What if Youre First On Scene

1
What if Youre First On Scene

• Including
• What to ask and what to look for
• What agency is in charge?
• CG Maritime Assistance Policy
• CG assistance to another agency policy

2
Instructor Profile

• Senior Chief Steven Corry, USCG 1992-Present,
  USAF 1985-1992
• Current Assignment SNNE Command Center
  Supervisor
• Supervises SNNE search planning and coordination
  personnel Operations Unit Controllers - April
  2004 to present
• Previous search planner/coordinator at CG
  District 7, Miami 1998/1999
• Tours of duty on board CG Cutters HAMILTON,
  CHASE, and THETIS
• USAF 1985-1992, Combat Air Traffic Controller in
  charge of SAR planning/coordination, CONUS and
  NATO OPAREA Northern Italy

3
Search and Rescue (SAR) Notification to the USGG

• About 1/2 of all SAR reports received come to the
  CG via VHF-FM Ch. 16.
• Visual signals account for about 8 percent.
• SAR satellite system accounts for 5 percent.
• All other various ways to report a case comprise
  the remaining 37 percent.

4
Awareness Initial Actions

• Literally, anyone may activate the CGs search
  and rescue (SAR) system by reporting a potential
  SAR case.
• Historically, the person in distress or otherwise
  in need of assistance reports the SAR case
  directly to the CG half the time and half are
  relayed by another individual.

5
Gathering Information What to Ask -

• Whenever possible, SAR incident data should be
  collected from the reporting source, with the
  most important information gathered first in case
  communications are lost. Note The gathering of
  this information should not delay the rendering
  of immediate aid or assistance when required.
• The following seven pieces of information are
  needed (of these 7, a SAR response can usually
  take place if the first three items listed are
  known)

6

• 1. Type of incident and nature of
• emergency.
• 2. Location and time of the incident.
• 3. Target description.
• 4. Number and condition of people
• involved.
• 5. The assistance desired.
• 6. On-scene weather conditions.
• 7. Reporting party information name,
• phone , radio call sign, etc.

7
What to Look For

• Other vessels in the immediate area?
• Do persons on board (POBs) have personal
  flotation devices (PFDs)/other flotation
  devices? Are they wearing them?
• Does the vessel have flares, EPIRB, GPS?
• Communication equipment on board vessel (radio
  only, radio phone, etc).
• Age and possible physical limitations/medical
  condition of POBs.
• Limitations of vessel requiring assistance.

8
Whos in Charge?

• Within SNNEs area of responsibility, the
  following
• internal CG Chain of Command applies
• SMC (Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator)
  SNNE Commanding Officer located at SNNEs South
  Portland, ME Command Center.
• CG Stations within SNNEs AOR are subordinate to
  SMC, but may coordinate SAR responses
  independently for small cases

9
CG Sector Northern New England Contact Information

• Sector Command Center 24x7 on VHF-FM Ch. 16 or
  phone [phone].
• Locally, you may also contact CG Stations within
  SNNEs AOR. Station locations Eastport, ME,
  Jonesport, ME, Southwest Hbr, ME, Rockland, ME,
  Boothbay Hbr, ME, South Portland, ME, Portsmouth,
  NH, and Burlington, VT CG Stations also monitor
  VHF-FM Ch. 16.

10
USCG Maritime Assistance Policy

• The following flow chart is used as a guideline
  for CG personnel to follow when determining the
  status of requests for assistance.
• This flow chart can be found in the following
  publication USCG Addendum to the U.S. National
  SAR Supplement, COMDTINST M16130.D (chapter 4)

11
Maritime Assistance Policy
12
Assistance Policy Key Points

• 1. Commercial Operators License Required 46
  U.S.C. requires the operator of any vessel that
  tows a disabled vessel for compensation to have a
  valid license to operate that type of vessel in
  that particular geographic area.
• 2. Primary Concern The CGs primary concern in
  a search and rescue situation is that timely and
  effective assistance be provided.
• 3. CG Policy Distress Immediate response
  will be initiated, if feasible, to any known
  situation in which the mariner is in imminent
  danger. This response may be provided by regular
  CG, CG Auxiliary, or other federal, private,
  state, local, or commercial entity resources.
  The SMC (Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator)
  my use all sources of assistance in a distress
  situation without concern for conflict with
  private enterprise.

13
Key Points (cont.)

• 4. Non-Distress Use of CG A CG resource may
  assist in a non-distress situation when no higher
  priority missions exist and no other capable
  resource is reasonably available. Note
  Reasonably available means that the resources
  should be able to respond before the situation
  deteriorates.
• 5. Marine Assistance Request Broadcast (MARB)
  A broadcast made to determine if someone in the
  area can come to his/her assistance. A CG
  guideline of 10 minutes is recommended for SMC to
  await an answer to a MARB prior to directing CG
  or CG Auxiliary resources to respond.

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Key Points (cont.)

• 6. Simultaneous Arrival To minimize conflict,
  if a CG Auxiliary facility under orders or a
  regular CG resource arrives on scene nearly
  simultaneously with a commercial provider, they
  shall report to the SMC, remain on scene until it
  is confirmed the provider is capable of providing
  the required assistance and safely completing the
  case, then clear the area, and take no further
  part in the incident.
• 7. If Situation Deteriorates The SMC should
  normally dispatch CG resources any time the
  circumstances in a case threaten to deteriorate
  into a DISTRESS situation that exceeds the
  capability of the assisting resource.
• 8. CG Salvage Policy When commercial salvors
  are on scene performing salvage, CG units may
  assist them within the units capabilities, if
  the salvor requests. CG units and personnel
  shall not be unduly hazarded in performing
  salvage.

15
Key Points (cont.)

• 9. CG Firefighting Policy Primary
  responsibility for maintaining necessary
  firefighting capabilities in U.S. ports and
  harbors lies with local authorities. The CG
  renders assistance as available. Firefighting
  activities involving commercial vessels or
  waterfront facilities rests with the COTP
  (Captain of the Port).
• 10. CG Navigation Assistance Policy The CG will
  NOT assume responsibility for navigating a
  vessel, but it may provide the master certain
  navigation information if available as charted or
  published by a reputable source. The CG will NOT
  pass a course to steer.

16
CG Assists to Another Agency Policy

• At times, the CG may not always be the lead
  agency responsible for primary coordination for
  cases involving maritime environment. In these
  situations, the CG will categorize its
  involvement as an Assist to Another Agency.
• Under these scenarios, upon request to SNNE, CG
  resources may be dispatched to assist local SAR
  and Law Enforcement agencies if available and if
  no higher priority mission exists.

17
QUESTIONS?

• For future concerns or questions regarding
  this briefing, please contact
• Senior Chief Steven Corry
• SNNE Command Center Supervisor
• [phone]
• Steven.E.Corry_at_uscg.mil