Joyce Sends Letter to Coast Guard Over Staffing Concerns Along Lake Erie

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) sent a letter to the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Linda Fagan, and the 9^th District Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Jonathan P. Hickey, expressing concerns about the Coast Guard’s ongoing personnel and basing challenges in the Lake Erie region, and specifically in the Ashtabula area.  

Since last year, Congressman Joyce has worked to facilitate communication between Coast Guard leadership and local Ashtabula community officials to improve collaboration on the logistical challenges associated with the Coast Guard’s previously announced staffing realignments, which were implemented to address nationwide personnel shortages. 

“The transition of Seasonal Station Ashtabula into a forward operating location last year has fueled uncertainty about the availability of local public safety resources and amplified concerns regarding the impact this realignment has had on response times for search and rescue operations across Lake Erie and the broader region. These concerns were increased following the July 4^th holiday weekend, when the Coast Guard rescued over a dozen individuals across multiple emergency incidents on Lake Erie, and several more throughout the rest of the Great Lakes” said Joyce in the letter.

Joyce continued, “I write to you today to follow up on those discussions and determine how we may improve these important partnerships to prevent further loss of life and provide stability for the local community.”

“I am appreciative of our Federal Representatives, including Congressman Joyce and his staff, who responded to our calls for action and opened lines of communication to those who could make decisions to staff Station Ashtabula. As our port and lakefront becomes busier with tourists activities as well as commercial traffic, having the Coast Guard at the ready at Station Ashtabula is vital to the safety of our residents, tourists and workforce throughout all of Ashtabula County,” said Jim Timonere, Ashtabula City Manager