San Dimas native rescues crew from burning ship

San Dimas native rescues crew from burning ship

By Stacey Wang, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/22/2010 01:00:00 AM PDT
Article from: http://www.sgvtribune.com/highlanders/glendora/ci_15578149


Family members reunite with the crew of fishing vessel Nakat after the U.S. Coast Guard rescued the four men from the engulfed boat on July 11, 2010. Rescue swimmer Chris Moore, center, of San Dimas and flight mechanic Mike Gustaveson, right, receive hugs and thanks from the men and their families. (Photo courtesy of Sara Francis)


Suited in rescue swimmer gear, Chris Moore headed into the MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, not knowing what to expect.

The San Dimas native, along with a United States Coast Guard crew, was responding to an emergency radio beacon from the fishing vessel Nakat.

Five miles off of Sitkinak Island and 80 miles southwest of Kodiak, Alaska, the 52-foot ship was found - looking like a fireball with a plume of smoke that could be seen on the horizon.

"We looked at each other, thinking this is probably not going to be a good thing," Moore recalled. "Obviously looking at the boat, nobody on the boat was going to be alive."

But to everyone's relief, all four fishermen of the Nakat had been able to escape on a raft

Chris Moore, 30, a San Dimas native, after graduating from rescue swimmer school in Elizabeth City, N.C. in May 2008. (Photo courtesy of Chris Moore)that had drifted two miles from the ship.

One-by-one, Moore helped each crew member to be hoisted to safety onto the awaiting helicopter.

"He was real professional. Everything went smoothly. There were no hitches," said ship captain Joe Macinko of Kodiak, who was thankful to the entire rescue team.

It was opportunities to help people in need - like the July 11 rescue - that compelled Moore to become a rescue swimmer.

"I wanted to be in the business of saving people," Moore said.

Finishing active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps years prior, the 30-year-old tried living a civilian life in management for Sparkletts.

"I had a real disciplined way about myself. I went to be a civilian and I had a real hard time doing it," he said.

Seeing a rescue swimmer demonstration in 2006, Moore decided to sign up with the Coast Guard and started boot camp.

"It was a big gamble because I left my $72,000 paycheck to go to boot camp to be in the Coast Guard," said Aviation Survival Technician 3rd Class Moore.

"He was more than happy to do that, just to be doing what he was doing. And he's been happy as a clam," said mother Lauri Crandall, 54, of San Dimas.

Moore comes from "family of warriors," as his mother puts it. His stepfather John Crandall is a retired firefighter; his brother Mike Moore, 31, is a police officer; and his stepbrother Jeremy Crandall, 36, is a also a firefighter.

"There's certainly an element of fear, but I've just learned to put it in God's hands and he's protected them so far," Crandall said. "We're just proud of what all the kids have done."

The mother encouraged her sons to choose careers they would enjoy, even if they didn't get paid for it. Like his older brothers, Moore decided it would be a career of lifesaving.

Graduating from San Dimas High School, Moore decided his next step would be to join the military.

"I had thought about it for the better part of high school to go to the Marine Corps," Moore said.

To his parents' surprise, it was their Chris who would be joining the Marines, not Mike.
"We thought it was going to be his older brother. His older brother was Mr. G.I. Joe as a kid," Crandall said.

His brother went on to attend a university after high school, while Moore decided doing so was not for him.

"He's never been a sit-behind-the-desk kind of kid," Crandall said.

Moore served a year in Iwakuni, Japan, then spent the rest of his active duty at Camp Pendleton.

"Even though he works in dangerous situations, he's focused. He tells me that he doesn't even think about the fear factor until after it's over," said father Michael Moore, 58, of La Verne. "I'm so proud of him. I could almost bust."

His career path has led him to Kodiak, a nice change of pace from California life, he said.
"Coming up here, where I live on the island, the biggest thing to do is going to Walmart," Moore said. "It's kind of a nice change."

After two more years stationed in Alaska, Moore is hoping to move with wife Tracy and kids Emily and Ethan to Astoria, Ore.

"It's a very similar place, climate-wise and slow-paced, as here but it's not as isolated," he said.
stacey.wang@sgvn.com
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