxiliarists to become AV qualified and

to support the Coast Guard’s PATON program.

Assist the local CG ANT organization with the management of their PATON Program.

Plan the verification and reporting of all PATONs assigned to us early in the

season.

Attend any required workshops to stay updated on the PATON

System.

Offer your assistance to the local CG ANT.

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There is no reason why the Auxiliary

should not be managing the local PATON program for

the Coast Guard ANT – Aid to Navigation Team.

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PREVENTION.By virtue of our verification of Private aids and the safety surveys performed on bridges, we are helping to ensure that the Private aids are deployed correctly and safely within our AOR.

By surveying the safety equipment on bridges, we become the eyes of the Bridge Branch insuring that the bridges in our AOR are lighted and have operational safety equipment in place.

Therefore, by our activities, we are actually preventing accidents or problems before they can happen.

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ACCURACYA new culture of accuracy is part of the Aid Verifier’s operation.

We follow new guidelines for taking and reporting a fix at a PATON.

We follow new guidelines for taking and reporting depths at a PATON.

We use new guidelines for taking digital photos.

As a result, highly accurate Auxiliary-provided data is becoming part of each official PATON record.

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CREDIBILITYWe document all our PATON data.

We validate our on-scene observations to existing PATON documents --- the NOAA chart, the Light List and the PATON’s Permitted Data Record.

We identify all electronic equipment used to gather the data.

We provide quality control information to support the accuracy of our reported fixes and depths.

We also provide digital photographs as supporting evidence for all reported discrepancies.

The Coast Guard can rely on our reports.

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PROFESSIONALISMWe prepare all reports on a computer using the correct formats.

We always supply complete reports.

We insure that the Coast Guard can rely on the data that we submit even if it becomes part of a litigation.

We submit our discrepancy reports in a timely manner.

We take pride in the work that we do.

We assume NS Staff assignments and manage the PATONs and Bridges in our AOR and to insure that the assigned verification and surveys are performed and reported in a timely manner.

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SERVICE TO THE COAST GUARD

We act as part of the Coast Guard Aid to Navigation Team that we serve.

We work at the direction of the Coast Guard.

We can and do provide additional support for the Coast Guard PATON Program as needed by:

Maintaining PATON files at the CG ANT. Following up with owners at the direction of the Coast

Guard. Helping to train harbormasters and new owners to use

the PATON System at the direction of the Coast Guard. Working with DPW to get I-ATONIS corrected.

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A high level of responsibility and

reliability goes with your

AV Qualification.

First District 2010 Strategic PlanProtect People from the Sea: Reduce Maritime

Fatalities in Coastal and Inland waters Identify and target areas of PATON special

needs with emphasis on Sector Southeast New England, and Southwest harbor, ME.

Train 25-50 additional committed Auxiliary Aids Verifiers.

Optimally coordinate assignment of Aids Verifiers to Auxiliary surface patrols and shore patrols.

Assist sectors in the verification/cataloging of PATON populations.

Verify each PATON annually.

New Year’s Message from

RADM Nimmich

To the Women and Men of Team First District,

“. . . we will see a renewed emphasis on Aids to Navigation and Private Aids to Navigation (in 2010)”

Comment from DPW 1 . . .

“Pretty sure this the FIRST time the any admiral has mentioned PATON in ANY form!”