TERRANCE PHILLIPS -- The Harbor Column

Rolling waves can be a challenge to boaters, but rolling blackouts can

spell disaster. When you think about it, being in an elevator, trying to

keep ice cream in its solid form, approaching a busy intersection with

the traffic lights out or trying to keep your boat afloat with pumps

powered by electricity from land lines are all contingent upon having a

power source. The current energy crisis has become a real threat to all

of us.

In addition to the inconvenience these blackouts may cause for

residents, they can create havoc for our police and fire departments.

“Our facility has a battery-powered backup system that kicks in

automatically if a power failure occurs,” said Lt. Dottie Ronan,

assistant Newport harbor master with the Orange County Sheriff’s

Department. “We also have a new diesel generator that is capable of

running for several days without refueling.”

The new Sheriff’s Department marine headquarters, located next door to

the Balboa Yacht Club on Bayside Drive, is equipped with a variety of

upgrades compared to the former structure, which was razed approximately

two years ago.

The facility has a large open room named the “Harbor Community Room,”

and is available to organizations for education seminars, meetings and

other events open to the public. The room can seat up to 100 people in a

classroom setting and is equipped with video, computer and projection

capabilities.

“Our Harbor Community Room is available to the public for meetings and

education seminars,” said Watch Commander Donna Soto. “We just had our

newest class of deputies utilize the facility from our Sheriff’s Academy

last week and we frequently use the room to train local fire agencies on

waterfront fire and HazMat issues.”

A state-of-the-art command control room is filled with the newest

electronic scanning, radar, and sonar equipment, global positioning

systems and weather-related devices, making this one of the most advanced

harbor master stations in the country.

The men and women’s locker rooms are spacious and well appointed. They

even have a two-stall hazardous materials shower area for chemical

emergencies. The waterfront offices have a beautiful view of the harbor

and the entrance/exit to the open ocean.

“When I was first transferred to this duty from patrol, we were housed

in tiny construction trailers for two years. After that experience, this

place is like the Taj Mahal,” Ronan said.

The new facility is the home of three patrol boats and three red

fireboats. “Big Red,” is a larger fireboat vessel that is capable of

assisting the local fire department in the event a waterfront fire

occurs. All the vessels are equipped with several high-volume pumps so

they can come to the aid of vessels that may be taking on water.

Children’s educational tours are always welcome, but they are by

appointment only. It makes for a fun field trip for school classes, Boy

and Girl Scouts, Indian Guides and Indian Princesses and other groups.

For more information and the possibility of arranging a tour, please

contact the Orange County Harbor Patrol business office at (949)

723-1002.

* TERRANCE PHILLIPS is the Daily Pilot’s boating writer. You can reach

him via e-mail at terrykp@email.com.