San Francisco, CA….PIER 39 is celebrating San Francisco Coast Guard Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from Noon to 4 PM. This day has been created to thank all of the men and women who have served or currently serve in the U.S. Coast Guard, and to educate the public on all the varied missions carried out each day in San Francisco by members of the Coast Guard.

“More than 4,000 Coast Guard men and women are based in the greater San Francisco Bay area,” said Rear Adm. Karl Schultz, commander of the 11th Coast Guard District. “They serve at search and rescue small boat stations, aboard Coast Guard cutters ranging from 87-foot patrol boats to 418-foot National Security Cutters, and at rotary and fixed wing aviation units. They are America’s maritime first responders, performing search and rescue missions; they are federal regulators ensuring the safety of the region’s seaports and the free flow of maritime commerce, as well as conducting Port State Control exams aboard foreign flagged vessels calling on our U.S. ports to ensure those vessels comply with both our safety and environmental laws; and they are stewards of the environment, preventing and responding to oil and chemical spills, patrolling in our marine sanctuaries, and partnering with state and local agencies to manage California’s important fish stocks for commercial and recreational fishermen alike.

These service members and their families are part of the fabric of the San Francisco community, and with such a large Coast Guard footprint here, San Francisco is truly a Coast Guard town! Our men and women appreciate the strong support they receive from the public, local officials, business and organizations.”

Join PIER 39 for a day of rescue, air and water exhibitions, a chance to visit aboard Coast Guard vessels, see rescue swimmers drop from helicopters, meet with Coast Guard members serving in the Bay Area, K-9 units and much more.

Schedule of Events:
Noon – Welcome Ceremony in the PIER 39 Entrance Plaza
President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors David Chiu will present a proclamation to Rear Adm. Karl Schultz, commander of the 11th Coast Guard District, in celebration of San Francisco Coast Guard Appreciation Day.
Noon – 4PM – Vessel Tours throughout The PIER
12:30PM & 2:45PM – MSST San Francisco Canine Team Demo in the PIER 39 Entrance Plaza
1PM & 3PM – AIRSTA San Francisco Over Flight & Rescue Swimmer Demo off the Bay End of The PIER
1PM & 3PM – Hard Rock Rising’s Matt Jaffe & The Distractions perform in the PIER 39 Entrance Plaza
1:30PM & 3:30PM – Coast Guard Surfman Speaker in the Bay Theater
2PM & 4PM – Coast Guard Helicopter Pilot & Rescue Swimmer Demo Speaker in the Bay Theater

Special PIER 39 discounts will be provided to all active U.S. Coast Guard personnel who carry an official Coast Guard service identification card. For full details, visit pier39.com.

San Francisco Coast Guard Appreciation Day is presented by PIER 39, Aquarium of the Bay, Bay Theater, Blue Frontier, Blue & Gold Fleet, The Port of San Francisco and the U.S. Coast Guard, with special thanks to Hard Rock Cafe at PIER 39.