The U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., Command Center team is the recipient of the Association for Rescue at Sea’s 2025 Geoff Pagels SAR Professionals of the Year award for Outstanding Professionalism in the Planning and Coordination of a SAR Mission.
The team – comprising dedicated search mission coordinators, command duty officers, and members of the operations, situation, and communications units – demonstrated skill and dedication, culminating in the rescue of a mariner, including his recovery 20 hours after his vessel capsized in severe conditions – 75-90 knot winds and 20–25-foot seas – during Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
The command center team diligently tracked the vessel, established critical communication schedules, and when contact was lost and distress beacon alerts were received, swiftly responded. The team’s meticulous planning enabled the precise deployment of three Coast Guard rescue helicopters and one plane. Even as the Command Center relocated to Sector Mobile, Ala., due to Hurricane Milton’s impact, the team’s operational capacity and resiliency remained steadfast, ensuring seamless continuity and ultimately locating the victim alive in a fishing cooler, 15 miles offshore.
The Sector St. Petersburg team demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the Coast Guard search and rescue mission in the face of extreme personal hardship, with more than 50 percent of its personnel sustaining home damage. Their ability to maintain top-tier search planning and execution, adapt to a rapidly evolving high-risk environment, and coordinate a complex, multi-asset rescue under the most adverse conditions, reflects the very essence of the SAR Professionals of the Year award.
The award-winning team is comprised of:
- SAR Mission Coordinators: Cmdr. Ben Stanley and Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady
- Command Duty Officers: Mr. Richard Hutchinson, Lt. Casey Skomer, Chief Operations Specialist Jean Latimer and Chief Operations Specialist Aaron Bolton
- Operations Unit: Operations Specialist 1st Class Joseph Catell, Operations Specialist 1st Class Destin Dinapolis, Operations Specialist 1st Class Brian Haley, Lt. Junior Grade Destiny Johnson and Operations Specialist 1st Class Kekoa Taijeron
- Situation Unit: Operations Specialist 2nd Chase Russell, Operations Specialist 2nd Class Erin Girard and Operations Specialist 1st Class Justin Merriam
- Communications Unit: Operations Specialist 3rd Class Samantha Rajala, Operations Specialist 3rd Class Omar Garcia, Operations Specialist 3rd Class Patrick Landreth, Operations Specialist 3rd Class Ariana Myers and Operations Specialist 2nd Class Anya Reese
The Geoff Pagels SAR Professional of the Year Awards were established in 2023 to honor the legacy of the first Coast Guard civilian SAR Specialist. One award is given to an individual for outstanding contributions to the mission readiness of Coast Guard SAR Professionals. This includes training, relationship building, and mentorship. A second award may be given to recognize an individual or team for outstanding professionalism in the planning and coordination of a SAR mission.
