America's Waterway Watch and the Citizen's Action Networks

Captains, Maritime homeland security is everyone's responsibility. The U.S. Coast Guard 8th District based in New Orleans recently began a new waterway "neighborhood watch" program. Volunteers sign up with the program on the Web at http://www.d8cr.org/CAN through an application process. It's called the "Citizens Action Network" or CAN. Modeled after a similar successful program in the Pacific Northwest, CAN volunteers agree to be the eyes and ears of the Coast Guard along a particular stretch of a waterway. Go to http://www.uscg.mil/D13/can for CAN info if you live in the Pacific Northwest. The only criteria is a phone and a view of the waterway from your business or home. If accepted into the program, a person or business agrees to be a point of contact. These programs are great local implementation of the national America's Waterway Watch program (http://www.americaswaterwaywatch.org/). MERICA'S WATERWAY WATCH Report Suspicious Activity... call the National Response Center 877-24WATCH RDML W