SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — The Coast Guard Sector Northern New England officially opened a new 24-hour command center in South Portland Wednesday. It will be the hub for all Coast Guard operations across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and parts of New York.
Sen. Susan Collins joined Atlantic Area Cmdr. Vice Adm. Scott Buschman and First District Cmdr. Rear Adm. Andrew Tiongson for the official ribbon cutting ceremony.
Located at Coast Guard Base South Portland, the command center's exterior remained the same, but the interior is entirely new. The updates to the command center cost nearly $400,000 and were part of a larger $2.3 million upgrade to the base.
Renovations included new furniture, electronics, central air conditioning, a generator, and improved Rescue 21 reliability to continue helping mariners in the area.
The command center, along with its staff and equipment, is essential to Coast Guard missions like search and rescue, marine environmental protection, and port and waterway security.