RENDERING ASSISTANCE

* Initial Action by Assisting Craft *

Vessel Assisting

>METHODS of DISTRESS NOTIFICATION

• An alarm signal or distress call from another vessel at sea,either directly or by relay.
• A distress call or message from craft.This usually occurs by relay from a CRS.

• Alert sent from a vessel’s alerting equipment and then relayed shore-to-ship.

• Visual signals or sound signals from a nearby distressed craft.

>IMMEDIATE ACTION

• The ff. immediate action should be taken by any ship receiving a distress message

1. Acknowledge receipt of message

2. Gather the ff. information from the craft in distress if possible

-   position of distressed craft

-   distressed craft’s identity ,call sign,and name

-   number of POB‘s

- nature of the distress or casualty

-   type of assistance required

-    number of victims , if any

-   distressed craft’s course and speed

-   type of craft , and cargo carried

-   any other pertinent information that might facilitate the rescue

3. Maintain a continuous watch on the ff. international frequencies, if equipped to do so:

-   500 kHz(radiotelegraphy)

-   2182 MHz (radiotelegraphy)

-    156.8 MHz FM (channel 16, radiotelephony)for vessel distress

-    121.5 MHz AM (radiotelephony)for aircraft distress

4. After 1 February 1999,vessel subject to the SOLAS Convention must comply with applicable equipment carriage and monitoring requirements

5.SOLAS communications equipment is referred to as Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)equipment,and includes:

-    Inmarsat ship earth stations

-    VHF,MF,and HF digital selective calling(DSC)radios

-     Maritime safety information receivers like NAVTEX and SafetyNET

-     Hand-held VHF equipment

-     emergency position-indicating radio beacons(EPIRBs)

-     search and rescue radar transponders (SARTs)

6.Any vessel carrying GMDSS-compatible equipment should use it as intended ,and must be prepared at all times to receive distress alerts with it(see figures on pages 2-3 and 2-4)

• Vessel should maintain communication with the distressed craft while attempting to advice the SAR system of the situation.
• The ff. information should be communicated to the distressed craft:

1. own vessel’s identity,call sign, and name

2.  own vessel’s position

3.  own vessel’s speed and estimated time of arrival (ETA) to distressed craft site

4.  distressed craft’s true bearing and distance from ship

• Use all available means to remain aware of the location  of distressed craft (such as radar plotting, chart plots ,Global Positioning system (GPS).

• When in close proximity, post extra look-outs to keep distressed craft in sight.
• The ship or CRS co-ordinating distress traffic should establish contact with the SMC and pass on all information, updating as necessary.

>PROCEEDING TO THE AREA OF DISTRESS

• Establish a traffic co-ordinating system among vessels proceeding to the area of distress.
• Maintain active radar plots on vessels in the general vicinity.
• Estimate the the ETAs to the distress site of other assisting vessels.
• Assess the distress situation to prepare for operations on-scene.

>ON-BOARD PREPARATION

• A vessel en route to assist a distressed craft should have the ff. equipment ready for possible use:

Life-saving and rescue equipment

* lifeboat

* inflatable literaft

* lifejackets

* survival suits for the crew

* lifebuoys

* breeches buoys

* portable VHF radios for communication with the ship  and boats deployed

* line-throwing apparatus

* buoyant lifelines

* hauling lines

* non-sparking boat hooks or grappling hooks

* hatchets

* rescue baskets

* litters

* pilot ladders

* scrambling nets

* copies of the International Code Of  Signals

* radio equipment operating on MF/HF and VHF/UHF and capable of communicating with the SMC and rescue facilities , and with a facility for direction finding (DF)

* supplies and survival equipment ,as required

* fire-fighting equipment

* portable ejector pumps

* binoculars

* cameras

* bailers and oars

SIGNALLING EQUIPMENT:

* signalling lamps

* searchlights

* torches

* flare pistol with color-coded signal flares

* buoyant VHF/UHF markers beacons

* floating lights

* smoke generators

* flame and smoke floats

* dye markers;

* loud hailers.

PREPARATION FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE , INCLUDING:

* stretchers

* blankets

* medical supplies and medicines

* clothing

* food

* shelter

MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT:

* If lifted ,a gantry crane for hoisting on each side of ship with a cargo net for recovery of survivors.

* Line running from bow to stern at the water’s edge on both sides for boats and craft to secure alongside.

* On the lowest weather deck,pilot ladders and manropes to assist survivors boarding the vessel.

* Vessel’s lifeboats ready for use as a boarding station.

* Line-throwing apparatus ready for making connection with either ship in distress or survival craft.

* Floodlights set in appropriate locations,if recovery at night.

VESSELS NOT ASSISTING

The master  deciding not to proceed to the scene  a distress due to sailing time involved and in the knowledge that a rescue  operation is under way should:

• Make an appropriate entry in the ship’s log-book.

• If the master had previously acknowledged and responded to the alert,report  the decision not to proceed to the SAR service concerned

• Consider  reports unnecessary  if no contact has been made with the SAR service.

• Reconsider the decision  not to  proceed nor report to the SAR service when vessel in  distress is far from land or in an area where density  of shipping is low.

AIRCRAFT ASSISTING

Distress Call and Message Received

• Aircraft may receive a distress call or message from craft directly or by relay via an ATS unit.

• Aircraft over the sea may receive an alarm signal or a distress call from a vessel.This usually occurs by relay from a CRS.

• Aircraft may receive a distress signal aurally from an EPIRB or ELT on 121.5 MHz.

• Aircraft near a distress craft may receive visual signals.

IMMEDIATE ACTION

• Reports should be evaluated to determine their validity and degree of urgency.

• Any aeronautical station or aircraft  knowing of an emergency incident should relay the MAYDAY or transmit a distress message whenever such action is necessary to obtain assistance for the person ,

aircraft,or vessel in distress.

• In such circumstances , it should be made clear that the aircraft transmitting the message is not itself the distressed craft.

PROCEEDING TO AREA OF DISTRESS

• In proceeding  to an area of distress , prepare to assist the distressed craft.

• Categories to consider include:

Navigation Equipment

>Aircraft designated  for SAR operations should be equipped to receive and home in on:

* radio signals

*  emergency locator transmitters (ELTs)

*  EPIRBs

*  SARTs

>precise navigation equipment such as GPS can be helpful  in covering a search area carefully or locating a datum.

COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

• all aircraft should be equipped to maintain good communications with the SMC and other aeronautical SAR facilities

• designated SAR aircraft engaged in sea rescues should be equipped to communicate with vessels and survival craft

• designated SAR aircraft should be able to communicate with survivors on VHS-FM on channel 16(156.8 MHz) and VHF-AM on 121.5 MHz

• carriage of droppable disposable  radios operating on 123.1 MHz can be used for communications with survivors

• carriage of portable ratios may be appropriate for aircraft SAR facilities  to communicate with maritime or land SAR facilities and OSCs.

MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT

>The ff. equipment ,as appropriate , should be readily available for SAR operations:

* binoculars

*   a copy of the International code of Signals

*   signalling equipment , such as pyrotechnics

*   buoyant VHF/UHF marker beacons, floating lights

*   fire-fighting equipment

*   cameras for photographing wreckage and location of survivors

*  first-aid supplies

*  loud hailers

*  containers for dropping written messags

*  inflatable liferafts

*  lifejackets and lifebuoys

*  portable hand-held battery-powered droppable radio for communication with survivors

*  any equipment which  may assist with rescue operations.