The United States Water Patrol was conceived in the late summer of 1999 on the Ohio River in Louisville, KY. It was just a father and son and 1 14' boat wanting to assist other boaters on the Ohio River and local Lakes. near Louisville, KY. At that time we were limited to towing short distance only, providing gas and limited assistance. Also at that time we where just assisting other boaters as non uniformed good Samaritans. By the spring of 2000 we added more volunteers and boats and and started patrolling in other areas.
On May 4, 2001, we were officially chartered as a uniformed all volunteer Homeland Security Support & Public Safety Organization help safeguard our waterways and to assist boaters on all waterways in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, Jacksonville, FL.
On Sept. 11, 2001: We changed our primary mission from Public Safety to Homeland Security Support And began patrolling waterways nation wide, Also opening our 2nd. station in Jacksonville FL. and 3rd Station in St. Louis MO. and filed offices in West point KY, Prospect, KY, Bloomington, IN. Mayport FL.
Today the U.S. Water Patrol is located in 10 States and has in its fleet 18 boats (including Member Boats).
We assist boaters and the public on and off the water by responding to distress calls. We also help the public with safety & education. The U.S. Water Patrol operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year.
Homeland Security: We are the eyes and ears and a part of the front line of defense for our nation's Homeland Security by providing support, manpower and equipment as needed. We patrol on land as well as water monitoring activities on and around the water ways. This includes Dams & Locks, Power Stations, bridges, Shipping, Airports, Military insulations and public water supplies. We are also able to assist in any type of National, State or Local Disaster.
Safety Patrols: We aid and assist the public on and along the waterways and respond to and/or assist in water related distress calls such as Disabled boats, Accidents, Medical Transpirations. Escorts, Search and Rescue marking reporting and removing water hazards, monitoring unsafe Water conditions Diver Support.
Security: Patrolling and monitoring activities on and around, Marinas, Docks and Slips, Launching Ramps, Water front parks, vehicles parked around these sites, Boats & Ships at anchor, Tow boats & Barges, Factories and business, Rail Road Tracks and Bridges, Power lines, Power Plants, Dams & Locks, Bridges along the highways over water, dock areas, Ports, Water Intakes, and Reservoirs. We monitor and report unsafe boating, vandalism, theft, pollution, illegal dumping.
Public Service: we provided a variety of information to the boating public on safe boating & River & Water information, Safety and life saving equipment. Boating and safety class. Charts, Maps.
Assistance: Search and Rescue, Body search Boat fires, First Aid, Emergency message delivery, Towing, Gas, Boat recovery, Navigation, Launching and Docking assistance, Extracting boats. Diver Support, Escort, Security checks.
When needed we can also deliver medical supplies and staples to Towboats and other vessels while underway to their destinations including transporting sick and injured crewmen from the vessel to land, We also brake ice and clear channels to aid local fishermen and boaters
Also when able we also provide boats to stand by and assist with the following: Fishing Tournaments, Scout Outings, regattas, Sport/Recovery Diving, & other water events.
The United States Water Patrol's Members do this solely for the satisfaction of making our Country and waterways safer and more enjoyable for all who use the nation’s Waterways.
On May 4, 2001, we were officially chartered as a uniformed all volunteer Homeland Security Support & Public Safety Organization help safeguard our waterways and to assist boaters on all waterways in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, Jacksonville, FL.
On Sept. 11, 2001: We changed our primary mission from Public Safety to Homeland Security Support And began patrolling waterways nation wide, Also opening our 2nd. station in Jacksonville FL. and 3rd Station in St. Louis MO. and filed offices in West point KY, Prospect, KY, Bloomington, IN. Mayport FL.
Today the U.S. Water Patrol is located in 10 States and has in its fleet 18 boats (including Member Boats).
We assist boaters and the public on and off the water by responding to distress calls. We also help the public with safety & education. The U.S. Water Patrol operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year.
Homeland Security: We are the eyes and ears and a part of the front line of defense for our nation's Homeland Security by providing support, manpower and equipment as needed. We patrol on land as well as water monitoring activities on and around the water ways. This includes Dams & Locks, Power Stations, bridges, Shipping, Airports, Military insulations and public water supplies. We are also able to assist in any type of National, State or Local Disaster.
Safety Patrols: We aid and assist the public on and along the waterways and respond to and/or assist in water related distress calls such as Disabled boats, Accidents, Medical Transpirations. Escorts, Search and Rescue marking reporting and removing water hazards, monitoring unsafe Water conditions Diver Support.
Security: Patrolling and monitoring activities on and around, Marinas, Docks and Slips, Launching Ramps, Water front parks, vehicles parked around these sites, Boats & Ships at anchor, Tow boats & Barges, Factories and business, Rail Road Tracks and Bridges, Power lines, Power Plants, Dams & Locks, Bridges along the highways over water, dock areas, Ports, Water Intakes, and Reservoirs. We monitor and report unsafe boating, vandalism, theft, pollution, illegal dumping.
Public Service: we provided a variety of information to the boating public on safe boating & River & Water information, Safety and life saving equipment. Boating and safety class. Charts, Maps.
Assistance: Search and Rescue, Body search Boat fires, First Aid, Emergency message delivery, Towing, Gas, Boat recovery, Navigation, Launching and Docking assistance, Extracting boats. Diver Support, Escort, Security checks.
When needed we can also deliver medical supplies and staples to Towboats and other vessels while underway to their destinations including transporting sick and injured crewmen from the vessel to land, We also brake ice and clear channels to aid local fishermen and boaters
Also when able we also provide boats to stand by and assist with the following: Fishing Tournaments, Scout Outings, regattas, Sport/Recovery Diving, & other water events.
The United States Water Patrol's Members do this solely for the satisfaction of making our Country and waterways safer and more enjoyable for all who use the nation’s Waterways.
NOTE: On September 11, 2001 within less than 1 hour after the 2nd attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, At 09:59 EST. The U.S. Water Patrol had 1 boat on patrol guarding against possible terrorist attacks on targets that were on and along our waterways in Louisville, KY.
Disaster Response: We are partners with the American Red Cross and respond to disasters and assist in many ways with Man Power, Transporting personal, Equipment, Supplies, and much more... Our Partnership Teams have deployed to A number of Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Floods, and Fires across the U.S. Many of our members are Red Cross Volunteers and are cross trained.
When the US Water Patrol first started out we were asked in a meeting by the USCG "Why reinvent the wheel when you can join us and the Auxiliary and be part of it" Our answer to that was " We are not reinventing the wheel we are adding a spoke to the wheel thus making it stronger and better" By adding more people and boats and training we can make it easer for you and make safer and better on the water. It is not and never has been our intention to try to replace or take away from others I feel that everyone working together can make it better.
I have also heard some misunderstandings about us. I hope this will answer any questions you may have about us.
ANSWERS:
Homeland Security
Homeland Security is every American's duty to help guard and protect the United States from harm. We also feel that there is a need for organized and trained people who know what and where to look for possible problems and how to respond to them. Also, we do this because we want to give something of ourselves to our country and other people; and also make it a little safer and better for us all.
Public Safety
If you are a boater this will not be a surprise to you. There is a great need for assistance on the water. There are a lot of things that can go wrong while out on or around the water. There are limited resources for you to call upon. We help by providing assistance to the public. Have you ever ran out of gas or needed a tow. Most boaters will come to another boater’s aid, but by not knowing what to do can sometimes cause more problems. Also most boaters do not always know what to look for in spotting others in need. If you call for help you could be charged a large amount for assistance or a tow.
I don't think you will find very many people out on the water whose only purpose is to assist the public in Safety and Security just for the joy of doing it.
We are Honored to be Recognized by the KY House of Representatives, and the KY Senate, as well as a letter from President Obama.
Some facts and information about the U.S. Water Patrol
* The USWP is not a Militia Organization.
* The USWP is not a Government or DOD Agency
* The USWP is a 100% Volunteer Organization Who's mission is to assist and support in Homeland Security / Public Safety issues
* The USWP receives no Grants and/or Funding from any Government, State, County, City Agency.
* The USWP is a 501c3 Non Profit Organization.
* The USWP operates it own equipment as well as members.
* We never have a fee or charge for assistance. We do take donations ( when offered Never requested)
* Our members pay NO dues or a Joining fees
* Uniforms: Why do we wear uniforms? We wear uniforms for several reasons.
A. They identify us and set us apart from other Organizations.
B. The uniform shows pride and commitment as well as professionalism.
C. The uniform also shows members position in the group.
* The US Water Patrol operates 24/7 365 days a year.
*. You do not have to own a boat to join the USWP.
* No member of the USWP / USWPMP is a paid volunteer. 100% of all donations goes to the needs of the organization.
I hope this answers any questions or misunderstandings you have about us. If there is something you want to know that is not covered here please let us know. We want everyone to understand what we are about and why.
Over 96% of our Equipment is owned and maintained by our Members. We do not receive any types of Grants and/or Funding from any Government agencies. We rely on boats and equipment both owned by and/or donated by the public and we do not receive any money from our Partners, Sponsors, and Supporters They do help us with Donations of equipment, supplies, and services. when passible...
* The USWP is not a Militia Organization.
* The USWP is not a Government or DOD Agency
* The USWP is a 100% Volunteer Organization Who's mission is to assist and support in Homeland Security / Public Safety issues
* The USWP receives no Grants and/or Funding from any Government, State, County, City Agency.
* The USWP is a 501c3 Non Profit Organization.
* The USWP operates it own equipment as well as members.
* We never have a fee or charge for assistance. We do take donations ( when offered Never requested)
* Our members pay NO dues or a Joining fees
* Uniforms: Why do we wear uniforms? We wear uniforms for several reasons.
A. They identify us and set us apart from other Organizations.
B. The uniform shows pride and commitment as well as professionalism.
C. The uniform also shows members position in the group.
* The US Water Patrol operates 24/7 365 days a year.
*. You do not have to own a boat to join the USWP.
* No member of the USWP / USWPMP is a paid volunteer. 100% of all donations goes to the needs of the organization.
I hope this answers any questions or misunderstandings you have about us. If there is something you want to know that is not covered here please let us know. We want everyone to understand what we are about and why.
Over 96% of our Equipment is owned and maintained by our Members. We do not receive any types of Grants and/or Funding from any Government agencies. We rely on boats and equipment both owned by and/or donated by the public and we do not receive any money from our Partners, Sponsors, and Supporters They do help us with Donations of equipment, supplies, and services. when passible...
Our Air Unit and Pilot Towing a disabled boat
OUR RECORD
Since 2001, The U.S. Water Patrol has responded to and / or assisted in:
26 Sinking boats
1922 Disabled boats
86 Grounded boats
21 Stolen boats
187 Boats out of gas
58 Medical emergencies
11 Land rescues
64 Search & rescues
171 Mission Children / Person Search Assist
55 Body searches
693 Homeland Security issues
2,461 Security issues
7,238 Safety issues
8,558 Water Hazards
71 Illegal dumping's
3 cars, 2 boats found & retrieved from river
In addiction to the above the USWP has patrolled over 224,850 miles on the water and 286,675 miles on land. And over 954,566 man hours.
We have handed out 260 PFD's- 433 gallons gas - over 2,180 safe boating booklets, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits and Nav Charts, Light bulbs, Fuses, Rope, whistles, flares and pumps. We have towed 582 boats to docks and escorted 1,477 to safety. We have done over 327,887 Homeland Security patrols as well as Security patrols for the public and Business's on and along the waterways. We have received over 44,590 phone calls for information on safety and other issues.
( Last updated 07-18-24)
Since 2001, The U.S. Water Patrol has responded to and / or assisted in:
26 Sinking boats
1922 Disabled boats
86 Grounded boats
21 Stolen boats
187 Boats out of gas
58 Medical emergencies
11 Land rescues
64 Search & rescues
171 Mission Children / Person Search Assist
55 Body searches
693 Homeland Security issues
2,461 Security issues
7,238 Safety issues
8,558 Water Hazards
71 Illegal dumping's
3 cars, 2 boats found & retrieved from river
In addiction to the above the USWP has patrolled over 224,850 miles on the water and 286,675 miles on land. And over 954,566 man hours.
We have handed out 260 PFD's- 433 gallons gas - over 2,180 safe boating booklets, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits and Nav Charts, Light bulbs, Fuses, Rope, whistles, flares and pumps. We have towed 582 boats to docks and escorted 1,477 to safety. We have done over 327,887 Homeland Security patrols as well as Security patrols for the public and Business's on and along the waterways. We have received over 44,590 phone calls for information on safety and other issues.
( Last updated 07-18-24)
USWP-USWPMP-USWP/Red Cross Partnership Team Deployments.
* 9-11-2001 Our 1st Official HLS missions start. Louisville KY, Jacksonville FL.
* Tornado outbreak of April 10–11, 2001
* North Carolina ice storm of 2002
* Blizzard of 2003
* December 2003 New England snowstorm
* Hurricane Alex 2004
* Hurricane Katrina- 2005.
* Ohio Blizzard-2008
* Hurricane Ike- 2008
* Southern New England Flood-2010
* Tennessee Flood- 2010
* Hurricane Irene - 2011
* Mid-Atlantic Floods- 2011
* Hurricane Sandy- 2012
* Colorado Floods-2013
* Ohio River Floods-2018
* Nashville Flood- 2021
* Northeast Blizzard- 2005
* Western Wildfires- 2022
* Hurricane Idalia-2023
* Texas Border- 2022
* Hurricane Hilary- 2023
* Southwest Desert Floods- 2023
* Texas Border-2023
Thunder Over Louisville: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007,2010, 2011, 2012,2016, 2013, 2019, 2021,2022.2023.
Jacksonville Parade of Lights: 2010, 2021.
Madison Regatta: 2010, 2011, 2015,2018, 2021, 2023.
West Point KY. River Days: 2021, 2022, 2023.
Lexington Water Lantern Festival: 2023.
We have assisted in BSA Boating Events, Escorted Canoe & raft trips, and water construction projects.
Note: This does not list all deployments for SAR, Body Searches, and Homeland Security Support Missions, as well as some Disaster Response Missions.
DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
This web site and the information it contains is provided as a public service by the U.S. Water Patrol, USWP Mounted Patrol, This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for other like purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.
RESTRICTION OF LIABILITY
The U.S. Water Patrol makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this website and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this web site. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents of this web site or its hyperlinks to other Internet resources. Reference in this web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Water Patrol.
This web site and the information it contains is provided as a public service by the U.S. Water Patrol, USWP Mounted Patrol, This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for other like purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.
RESTRICTION OF LIABILITY
The U.S. Water Patrol makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this website and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this web site. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents of this web site or its hyperlinks to other Internet resources. Reference in this web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Water Patrol.