32 FOGHORN Within a minute, Captain Erin Daigle spotted him. There was little movement in the water, and he was wearing dark clothing, making him hard to see, but she was able to make out a man face down facedown, exhausted, attempting to tread water, but starting to go deeper into the river. Confirming there was a person in the water, the crew’s training kicked in and they sprang into action. There was no time to pause and assess the situation. As Daigle later said, “We saw that he was struggling to keep his head above water we knew every second could change the outcome of the situation.” At this year’s PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2026, Captain Erin Daigle was honored with the Captain Elizabeth Gedney Passenger Vessel Safety Award which recognizes actions taken by PVA vessel members and their employees in response to an emergency that resulted in a substantial, possibly lifesaving, impact. Daigle led a crew that was able to act quickly and calmly when faced with a crisis and successfully save a man’s life. On board that day with Daigle were training Captain An- tonio Cartagena and Senior Deckhand Wheeler Beathea who were integral to the lifesaving efforts. Daigle ordered the deployment of life-saving equipment as she began ma- neuvering the water taxi toward the location of the man. She immediately hailed the Chicago Police Marine Unit on channel 16 and stayed in contact with them and the Chicago Fire Department throughout the rescue. Simul- taneously, Cartagena advised Beathea of the situation and joined him on deck. Cartagena deployed the life ring and descended the man overboard ladder, successfully reaching the victim with the boat hook. Within just minutes of re- ceiving the initial call, the man was pulled safely onboard the Lickety Split. Though conscious and still breathing, the man was too weak to communicate. Chicago Police Marine Unit M5 quickly arrived on the scene and by 10:45 a.m. the man was transferred to the police on land, alive and safe thanks to the swift response by Daigle and her crew. In an emergency, time is of the essence, and crews must be ready to act quickly and efficiently, as the team aboard the Lickety Split did that morning. At Shoreline Sightsee- ing, the vessel operator, crews frequently do safety and emergency response drills, preparing for just such a situ- ation. As a result, Daigle noted that “the basics are second nature.” It allowed the crew to keep clear minds and stay calm in a crisis. The maritime industry brings together people from all walks of life. Drills not only prepare crews to handle an emergency but develop to their ability to work together seamlessly and build trust in each other. Daigle takes her relationship with her crew seriously and sees it as her job to know her people and have a thorough understanding of their abilities. As captain, she must be able to lead her team and tailor her instructions to the crew that is on board. “It’s my job to lead from below and raise everyone to the level they need to feel confident and perform well,” Daigle explained. “It’s how we keep our passengers safe.” She knew her crew on board that day well and was keenly aware that Cartagena and Beathea are experienced boaters. “There is an unspoken trust that has to exist between cap- tain and crew,” Daigle said. FOGHORN FOCUS As captain, she must be able to lead her team and tailor her instructions to the crew that is on board. “It’s my job to lead from below and raise everyone to the level they need to feel confident and perform well,” Daigle explained. “It’s how we keep our passengers safe.”
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