Page 88: of Marine News Magazine (November 2017)

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FERRY OPERATIONS or any ? rst time visitor to the Big Apple, the trip prob- 2016, he joined the marine department as a Dock Attendant.

ably wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Statue His duties include line handling during ferry arrivals

F of Liberty and Ellis Island. To that end, Statue Cruis- and departures and when the vessels are alongside, he en- es’ main focus is to create a smooth passenger experience sures that the vessel gangway is secure and then assists pas- and serve as the gateway to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis sengers’ safe transit back and forth from boat and dock.

Island for the over 4.4 million tourists who visit both islands Suarez told MarineNews, “Customer service and ‘Creat- annually. Collectively, they run eight vessels that service the ing Amazing Experiences’ is our voyage at Statue Cruises.

Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island routes and two smaller vessels I arrived at the waterfront, in part, because my two older with the Liberty Landing Ferry, which Statue Cruises oper- brothers worked at Statue Cruises, and once I was old ates, that runs between Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ enough to work, they brought me in.” During his tenure and the World Financial Center, in lower Manhattan. at Statue Cruises,

For all but a few passengers, the experience is an exciting Suarez has always participated in vessel drills with the Cap- but nevertheless routine outing. But, when Statue Cruises tains and First Of? cers. With those drills came the knowl- employee Kevin Suarez not too long ago put his own life edge of what to do in the event of an emergency. Eventually, on the line to save a family from the freezing waters of the that emergency arrived, and it did, Suarez literally dove in to

Hudson when their boat capsized, the sel? ess act rightfully help. Today, a ? ve-year old girl is alive because of it.

caught the attention of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), the Jersey City, NJ City Council and U.S. Park

No Time to Think

Police in Washington, D.C.

The emergency came about as Suarez heard the Captain on the PA system ask another vessel to leave the restricted area around the island. And, when that boat did not, Su-

Trained to Act

Suarez started with Statue Cruises in 2011 when he was arez realized that they were in distress as the current and just a freshman in high school. As a guest service agent, he wind was overpowering them and causing the vessel to assisted tourists from all over the world with their ticketing take on water as it got closer to Ellis Island. As he noti- needs to visit the Statue of Liberty. But, in the summer of ? ed his dock supervisor that the vessel was in trouble, the

Kevin Suarez, a Dock Attendant for Statue Cruises, reunites with the family he helped rescue when their small boat capsized just off Ellis Island a little over a year ago.

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