The Lt. John Fitzpatrick Will Help in ‘Operation Clear Passage’ This Weekend

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos will be on hand to welcome the arrival of the Division of Law Enforcement’s (DLE) 44-foot-long Archangel-class SAFE Boat “The Lt. John Fitzpatrick” and its crew as they make their way from Staten Island to Lake Champlain for the start of Operation Clear Passage, a three-day, multi-agency Homeland Security exercise and water quality/navigational-boating enforcement event on Lake Champlain July 22-24.

The vessel routinely patrols the waters around New York City and the south shore of Long Island during commercial and recreational fishing patrols. “The Fitz,” which is named after a deceased DEC Lieutenant from the NYC region, is extensively involved in homeland security operations in the Port of New York, is one of the fastest boats in the theater and is capable of radiation and chemical threat detection.

This trip marks the farthest voyage north for “The Fitz” since it was commissioned in 2013.

WHO:  DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos and DLE Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs)           

WHAT:   Arrival of DEC’s largest vessel in its fleet, The Lt. John Fitzpatrick, a 44-foot-long ArchAngel SAFE Boat that will be used in Operation Clear Passage, a three-day, multi-agency Homeland Security exercise combined with water quality/navigational safety enforcement operation on Lake Champlain July 22-24.

(Visuals: Commissioner Basil Seggos and DEC ECOs will be on hand to welcome the vessel and its crew as they make their way north from Staten Island to Lake Champlain. A short demonstration of its abilities will be conducted).

WHERE: Jennings Landing boat dock, behind the amphitheater, Albany Corning Preserve, 1 Quay St., Albany

WHEN: 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 20

DEC Contact: Benning DeLaMater, 518-402-8000