Local runners in Boston Marathon calling home to report safety

Bremerton resident Jeffrey Moen has gone three times to the Boston Marathon but elected this year to stay home -- a choice he feels glad he made.

By Wes Morrow • April 15, 2013 4:51 pm

Tags: Bremerton

UPDATE 15:25:40

The United States Coast Guard’s three-tiered system of Maritime Security (MARSEC) level remained at it’s lowest level in Puget Sound on Monday in the hours after the explosions in Boston, according to Helmut Steele, who is in charge of security for the Washington State Ferries.

“Through our discussions, the Captain of the port has advised us that the Coast Guard is not raising the MARSEC level,” he said.

In addition to the Coast Guard, Steele said that WSF was in contact with the Washington State Patrol and Washington State Fusion Center following the events in Boston.

“You will see an increase of security presence around our vessels as a precautionary measure, but it is not directly related to any intelligence that we perceive a particular threat,” Steele said, noting that employees and ferry riders are encouraged to immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement or WSF employees.

UPDATE 15:02:16 Naval Base Kitsap Spokesman Tom Danaher’s statement on base security:

“While we do not discuss specific force protection levels, be assured that
security measures in place at Naval Base Kitsap are appropriate. Access to installations is limited to those with proper identification cards and credentials.”

UPDATE 14:20:57 Later this afternoon another explosion occurred at JFK Library in Boston, police said. For friends and relatives of runners, spectators or anyone in the Boston area a line has been setup for information at 1-617-635-4500.

The Associated Press has reported that police discovered multiple other explosive devices and were working to disarm them as of 1:19 p.m. PST.

At this point, police said, it is unclear if the incident at JFK Library was related to the marathon explosions.

Explosions rocked the finish line of the Boston Marathon this afternoon, injuring spectators and runners in the blast. Reports by Boston police as of 1:42 p.m. PST claim that two were killed and 23 injured in the blasts.

According to the Boston Marathon’s website, around a dozen runners from Kitsap County qualified for and entered the race. Not all elected to participate — one example is Jeffrey Moen.

Moen lives in Bremerton and qualified to run in the marathon. He said he had run three times in the past, but this year his wife said the hotel prices were too expensive to justify the trip.

It was fortuitous that they didn’t attend, Moen said, as his wife would likely have been watching from the vicinity of the explosions.

“My wife usually stands right there at the finish line,” he said.

Several other Kitsap runners appeared to have forgone attending the race, as their split times are not listed on the Boston Marathon’s website. However, others appear to have competed and finished the race.

The explosions reportedly came just after 3 p.m. EST, a couple hours after race leaders finished the marathon.

Kitsap residents on the list of runners, according to the Boston Marathon website: Luis Borges, 51, of Bainbridge Island; Joel Braman, 31, of Bremerton; Kelsi L. Canavan, 27, of Silverdale; Kevin A. Fischer, 33, of Port Orchard; Travis L. Friedman, 33, of Silverdale; Terry E. Fritz, 50, of Port Orchard; Joey Gutjahr, 42, of Silverdale; Jeffrey Moen, 60, of Bremerton; Abigail B. Reichley, 34, of Bremerton; Matthew B. Taran, 45, of Bremerton; and Ron Copstead, 61, of Bainbridge Island.

To add a name to the list of local runners, or to supply any information on the safety and well-being of local participants please email wmorrow@soundpublishing.com or call (360) 308-9161 x5062.