3-Jul-19 – Of about 30 harbor safety committees in the United States, the one in Chicago – working to keep the Chicago River and Lake Michigan safe for boaters – has been singled out by the Coast Guard as its Harbor Safety Committee of the Year.

Admiral Karl Schultz, the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, the branch’s highest-ranking commander under the Secretary of Homeland Security, presented the award on June 27 at the National Harbor Safety Committee Conference in Houston.

(Left) Admiral Schultz presents the Harbor Safety Committee of the Year award to Michael Borgstrom (right in photo), past president of Chicago Harbor Safety Committee.

Established in 2013, the Chicago Harbor Safety Committee works with private businesses and government agencies to identify and implement measures that make Chicago-area waterways safe and efficient to use. In June 2017, for example, the committee produced an educational video that details best practices for local boaters.

In 2018, the committee modified a “safety zone” near Navy Pier to keep spectators at a safe distance from weekly fireworks but allow the Chicago Harbor Lock, the busiest in the nation, to continue operating during the events.

According to the award citation, the Chicago Harbor Safety Committee has “displayed excellence in promoting maritime safety through fostering active partnerships between maritime and government stakeholders and made significant accomplishments through implementing innovative solutions to address critical safety and security issues affecting the Chicago Area Waterway System.”

Gary Feracota, president of Chicago Harbor Safety Committee, says what sets Chicago apart is its diverse use of local waterways, compared to other large ports, and the committee’s diverse membership, representing stakeholders ranging in size from recreational boaters to companies with large tour boats.

“People have really set aside their economic interests and their competitive interests and said that safety prevails,” said Feracota (right). “Safety is above all else as we say. And so people have put down their shields and follow that mantra and it’s worked out very well.”

Feracota says it’s the committee’s educational projects that help it stand out among harbor safety committees nationwide. And he says many safety policies developed by the committee for local use have been adopted nationally.