AFRAS LogoA new member was elected the Association for Rescue at Sea’s Board of Directors during the charity’s annual meeting in Washington D.C. Sep. 21.

Cmdr. Donald E. Jaccard (USCG Ret.), of Chesapeake City, Md., joins fellow maritime and search and rescue professionals who work with association officers to manage and direct the non-profit’s operations. Jaccard is a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, in which he served various ashore and afloat assignments, including a tour at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu and as commanding officer of three cutters. He is currently the Director for Program Management and System Engineering at McMurdo, Inc.

McMurdo is a global leader in emergency readiness and response, including search and rescue and maritime domain awareness solutions. Hundreds of customers around the world—in aviation, fishing, government, marine and military—have trusted McMurdo to prevent emergencies, protect assets and save more than 40,000 lives since 1982. McMurdo currently has a contract to provide Personal Locator Beacons to the U.S. Coast Guard and recently delivered its 1,000th unit to the rescue service.

AFRAS helps protect mariners from the perils of the sea by providing monetary and in-kind donations to world volunteer maritime search and rescue organizations. The charity also recognizes and honors extraordinary maritime rescues through an awards program and annual ceremony. AFRAS is a 501(c)3 non-profit charity. Visit rescueatsea.org to learn more about the organization, or make a charitable donation.