A father and daughter from Staten Island joined forces to provide security in New York Harbor during the Fourth of July celebrations. Deputy Chief Terence Hurson, executive officer of Patrol Borough Staten Island, and his daughter, U.S. Coast Guard second-class petty officer Shannon Hurson, were both on duty for the Sail4th tall ship parade and Macy’s Fireworks.
Shannon, who typically serves on Lake Michigan, seized the opportunity to work near her father in New York Harbor, an area where she grew up. "He’s been talking about this event for a while," she said. "So I was really excited to jump on the opportunity to be in the same vicinity as my dad working in New York Harbor where I grew up."
The 22-year-old Coast Guard member is among approximately 250 U.S. Coast Guard personnel in the city for the holiday weekend. Some are stationed in the harbor, while others are operating from a command center at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.
While Deputy Chief Hurson was assigned to land-based duties, his daughter patrolled the harbor on a 29-foot response boat, focusing on identifying threats and ensuring overall safety. Shannon Hurson has received law enforcement training and has experience on search and recovery teams. Her training also includes ice rescue techniques due to her usual assignment on Lake Michigan.
"My favorite thing about the job is just being out on the water and being able to help people in different situations," Shannon Hurson stated. Her father, who has nearly 33 years with the NYPD, expressed initial concern when she left for boot camp but became immensely proud upon her graduation.
Shannon Hurson has served in the Coast Guard for four years. She has also taken the NYPD exam and expressed a desire to follow in her father's career path, viewing the Harbor Unit as a potential "golden ticket" to join the NYPD. She cited her father's dedication to helping others as her primary inspiration growing up.