ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (CBS) – Coastal cities across the region will open up to the ocean this weekend as people return to the beach and get ready to hit the water. The United States Coast Guard monitors these waterways.
Your eyes will be on the sky as you relax on the sand and surf this summer season. If you’re ever in trouble, this orange bird is what you want to see.
“We fly so far and so fast to reach that person in the water or a ship in distress and we will help in any way we can,” said pilot Lt. Mico Manalang.
Before departing, teams meet in the hangar at Air Station Atlantic City in Egg Harbor Township and are always prepared for the next rescue call.
“It’s exciting, it’s a huge adrenaline rush,” Nikki Gildenston said.
Gildenston is a flight technician who ensures the dolphin helicopters are safe, both on the ground and while flying with the team in the air. Gildenston grew up in Absecon and was inspired to serve at a very young age.
“I’d go out of my backyard and see armed helicopters flying overhead and it was always like, ‘One day I’m going to do that,’” Gildenston said. “It feels so good to do something, knowing you’re out there. people safe. They won’t let you go. The mother didn’t stop hugging me just because she knew she was safe now. Her children were safe. Her family was safe.”
Teams from Air Station Atlantic City helped keep waterways from Maryland to Connecticut safe. But the responsibility goes beyond search and rescue. They also go on the run for routine patrol training, recruitment and presidential details.
Lieutenant Gillian Gerton is a pilot and a role model as a woman in the male-dominated field.
“One of my friends has a young daughter and every time a Coast Guard helicopter flies by, she looks over with her and says, ‘Look, that could be Gillian,’” she said. “So it’s kind of cool to Seeing how what I do can impact the lives of others.”
As summer approaches, these teams are prepared for bigger crowds and more action along the Jersey coast.
“One thing we see a lot here is boats getting stuck in the swamp, so there’s no other means to get there because of the shallow water. So they’ll call us,” said rescue swimmer Ben Bohan.
If you head out on the water this season, remember this: It is very difficult for even the most trained eye to find someone in the water.
“It’s a bit like looking for a coconut. When it’s dark it’s even harder to find,” Gerton said. “You know, that’s why we always encourage people to go out on the water with life jackets. It’s incredibly difficult. And every time we find someone, we are incredibly grateful that we can find that person, hopefully rescue them and return them to their families.”
