Sector Eastern Great Lakes History
Sector Eastern Great Lakes, formerly Sector Buffalo, was commissioned on July 22, 2005. Three former and separate commands were merged together to form what is now known as a "Sector". The three former commands were:
• Group Buffalo - Group Buffalo primarily led Search and Rescue, Maritime law Enforcement, and Aids to navigation missions. Group Buffalo provided support and command for 12 Search and Rescue Stations and one Aids to Navigation Team. The Group Commander at the time held the title of Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator, or SMC. Group Buffalo's AOR spanned from Massena, NY to Fairport, OH.
• Marine Safety Office (MSO) Buffalo & MSO Cleveland - MSO Buffalo and MSO Cleveland took lead on Marine Safety and Security missions, which included Captain of the Port, Federal On-scene Coordinator, Senior Investigating Officer, Officer in Charge of Marine Inspections, and Federal Maritime Security Coordinator authorities/jurisdictions. Under MSO Buffalo's command was Marine Safety Detachment (MSD) Massena, NY. MSO Buffalo's AOR covered from Massena, NY to the PA and OH state line. MSO Cleveland's AOR stretched from the PA and OH state line to Vermillion, OH.
On July 22, 2005, the Group and both Marine Safety Offices were merged into one, and the geographic boundary of responsibility was changed. Sector Eastern Great Lakes's AOR is now from Massena, NY to Vermillion, OH. As a newly formed "Sector", the Commanding officer of Sector Eastern Great Lakes now holds the responsibilities of all three former commands, in addition to assuming Operational and Administrative control over the USCGC NEAH BAY and two Stations that were formerly under Group Detroit's control. Sector Eastern Great Lakes now has approximately 570 miles of shoreline in the eastern Great Lakes, to include three of the five Finger Lakes in NY State, and the Erie Barge Canal from Buffalo to Little Falls, NY.