Station Castle Hill

Newport is said to be the sailing capital of the world, according to the official description. It is also referred to as the city by the sea. The small city is located on an island, in the southern part of Rhode Island. It has a long history and was often used for military installations throughout the past centuries. These days, its location makes it excellent for the United States Coast Guard, which actually set up a military base in there. Station Castle Hill is operated by the First District under the orders and regulations of the US Coast Guard.

Mission

Just like other installations of this armed force, Station Castle Hill directly supports the US Coast Guard and all of its objectives. However, one of the less common missions implies the ice patrolling, which not quite the most appropriate one is considering the location of this station. Other than that, everything else makes this installation extremely active. Newport is also a touristic resort and not just for Americans, but also for people coming from other parts of the world. It is an active place located on a beautiful island, therefore there are plenty of people hanging around. The search and rescue operations are extremely popular with so many individuals who swim too far or are not familiar with the area and get lost.

The environmental protection programs are just as important. The area is constantly monitored due to the ships carrying hazardous substances that pass through it. In order to better support this mission, there are a few cutters that are always ready to step in if an unexpected situation arises – Juniper and Bainbridge. There are a lot of patrols ensuring everything goes well too.

The welfare of the United States Coast Guard units and their families in this area is very important for Station Castle Hill too. Not all the units and troops are natives. Some of them were deployed from other cities or even other states. Therefore, they must adopt to a completely different lifestyle. Things are a bit harder for their civilian families, who may not be used to be dragged from one place to another every once in a while. In order to make them feel like home, the officials try to provide the best and most modern facilities on and off site.

Operations

The experts working at Station Castle Hill don’t have any time for holidays or to relax. Whether they work in the middle of the summer season or in the New Year night, such crowded times of the year force them even more. One or more officers are always behind a desk with plenty of monitors to be verified and lots of radio equipments. This is the only installation operated by the United States Coast Guard in Narragansett Bay, therefore it covers a huge area, from Pt. Judith to Providence.

The US Coast Guard is in the area since 1884 and ever since this station was created, it has successfully fulfilled its mission over the years,