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U.S. Coast Guard
Coast Guard Headquarters, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard
2100 Second Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20593
Phone: General Information (202) 267-2229
Office of Public Affairs (202) 267 1597
The U.S. Coast Guard (CG) is a military, multi-mission, maritime service. Operating within the Department of Transportation during peacetime, the Service falls under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy upon declaration of war or when the President directs. In addition to its national defense role as one of the five U.S. Armed Services, the Coast Guard is charged with a broad scope of regulatory, law-enforcement, humanitarian, and emergency-response duties.
In addition to ensuring maritime safety and security, the Coast Guard focuses on personal watercraft (PWC) and boating. Because PWCs were involved in a disproportionate number of accidents, the CG worked with manufacturers of PWC to develop a voluntary industry speed cap on production model PWCs. The Coast Guard also provides federal financial assistance to support safety programs for recreational boaters.
The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety http://www.uscgboating.org/ provides safety information to recreational boaters; assists the public in finding boating education classes; answers technical questions and distributes literature on boating safety, Federal laws and the prevention of recreational boating casualties.
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