…. and what to do if you hear one.
A Good Samaritan may be closest to the scene in a boating emergency so if you hear a Mayday and you are in the area, stand by to provide assistance. Stay off the marine radio. The Coast Guard needs to be able to communicate with a vessel in distress as response teams gather, emergency procedures are initiated, search and rescue craft embark or helicopters take off. Also, if no one else is transmitting on that frequency, the Coast Guard can determine a vessel’s position with a Radio Directional Finder and triangulation.
Copy any information you hear
from the vessel in distress – name of the vessel, position, persons on board, etc. If you have DSC, shut the radio alarm off by pressing any button on your radio, then write down the Mobile Maritime Service Identifier number and position information showing on your radio display screen. Wait 3-5 minutes for an authority to answer the call. If no one replies, then attempt to verbally relay the information to U.S. Coast Guard and standby. If you hear the Coast Guard call for a vessel in the area to assist or if you are in the area and the logical vessel to render aid, head for the vessel and, when there’s a break in the transmissions, call the Coast Guard with your offer to provide assistance.
example), whether you have reliable communications, the degree of fear in those on board, and the potential for the situation to deteriorate further. If a helicopter is dispatched, be
sure to secure all loose items on deck (helicopter rotor wash is very powerful and unsecured items may turn into flying projectiles.) Lower and secure any sails, remove any equipment that may snag the line attached to the rescue basket, and make sure everyone is wearing a life jacket. The helicopter is likely to approach your boat on the port stern quarter, because it gives the pilot optimal visibility from the cockpit. So, unless instructed otherwise, set your course so that the wind is 45 degrees off your port bow. Remember, never shine a light or strobe directly toward the helicopter, and never fire flares in the vicinity of the helicopter. Wait for the rescuers to tell you what to do, and then do it. In any emergency situation, listening may be your most important skill.
Recently the Coast Guard began implementing a new command, control and communications system — Rescue 21* — which is now being installed in stages across the United States. It will vastly improve the Coast Guard’s ability to save lives and property. Harnessing global positioning and other advanced communications technology, this fully integrated system will cover coastlines, navigable rivers and waterways in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico, and help eliminate 88 known radio coverage gaps.
No new equipment is needed for you to benefit from Rescue 21,
but you can help improve response time by upgrading to a Marine-Band VHF-FM radio equipped with digital selective calling (DSC). When properly registered with a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number and interfaced with GPS, the DSC radio signal transmits vital information — vessel name, position, owner/ operator’s name and the nature of the distress (if entered) — with one push of a button. The U.S. Coast Guard is always
ready to render aid to boaters facing extreme and imminent danger. Your best bet, however, is to reduce your risk of finding yourself in a dire situation in the first place. Keep your vessel’s hull, motor and on-board equipment in top condition. At the start of the boating season, get a Vessel Safety Check, offered free by your local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Power Squadron® or state boating agency. Take a basic seamanship course and additional instruction as necessary to ensure that your boating skills match the requirements of your vessel. Finally, insist that everyone on board wear a life jacket at all times on the water. Life threatening emergencies can happen in a heartbeat. Having a life jacket on increases everyone’s chances of survival.
The U.S. Coast Guard reminds
all boaters to “Boat Responsibly!” For more tips on boating safety, visit:
www.uscgboating.org.
*For more information got to:
www.uscg. mil/Acquistition/rescue21/
strategy.asp.
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