Andie Balenger | Daily Press Delta County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Smith readies the Marine Patrol boat’s navigation and radar tools before heading out into Little Bay de Noc. In addition to displaying weather patterns and measuring the depth of the water at any given point, the boat’s technological system provides a constant, 3-D stream of the lakebed, which can detect objects up to 300-feet out from either side of the boat.

ESCANABA — With over 200 miles of coastline, Delta County acts as a haven for both locals and tourists who are looking for easy recreational access to Little Bay de Noc. The Marine Patrol Department at the Delta County Sheriff’s Office is tasked with monitoring these lengthy shorelines, along with the inland lakes and rivers that define our area. Operating as a combination of both law enforcement and rescue, Deputies Jon Smith and Adam Flagstadt work together to ensure that boaters, swimmers, and everyone in between are safe when recreating on the water.

“Our services let people know that if they are in trouble we are going to do our best to get out there, help them, and provide any assistance we can,” Smith said.

Marine Patrol is ready to hit open water as soon as the winter ice beings to clear from the lake, with monitoring efforts in effect from “ice out to ice over.” For every day that Smith and Flagstadt are on patrol, they will work a 12 hour shift. Even when off-duty the two remain on call in case of an emergency. When neither Smith or Flagstadt are available, a handful of other officers know how to operate the main patrol boat.

Due to the nature of their work, however, Smith and Flagstadt may go for an extended period of time without receiving any calls for assistance.

“It varies, because sometimes we will go weeks without anything and then all of a sudden we will get three or four calls,” Smith said. “I would say that on average, like this summer, we have had maybe one call every two weeks so far.”

While fires, taking on water, and medical issues are boating emergencies that Marine Patrol responds to, more common occurrences include mechanical failures, low or no fuel, and loss of power. Smith and Flagstadt have had to rescue six boats this year due to one of the latter three issues. Nevertheless, Marine Patrol will respond to all calls at any time of the day, no matter the weather, to assist those in need.

Marine Patrol works in conjunction with Delta County Sheriff Search and Rescue, which includes the Dive Rescue team, when additional assistance is needed on the water. After acquiring information about an incident from central dispatch, including the type of watercraft, location, and names of those involved, Smith and Flagstadt will jump to action. Finding the exact location of an incident, however, has proven itself to be difficult for the two.

“It seems like when stuff gets going we are playing a game of ‘Telephone.’ The information goes from the person in trouble to the Coast Guard, then to our dispatch, and then to us,” Flagstadt said. “It kind of loses translation in a way.”

Marine Patrol’s services are unique to the Delta County area, the next closest water rescue services being the United States Coast Guard, which has locations in Sturgeon Bay and on Washington Island. Both of these posts are located in Wisconsin on the Green Bay, quite a distance from the Delta County area. Oftentimes, the Coast Guard will not directly assist those who have mechanical issues on the water.

“Usually, [the Coast Guard] won’t go out for disabled boats. They will only go out if there is a threat to life,” Smith said. “If there is a storm coming or if a boat is sinking, the Coast Guard will put out a call to other boaters inviting them to go help.”

Passerby assistance has come in handy for Marine Patrol in the past. After being sent out to rescue a boater who had lost power on Lake Michigan, south of the Ford River, wave conditions had caused the boat to take on water, overturn, and cast the three people onboard into the lake. An area local who happened to be passing by the overturned boat helped the individuals safely get to shore. Marine Patrol eventually arrived to tow the overturned boat back to shore.

“[Passerby assistance] happens a fair amount of the time,” Flagstadt said. “There are a lot of other boats out on the water when something happens, so other boaters willing to lend a hand help us as well.”

Besides rescue work, Marine Patrol is tasked with enforcing the boating laws that help keep our local waters safe. In addition to stopping reckless or intoxicated boaters, the deputies also ensure that all operators have the required registration needed to operate the vessel.

“Whenever we are out on the water we are enforcing laws,” Flagstadt said. “Things like safety on the water, making sure that people are being safe, and making sure that they have the right equipment on their boat.”

Outside of their standard patrol boat, which is made of aluminum and supported by a base filled with foam, Marine Patrol has several other useful tools at their disposal for when unique scenarios present themselves. Along with a a smaller, 16-foot boat, which is only effective on very calm water, two jet skis and a rubber inflatable boat are available to Smith and Flagstadt as well.

In addition to their work on the water, Marine Patrol offers vessel checks to help boaters ensure that their watercraft is ready for safe use.

“If somebody puts their boat in the water for the first time in the Spring or they buy a new boat, they can call us and we can do an inspection on it to make sure that they have all of their required equipment,” Smith said. “That way they are confident when they get out on the water.”

For those looking recreate on the water, it is important to abide by the boating regulations and water safety measures that are currently in place. In addition to wearing a life preserver, or having one somewhere on the boat, fire extinguishers should be readily available as well. Those traveling long distances should have some form of reliable communication, whether it be a cell phone or a marine radio system, in case of an emergency. A full list of boating rules and regulations can be found at deltacountymi.gov.

“If you break down on the side of the road, you have cars passing by regularly. On the water, you might not see anybody else for awhile,” Smith said. “We provide that service. Boaters know that if they get in trouble we are going to do our best to assist them.”

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