In a Thursday, February 12th press release, Curry County Board of Commissioners, Board Chair Jay Trost, Vice Chair, Patrick Hollinger and Commissioner Lynn Coker, announced that the United States Congress has formally requested that Coast Guard Admiral Kevin E. Lunday conduct an assessment of Coast Guard coverage in Gold Beach and Bandon.
Currently, no personnel are stationed in either community. In recent years, local ports, boaters, and community members have taken on roles once handled by the Coast Guard by necessity. These range from warning the public about dangerous bar conditions to conducting rescues.
Curry County was rocked on August 31st, 2025 when the Curry County Sheriff’s Office received a distress call for a capsized vessel about four miles Northwest of Gold Beach, with three individuals identified as Sam Waller, Robbie Nelson, and Jerrod Bruner on board, two of which were reported trapped underneath the vessel.
Curry County Sheriff John Ward and Sgt. Jared Gray responded to the capsized vessel along with other local vessels. A vessel operated by Good Samaritans, Merit Draven and Scott Feist was first to arrive on scene and was able to rescue Robbie Nelson, who was located on the hull of the capsized vessel, and was transported to Curry General Hospital for hypothermia treatment. The other two individuals on board, Sam Waller and Jerrod Bruner were not located and suspected trapped under the water.
Two local Good Samaritans risked their own lives to attempt a rescue, and of the three men on board, there was only one survivor, demonstrating both the courage of our community and the urgent need for Coast Guard personnel near the Rogue River bar.
In a statement last fall, Vice Chair, Patrick Hollinger noted that if a Coast Guard crew had been seasonally stationed in Gold Beach, as they were in the recent past, all three men might have been rescued rather than relying on delayed response from stations miles away.
This formal request from Congress to Coast Guard Admiral Kevin E. Lunday to conduct an assessment of Coast Guard coverage in Gold Beach and Bandon is a huge step towards the goal of a seasonal presence and quick response capabilities in Gold Beach.
Thanks in large part to the committed efforts of Vice Chair Patrick Hollinger and the Curry County Board of Commissioners, Senator David Brock Smith, Representative Court Boice, Coos County officials, and hundreds of Coos and Curry County citizens, the Congressional request authored by Val Hoyle, Jeffrey Merkley, and Ron Wyden notes that the Coast Guard historically maintained a seasonal presence in Gold Beach and Bandon to respond quickly during peak boating months.
Local officials, fishermen, and residents have repeatedly raised concerns that the current level of coverage is not sufficient to keep people safe on one of the most hazardous river bars on the Oregon Coast and a stronger Coast Guard presence in Curry County is essential to public safety. We will continue to press for the coverage our fishermen, families, and visitors need and deserve.
The Board of Commissioners wishes to express its utmost support for the congressional request that the Coast Guard reassess whether it can better meet the safety needs of the Curry County community.
