San Francisco Bay Area Councils Helping During Sailors’ Quarantines
By Brett Davis
In early February of this year, the U.S. Coast Guard designated 27 rooms at the barracks on Base Alameda as quarantine and isolation rooms as needed for sailors in the San Francisco Bay Area. Once the Coasties arrive in the barracks, they can’t leave their rooms. These base barracks had just the basics, a bed and a plastic chair.
The barracks are set up for people to congregate in a main living space and not to house isolated individuals. As usual, the galley provides meals for those in isolation, and the 27 rooms do have Wi-Fi. But what’s a Coastie to do 24/7 in their room for 14 days?
The Chief Petty Officer’s Association recognized that the isolated Coasties would benefit from more creature comforts during their 14-day stay. Through her Coast Guard connections, San Francisco Bay Area President Michele Langford learned of the opportunity for local Navy League councils to provide COVID-19 support.
The occupants needed creature comforts — puzzles, decks of cards, books and magazines, snacks and blankets. Michele asked Alameda and Lake Merritt to use their discretionary funds to quickly purchase these items to donate, so the Coasties have enough amenities to help them pass their time in isolation.
Since there weren’t TVs in individual rooms, Michele knew the Bay Area councils could further support the sailors by donating funds to purchase TVs. She reached out to all the active councils in the San Francisco Bay Area. Every council’s board, Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake Merritt, Oakland, San Francisco and Santa Clara, quickly approved their president’s request for this funding, some giving more than the minimum request.
If the need arises, some councils also agreed to donate more money to buy future creature comfort supplies as needed. Also donating money for TVs were Sea West Coast Guard Federal Credit Union (Sea West) and First Command, a National Financial Group.