Some lessons already learned from the Patriot’s sinking are that the Coast Guard needs to work effectively with local fire departments and other emergency personnel to develop a more urgent means of response; and that the Coast Guard needs to be able to work with NMFS to have consistent VMS access in case of an emergency at sea.
Yet, three months after the loss of the Patriot, there’s no sign any of those changes are in place, or even on the drawing board. And now the Sector Boston captain at the enter of the investigation is being transferred.
That’s far short of providing the needed answers to this tragedy; far short of the kind of action the Russo and Orlando families and all of Gloucester deserve.