Shipmates,
When you find yourselves with a little time on your hands I recommend downloading and reviewing the
U.S. COAST GUARD ADDENDUM TO THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE SUPPLEMENT (NSS) TO THE INTERNATIONAL AERONAUTICAL AND MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE MANUAL (IAMSAR) [11mb]. A long title for a very long manual but well worth at least a scan if you are interested in SAR as a surface operator, an air operator or a communicator. Our surface coxswains are familiar with Chapter 4 which discusses the come-upon policy but the manual offers a great deal more.
Beyond the practical material for executing search and rescue on an air, surface or land asset the manual will give you a much greater appreciation for what our shipmates in the concrete box of the Command Center are doing. Enjoy.
PREFACE AND PROGRAM OVERVIEW
I Mission and Purpose
II Risk Management
III SAR Functions & Hierarchy
IV Statutory Authority & Responsibility
V SAR Publications
VI SAR Program Objectives, Goals, Standards and Requirements
VII SAR Program Focus
VIII SAR System Infrastructure
IX Terms Within the Addendum
X Applicability and Obligation
CHAPTER 1 SAR SYSTEM
1.1 Search and Rescue (SAR) Organization
1.2 SAR Coordination
1.3 Professional Requirements
1.4 Public Affairs & Next of Kin Interactions
1.5 Liaison and Contingency Exercises
1.6 Agreements
CHAPTER 2 SAR COMMUNICATIONS
2.0 Introduction to Communications
2.1 Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
2.2 Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
2.3 SafetyNET Messaging
2.4 Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) Numbers
2.5 National Distress and Response System (NDRS) & Rescue 21
2.6 Urgent Marine Information Broadcasts (UMIBs)
2.7 Cellular Telephones and *CG
2.8 Electronic Mail
2.9 Lost Communications with a Coast Guard Asset
2.10 Recorded Radio Transmissions and Telephone Lines
2.11 Ship Security Alert Systems
CHAPTER 3 SEARCH PLANNING
3.1 SAR Planning and Operations Overview
3.2 Search Planning Methods and Tools
3.3 Search Planning Variables
3.4 Initial Response, Search Planning and Search Operations
3.5 Rescue Planning and Operations
3.6 Measures of Search Effectiveness
3.7 Aspects of Survival
3.8 Conclusion of SAR Operations
3.9 Case Documentation
CHAPTER 4 GENERAL SAR POLICIES
4.1 Maritime SAR Assistance Policy (MSAP)
4.2 Forcible Evacuations of vessels
4.3 General Salvage Policy (Other than Towing)
4.4 Firefighting Activities Policy
4.5 Direction and Navigational Assistance for Mariners
4.6 SAR Cost Recovery and Reimbursement
4.7 Emergency Medical Assistance
4.8 Justification for Non-Maritime EMS Response
4.9 Ice Rescues
4.10 Float Plans
4.11 Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoys
4.12 SAR and Security Concerns
4.13 Maritime Law Enforcement and Vessel Safety
4.14 Places of Refuge
4.15 Persons Falling or Jumping from Bridges
CHAPTER 5 COAST GUARD SEARCH AND RESCUE UNITS (SRUs)
5.1 Operations Overview
5.2 Surface Craft Operations
5.3 Coast Guard Boats
5.4 Coast Guard Cutters
5.5 Aids to Navigation (ATON) Vessels
5.6 Aircraft
5.7 Crew Fatigue
5.8 Rescue Swimmers
5.9 Passive Watchstanding
CHAPTER 6 PROCEDURES FOR UNDERWATER INCIDENTS
6.1 Underwater Incidents Overview
6.2 Submersibles
6.3 Persons Trapped in Capsized Vessels
6.4 Underwater Acoustic Beacons (Pingers)
6.5 Action Required for Underwater SAR Preparation
6.6 Scuba Diving Incidents
Appendix A Command SAR Library
Appendix B MISLE
B.1 MISLE System
B.2 Reporting Criteria
B.3 Responsibility
B.4 Action
B.5 General Data Entry Guidelines
B.6 Data Retrieval
Appendix C Standard CG SAR Messages
C.1 Situation Report (SITREP)
C.2 Search Action Plan (SAP)
C.3 Sample DSC False Alert Message Format
C.4 SafetyNET Examples
Appendix D MEDEVAC Report (CG-5214)
Appendix E Emergency Medical Services Agreement
Appendix F SAR Contingency Exercises
F.1 Introduction
F.2 Identifying Maritime Contingency Response Communities
F.3 Developing Maritime Contingency Response Plans
F.4 Exercising Maritime Contingency Response Plans
F.5 Requesting Support for Maritime Contingency Response Plan Exercises
Appendix G SAR Checksheets
Initial SAR Checksheet
Supplemental SAR Checksheet
Overdue Checksheet
MEDICO / MEDEVAC Checksheet
Grounding Checksheet
Flare Sighting Checksheet
Aircraft Emergencies
Abandoned or Adrift
Beset by Weather
Capsized
Collision
Disabled
Disoriented
Uncorrelated MAYDAY, MAYDAY, probable hoax calls, automated S.O.S.
PIW
SARSAT
Taking on Water or Fire
SAR Case Suspension Checklist
Mass Rescue Operation Supplemental Checksheet
Appendix H Search Planning Handbook
H.1 Search Planning
H.2 Manual Solution Model
H.3 Datum Estimation
H.4 Search Area
H.5 Search Plan Variables
H.6 Search Area and SRU Assignment
H.7 Search Pattern Selection
H.8 Search Action Plans
H.9 Manual Solution Worksheets
Appendix I Flare Incidents
I.1 Flare Incidents
I.2 Definitions
I.3 Obtaining Sighting Data
I.4 Estimating Distances
I.5 Determining a Datum Area
I.6 Mission Conclusion
Appendix J Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) Registration Form
Appendix K Bibliography
Appendix L *CG Agreement
AppendixM COMSAT-C Web Interface
M.1 Launching the Web service interface
M.2 SafetyNET Message Procedures
M.3 Shore to Ship Distress Alerts
M.4 Search and Rescue Messages
M.5 Navigational Warning Messages
M.6 Compose Message
M.7 Delivery Status
M.8 Read Mail
M.9 Monitoring Messages
M.10 Canceling Messages
M.11 Sending a cancel notification
M.12 User Profile
M.13 Error Messages
M.14 Back-up System
Appendix N SAR Controller Personnel Qualification Standard (PQS)
INDEX
