Deceased members of the Coast Guard honored

Local News

March 23, 2011

Deceased members of the Coast Guard honored

Staff Reports Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Wed Mar 23, 2011, 11:41 PM EDT

NIAGARA FALLS — YOUNGSTOWN — The U.S. Coast Guard at Station Niagara held a memorial ceremony Wednesday to remember two of their own.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Chism and Seaman Chris Ferreby died 10 years ago in Lake Ontario’s waters. The 21-foot vessel they were in was struck by a 4-foot wave and capsized on the evening of March 23, 2001. Chism and Ferreby were among four crewmembers who were left stranded in the 36-degree water.

A search began when the vessel missed its communications check at 8:01 p.m. but was hampered by the crewmembers’ decision to enter Lake Ontario without notifying the station, according to published reports. A Wilson Volunteer Fire Department boat crew recovered all four crewmen at 12:27 a.m. March 24, 2001 and the boat’s crew commenced CPR on Chism and Ferreby, who were in cardiac arrest.

Chism and Ferreby died after lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful.

The other two crewmembers, Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Moss and Petty Officer 3rd Class William Simpson, suffered from hypothermia but recovered and were able to return to duty. The tragedy led to the Coast Guard making servicewide changes to equipment and training procedures.

The Coast Guard’s vice commander, Vice Adm. Sally Brice-O’Hara, and Ninth District Commander Mike Parks were among the officials participating in the afternoon ceremony. Also in attendance were members of the Coast Guard and the Youngstown Fire Co. and family members, including Ferreby’s young son, Tyler.

During her remarks, Brice-O’Hara assured Tyler he had a father “who loved you deeply, who was proud of what he chose to do and who has taught us much that we need to know to be a better Coast Guard.”

The service was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the permanent memorial at Coast Guard Station Niagara, where Chism and Ferreby had been stationed.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Local News

NAACP leader's Falls message touches on both history and the future Leroy Gadsden had a pretty straight-forward message for the folks who flocked to the New Hope Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon.
October 21, 2012 1 Photo
Lewiston officials don't see need to exceed tax cap in 2013 The Town of Lewiston is beginning its budget process asking for $16.6 million in spending for 2013.
October 21, 2012
Psst, taxes go up in 2013 for 163 million workers President Barack Obama isn't talking about it and neither is Mitt Romney. But come January, 163 million workers can expect to feel the pinch of a big tax increase regardless of who wins the election.
October 21, 2012
National Fuel prices likely on the rise
October 21, 2012
Another Love Canal meeting set for residents Former residents and students of the neighborhood once known as Love Canal are holding another informational meeting later this month.
October 21, 2012
Mission accomplished for local vets About 25 area World War II veterans were treated to a visit to the World War II Monument in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. The vets say the excursion was enriching, enlightening and exhausting -- exhausting in a good way. Mission accomplished.
October 21, 2012 1 Photo
New standards changing the way New York students learn Sam Radford expected to pay for college when he sent a daughter off to Morgan State and a son to Norfolk State University. What bothered him was paying for remedial courses to get them up to speed with where they should have been after high school.
October 21, 2012
Birders sought by Cornell to help track species
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is looking for volunteer birdwatchers to help shed light on how various species of birds are faring.

October 21, 2012 1 Photo
For Falls firefighters, the learning on the job never stops When a Falls man plunged through the ice on Hyde Park Lake in February, it was no surprise that city firefighters knew exactly what to do.
October 20, 2012 7 Photos
Cave of the Winds shut down for season after rockslide New York State Parks officials Saturday closed the Cave of the Winds attraction at Niagara Falls early for the season after an overnight rockslide damaged the attraction.
October 20, 2012
More Local News Headlines

Do you think cigarette sales to non-Native American customers should be taxed on reservations?