U.S. Coast Guard Appoints New Head of Savannah Search-and-Rescue Station

U.S. Coast Guard Appoints New Head of Savannah Search-and-Rescue Station

August 3, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

The U.S. Coast Guard has appointed Cmdr. Zachary Wiest as the new commander of Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, replacing Capt. Maegan Schwartz during a leadership transition ceremony held at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah. Rear Adm. Adam A. Chamie, commander of the Southeast Coast Guard District, presided over the change-of-command ceremony, which formally transferred responsibility for the unit from Schwartz to Wiest.

Schwartz, who assumed command of Air Station Savannah in June 2024, led the unit through major emergency response operations, including hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. During her tenure, the station handled 232 search-and-rescue cases and saved 46 lives. She also directed operations involving nine deployed aircraft crews during hurricane responses and oversaw the Coast Guard’s only aircraft crew involved in responding to historic flooding in North Carolina. Schwartz will next serve at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Wiest takes command after serving as engineering officer at Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey. He said leading the Savannah-based unit was a significant professional responsibility. “I’ve long admired Air Station Savannah’s reputation of excellence,” Wiest said. “It’s the greatest honor of my career to be trusted to lead this team.” Located at Hunter Army Airfield, Coast Guard Air Station Savannah provides 24-hour search-and-rescue coverage from the North Carolina-South Carolina border to Melbourne, Florida. The station operates five MH-65 Dolphin helicopters, with crews based at Savannah and Air Facility Charleston in South Carolina.

The unit also supports rotary-wing air intercept missions, including enforcing flight restrictions in the Washington, D.C., area and operations linked to presidential movements. The station, known as the Low Country Lifesavers, has about 115 personnel. Since October 1, 2025, its crews have responded to 91 cases, saving 15 lives and assisting 39 others. The Coast Guard said the change-of-command ceremony is a long-standing tradition that marks the formal transfer of authority between commanders and ensures continuity of leadership within the service.

Source: FSX Business News