USCG

1
USCG SARSAT

• U.S. SAR System
• National SAR Committee
• Guidance Documents
• U.S. Coast Guard SAR
• Areas of Responsibilities
• Assets
• SARSAT

2
ICAO Convention on Civil Aviation (1944)
IMO International SAR Convention (1979)
Global SAR Plan
Intl Aeronautical Maritime SAR (IAMSAR) Manual
- U.S. Natl SAR Plan - Natl SAR Supplement
(NSS) to the IAMSAR Manual -- National SAR
Committee --
U.S. SAR System
3
National SAR Committee (NSARC)

• Member Agencies
• Department of Defense (DOD)
• Department of Interior (DOI)
• Department of Commerce (DOC)
• Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• National Aeronautics Space Administration
  (NASA)
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

NSARC Chair Coast Guard (DHS)
NASAR, CAP, State SC Reps also in attendance
4
NSARC Objectives

• . . . provide a standing committee to oversee
  the National SAR Plan and coordinate interagency
  SAR matters.
• . . . provide a forum for preliminary
  development of interagency positions in SAR
  matters.
• . . . provide for an interface with other
  national agencies involved with emergency
  services.

5
NSARC Documents

• 1.National Search and Rescue Plan of the United
  States
• 19-Page Plan for coordinating search and rescue
  (SAR) services to meet domestic needs and
  international commitments.
• Assigns Federal SAR Coordinator (SC)
  responsibilities.
• 2. National SAR Supplement (NSS) to the IAMSAR
  Manual
• Implements the Natl SAR Plan
• Provides guidance to federal agenciesin support
  of the IAMSAR Manual and the IMO/ICAO SAR
  conventions.

6
National SAR Plan and USCG Addendum
USCG Addendum to the NSS

• Provides detailed guidance and policy on how the
  Coast Guard will conduct SAR

7

• U.S. Coast Guard SAR

8
U.S.C.G. SAR Program Purpose

• Save Lives and Property at Sea
• Authority to conduct SAR missions is contained in
  Title 14, Sections 2, 88, and 141 of the U.S.
  Code.
• The code states that the Coast Guard shall
  develop, establish, maintain and operate SAR
  facilities.
• and may render aid to distressed persons and
  protect and save property on and under the high
  seas.
• Coast Guard performance of SAR is essentially
  permissive in nature.
• Search and Rescue activity may be considered a
  mandated function, but no specific level of
  performance has been cited under the legislative
  authority.

9
U.S.C.G. SAR Program Objectives

• Four general objectives provide direction for the
  SAR Program
• Minimize loss of life, injury, and property loss
  and damage in the maritime environment
• Minimize crew risk during SAR missions
• Optimize use of resources in conducting SAR
• Maintain a world leadership position in maritime
  SAR.

10
Coast Guard Districts

UN/USA SARSAT Training Miami Beach, FL Jan 2009
11
Districts are divided into Sectors

UN/USA SARSAT Training Miami Beach, FL Jan 2009
12
U.S.C.G. RCC Response

Sector Houston-Galveston CC
D1 RCC, Boston, MA
D14 JRCC, Honolulu, HI
13
SAR Response Assets

• Coast Guard assets
• Airborne
• Afloat

14
SAR Response Assets cont.

• Other Federal, State, Local agencies
• Commercial services
• Volunteer agencies
• Fellow mariners (Good Samaritans)

UN/USA SARSAT Training Miami Beach, FL Jan 2009
15
An Average Day inthe U.S. Coast Guard

• On an average day, the Coast Guard
• Conducts 109 SAR Cases
• Saves 10 lives
• Assists 192 people in distress
• Protects 2,791,841 in property

16
Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking

• International Cospas-Sarsat Program
• National SARSAT Program

System Operation
Inland SAR
Maritime SAR
Research Development
Representative to International Cospas-Sarsat
Program
17
(No Transcript)
18
USCG SARSAT Policies
U.S. Coast Guard Addendum to the United States
National SAR Supplement Chapter 3 - Search
Planning
19
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
3.4.4 Distress Beacon Incidents / SARSAT (Search
and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking) Alerts
Distress beacons (EPIRBs, ELTs, and PLBs) are
some of the most important tools available to SAR
authorities. The various distress beacon systems
are covered in Chapter 3 of reference (a) and
Section 2.1.4 of this Addendum. 3.4.4.1 Risk
Management Regarding Alert Positions. In some
instances, the indicated position for an alert is
so significantly distant from available SAR
resources that it is impractical to immediately
dispatch resources to assist. Similarly, there
are situations in which distress alert
information is sketchy and the immediate dispatch
of SAR resources would jeopardize the safety of
others or leave a relatively large area of
responsibility (AOR) without SAR coverage. In
these situations, RCCs should spend a reasonable
amount of time investigating and evaluating the
situation prior to dispatching resources.
Additionally, RCCs may attempt to alert
alternative resources (e.g., Good Samaritans,
Amver participants, other agencies, etc.) that
may be in a position to assist.
20
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
3.4.4.2 Response Policy. In response to beacon
alerts, RCCs should consider all available
information such as position information,
registration information, and the presence of
corroborating information. RCCs should evaluate
reports and attempt to correlate them with other
indications of distress. Concurrently, they
should attempt to obtain additional information
on those involved. RCCs should expand their
investigations as necessary to aggressively
pursue the cause of alert signals and dispatch
resources to assist, as circumstances require.
Types of beacon alerts and response policy
guidance are presented in Table 3-4 below. (a)
Audible beacon alerts don't always indicate
distress. Historically, many of these alerts have
been false alarms resulting from hard aircraft
landings or caused by crew error during vessel
maintenance. Reports of audible beacon alerts
indicate a beacon has been activated. SAR
response to an audible beacon signal should be
similar to the type of response provided for
flare sightings. In cases where Coast Guard
resources hear the beacon, they normally respond
immediately and determine the signal source. Most
other audible signal reports come from commercial
aircraft and will help determine general beacon
location.
21
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
(b) 406 MHz Beacon Cospas-Sarsat Alerts. Since
1990, beacon technology has been moving to a
solely dedicated frequency for satellite distress
beacons, 406 MHz. On January 1, 2007, 406 MHz
EPIRBs became the only type of EPIRB authorized
for use in the United States. Use of this
frequency will minimize interference problems. In
addition, satellite software recognizes and
relays only coded 406 MHz beacon signals,
minimizing false alerts. Accordingly, response to
406 MHz beacon alerts is immediate, keeping in
mind the precepts of risk management. The use of
the 406 MHz emergency frequency is not limited to
strictly EPIRBs. Both Emergency Locator
Transmitters (ELTs) and Personal Locator Beacons
(PLBs) use the same frequency. The use of PLBs in
the marine environment has become more common as
they represent a more cost effective distress
tool for recreational boaters. Beacon
manufacturers are actively marketing PLBs to the
recreational boating public. As an emergency
signaling device, an ELT or a PLB functions
similarly to a 406 MHz EPIRB response policy to
these beacons is identical.
22
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
(1) First alerts and composite solutions for 406
MHz beacons indicate a beacon has been activated.
SAR response to a 406 MHz beacon alert should
approximate response to a MAYDAY. The 406 MHz
Cospas-Sarsat system and equipment yield high
confidence alerts and positions. However, factors
such as satellite pass geometry, atmospheric
anomalies, and beacon oscillator stability may
degrade the beacon signal and position data. Any
alert degradation is usually reflected in the
split between A and B solution probabilities on
first alert messages.
23
CG Addendum to the SAR Man

• (2) Registered but Unlocated 406 MHz Alerts.
  Treat registered, but unlocated 406 MHz alerts as
  distress, exploit all reasonable means to
  ascertain distress position and assist the party
  in distress, including issuing a UMIB.
• Registered, but unlocated 406 MHz alerts signal
  distress, but contain no position information. In
  order to render assistance we must exploit all
  reasonable means to ascertain at least a general
  distress position. Armed with a general position
  or usual operating area and suitable homing
  capable response assets, we are able to render
  timely, effective assistance.
• b. EPIRB registration points of contact are
  usually the most promising leads for information,
  particularly for position, situation and further
  points of contact. In addition, UMIBs should be
  used as a means to determine distress position
  and to maximize resource of opportunity response,
  unless there are compelling reasons to the
  contrary. When only general position information
  is available, suitable aircraft should be
  launched to direction find on the 406 MHz
  beacon's signal.
• c. For incidents where no position information
  other than homeport is available, issuing a UMIB
  in the vessel's homeport area is appropriate.

24
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
(3) Unregistered/Unlocated GPS Protocol Beacons.
Location Protocol Beacons or GPS Protocol Beacons
contain a GPS chip that can accurately calculate
the position of the beacon and transmit that
position as part of the beacon registration
information received by the satellite. Since the
Cospas-Sarsat system requires multiple passes
from low earth orbiting satellites to calculate
the beacons position by Doppler shift, this
technology provides a more timely method of
notifying SAR responders of a beacons position.
a. For alerts that contain an encoded GPS
position (described in alert messages as an E
solution), responders shall evaluate it as a
distress incident regardless of whether the
beacon is registered or if a location has been
determined by the Cospas-Sarsat system. b. When
a composite position is obtained by Cospas-Sarsat
satellite passes, SAR planners should compare the
encoded GPS position to the composite solution to
verify the location of response.
25
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
(6) Use of Elementals For Rapid Moving Search
Objects or Long Drifts. When processing 406MHz
alert position update messages, the composite
solution position may not always be the most
accurate position to use for search planning.
SARSAT data processing algorithms average several
elemental position updates (the raw position data
from a single satellite pass) to generate the
composite position. In instances where the system
has been receiving data for a significant period
of time (multiple satellite passes) or in an
environment where there is significant total
datum drift, using the elemental position (raw
data) from each satellite pass will provide a
more accurate update to the beacons position.
This elemental position date is provided on each
update message and can be manually plotted using
SARTOOLs. Figure 3-7 shows an example of a rapid
moving object and position comparison.
26
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
(7) Notification of Country of Registry (NOCR).
Command Centers may occasionally receive messages
through the SARSAT system providing "Notification
of Country of Registry" or NOCRs. These messages
provide notification of the activation of a U.S.
registered EPIRB in a location outside of the
U.S. SAR Region. In these instances, the beacon
activation alert has been forwarded to the
appropriate RCC in the nation that has SAR
responsibility for the composite position of the
beacon, and the United States SAR authorities are
being notified as a follow up to the normal SAR
response process. Whenever possible, RCCs should
attempt to contact the responsible RCC to ensure
that SAR response efforts are being taken to
assist U.S. citizens in distress.
27
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
3.4.4.4 Registration/Follow-up Policy. All Coast
Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary units should make
every effort to encourage beacon users to
register their beacon. The easiest method for
registration is online at www.beaconregistration.n
oaa.gov. Units should also have spare 406 MHz
EPIRB registration cards for users to fill out
and mail to the USMCC. A sample registration card
is in Appendix J. It is mandatory for the owner
to register the 406 MHz beacon. In addition,
units should relay registration information to
the USMCC. Other beacon types are registered in
various ways. Units should strongly encourage
beacon owners to "register" as soon as possible.
28
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
3.4.4.5 Improper Use of EPIRBS as DMBs. EPIRBs
are distress beacons. As such, search planners
shall not normally use them as DMBs. While it may
seem convenient at times to leave an EPIRB
drifting to mark datum during a SAR case, that
beacon's signal may prevent another distress
beacon from being properly tracked or heard. (a)
SLDMBs are the appropriate tools for marking
datum in extended search cases. When located,
EPIRBs shall be recovered and, whenever necessary
and possible, SLDMBs deployed in the same
position to mark datum. Standard radio DMBs work
fairly well when no SLDMBs are available. (b) In
situations where the EPIRB is the only means of
marking datum, close coordination between the SMC
and the USMCC will be required.
29
CG Addendum to the SAR Man
3.5.4.1 Emergency Position-Indicating Radio
Beacons (EPIRBs) should be recovered and/or the
signal secured whenever possible at the time of a
rescue. (a) EPIRBs should not be left afloat as a
DMB. If additional persons remain missing or
there is a need to mark the position of a vessel
or floating debris a DMB should be used. (See
2.6.4.5) (b) EPIRBs left adrift at the
conclusion of a SAR incident, continue to
transmit. The signal produced may prevent another
distress beacon from being properly tracked or
heard. (c) EPIRBs used in SAR incidents that
operated improperly or failed should be recovered
for analysis.
30
USCG SARSAT
Any Questions???
LCDR Kathy Niles U.S. Coast Guard
Headquarters Office of Search and Rescue
(CG-534) katherine.m.niles_at_uscg.mil (202)
372-2089
Visit Our Website! http//www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg53
4