Santa Claus is a Coast Guard auxiliarist and he's going to work for FEMA         

[OCT. 1, 2005]  Auxiliarist Santa Claus -- yes, his name is legally Santa Claus -- of Flotilla 11-01 of the 11th Auxiliary Coast Guard District in North Lake Tahoe, Nev., has answered FEMA's request of the auxiliary and will become a disaster assistant for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Claus has been a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary for just under six months. "FEMA has requested CG Auxiliary members volunteer to act as paid disaster assistance employees," he said.

Claus has a remarkable background, as a member of the Community Emergency Response Team and the Citizens Homeland Security Council for the Washoe County, Nev., sheriff. His previous affiliations run the gamut of emergency services, including a stint as a special assistant to the deputy police commissioner in New York City.

Claus is also an ordained priest in the United Catholic Church. Asked what he really wanted to do while working for FEMA, he answered, "Hope I'm able to comfort some of the orphaned, abandoned, separated, and injured children too."

Claus is just one of many auxiliarists nationwide who have volunteered to either work directly for the Coast Guard as auxiliarists -- auxiliarists are volunteers and are not paid -- or to work for FEMA as paid disaster assistance employees.

Last year, in response to the multiple hurricanes that hit Florida, FEMA requested that the Coast Guard Auxiliary put out a call to its members to also serve as disaster assistance employees.

Santa Claus is just one of over 32,000 men and women who bring a priceless diversity of experience to the Coast Guard and this nation. Auxiliary members donate not only their time, but their money, and in some cases their boats, their aircraft and their radios -- all to be a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The auxiliary is composed of uniformed, nonmilitary volunteers who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation's waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing maritime domain awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary was founded in 1939 by an act of Congress as the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and re-designated as the auxiliary in 1941. Its 31,000 members donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions.

[U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary news]