Search and rescue services at sea are arguably one of the most significant organizational activities in service history. With the extensive contact of several industries and public sectors with marine locations, lives are in constant danger. These efforts to rescue lives have disproportionately affected several areas of operations.
Like FSE SAFE rescue professionals, you are perhaps in constant search of the betterment of your teams’ rescue mission and increasing the success rates of these services- which at times, takes only a simple tool that is appropriate for a situation to save a life and response to SAR incidents through the air and sea.
The coast guard is responsible corp for providing marine resources in support of search and rescue (SAR) operations in areas under government regulations. However, your marine rescue team may also function under the responsibility of a private sector under the tourism board, fishing industries, or marine recreation lifeguard stations.
Generally, the Marine rescue crews are reactive to all ships, boat masters, and individuals in distress. They provide search and rescue, environmental response, icebreaker, maritime navigation, and maritime communications and traffic control services.
Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) are two approaches to respond to a distress signal at sea. Marine rescue companies stand behind financing and operation of the Marine Search and Rescue. These centers are run by SAR coordinators who operate 24 hours and all year round.
Whether you supervise a coast guard team, or yourself are an active member, you are already aware of all that is needed for carrying out successful rescue missions;
● Training
There are long and short courses to introduce the candidate to the content of the International Manual for Local SAR search and rescue. These educational units have been established to support seafaring and coastal operations. In response to search and rescue procedures of the Coast Guard, multipurpose stations, boats, aircraft, and boats are used, connected by communication networks.
Depending on the background and knowledge of the individual, there are diverse training courses available. Time, commitment, and a passion to save lives are all that is needed to learn and perform safety and rescue services.
● Equipment
Besides the right training, equipment is necessary; sometimes a simple piece of rescue tool can make a difference in failure or successfully save lives in jeopardy. Apart from using the appropriate equipment, the rescue crew management must develop training that educates the members with; the use of the tool, assessment and strategizing the situation, and decision-making abilities that excess the safety and rescue standards.
● Management
The rescue personnel is trained for rescue missions in the ocean, coastal, and land-based research planning procedures for SAR professionals from all branches; this includes the military rescue associates, various government agencies, SAR volunteer organizations, and members of the international SAR community.
Depending on the location, correct planning and action strategies can have a huge influence on the mission’s success or failure. These protocols provide primary SAR priority for marine accidents; they also lead to accurate decision-making for secondary SAR support and coordination activities with Search and Rescue Organization.
● Vehicles
Deciding on the location of the distress signal, you will have to make a call on the type of vehicle to use for reaching out. It is either carried out by patrol aircraft, helicopters, and ships of marine patrols under command and control of the Rescue Coordination Center.
For small-scale missions, the rescuer team can operate with small SAR vessels and helicopters. Larger Maritime Search and Rescue operations use a more extensive and multilayer plan of action with several aircraft and helicopter operators, the merchant marine, and power and naval resources.
Search and Rescue Services plays a critical role in the safety of individuals along the coasts and in the deep sea. The core element of SAR response complements any and all distress calls through the use of auxiliary equipment and multipurpose search and rescue vessels.
As soon as the center receives information that one or more people are in danger, the SAR coordinator begins organizing rescue operations. While each rescue mission has a specific requirement, some situations are rather more common- in both offshore and inland waterways.
For instance, local SAR services launch a rescue operation and use the 121.5 MHz homing signal to locate the aux beacon. On other occasions, the units’ protocol is instrumental in the rescue of several boats and ships, responding to a search signal sent by an X-band radar, usually at 9 GHz.
In this article, we will review some of the most effective tools that are economical and used by the military, government stations as must-have rescue equipment.
While sensors and research platforms continue to improve, sailors lost at sea aboard small boats that are difficult to detect remain a problem for the global coast guard. Although, if the lost person has a locator beacon, matters become much simpler. This way, the search crew can detect and offer the right rescue response– depending n the distance and location. The personal locator beacons cut down on time and increase the efficiency of rescue missions. Without these innovative tools, the mission represents long search times and high costs with a low probability of success.
● How Personal Locator Beacons can Revolutionize Rescue Missions
Maritime signaling beacons can also be used to send signals on the high seas and, using a small gadget and a dedicated interface provided by some coastal stations. These simple gadgets provide far-reaching signals to call for help before any serious danger to the ship, crew, or passenger.
By receiving the signal, the rescue team can make an assessment of the location and create a strategy to provide assistance to persons at sea in the event of their loss. Therefore, team members can proceed to rescue people in danger under reasonable circumstances. Local SAR services launch a rescue operation and use the 121.5 MHz homing signal to locate the beacon.
● Statistics and Personal Locator Success Rates
In North America, more than 43,000 Coast Guard personnel are on active duty. From this large number, only over 8,000 reservists and 30,000 support services cater to operations in over 3.4 million square miles of exclusive economic zones. By using these numbers as a rough indicator, you can imagine the massive sums of private and government-run rescue crews at sea on a daily basis.
What does that have to do with the personal beacon locators? Well, everything!
The statistics also show that the success rate of personal beacon locators is over 98% each time. It means only 2% of the ships and individuals who were equipped with the beacons and faced distress could not be reached in time. Most probably, this small percentage is evidently depending on the type of the accident; in case of loss of the gadget, submersion of the vessel, or fire accidents at sea, sending a signal becomes more challenging.
● A Look at the Characteristics of Personal Locator Beacons
When activated, the PLB will send an emergency signal via the global satellite system to the appropriate rescue control center. If a person is in an emergency and needs help, they can use the PLB as an emergency beacon that broadcasts their location via satellites. After receiving the signal, your search and rescue personnel can find the caller anywhere in the world.
This low-cost PLB will alert search and rescue services immediately and enable them to quickly find your centers’ distress calls in an emergency, on land, or at sea. This PLB weighs less than 5 ounces, takes up little space in your backpack, and provides a GPS-enabled distress signal.
This equipment is the most reliable, yet simple machine in the event of an unprecedented emergency. The rescue beacons have the best salty protection capabilities and are very suitable for use in marine environments. If you would like to know more about the personal locator beacons, our exports at FSE SAFE are more than happy to answer all your questions accordingly.
● Necessary Steps Prior to Use
Though the use of the beacon is as simple as pressing a button, there are some steps to follow before upon purchase. The owner must register their unit. There is no cost to, and once completed, the PLB’s distress call will be linked to the personal information – name, address, emergency phone numbers, any medical indication.
This information can provide clues for your specific needs and speed up response times. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, this EPIRB will broadcast the caller’s location to an extensive network of search and rescue satellites, alerting local first responders of your location in the event of an emergency. It is equipped with an internal 66-channel GPS for faster data collection from a cold start.
Not all individuals are equipped with personal locator beacons or similar signaling gadgets. More often than not, individuals assume there is no danger in venturing off the coat without protection. Some may even think their abilities are enough to help them pass through any line of danger. In reality, dangers can befall just about anyone at sea.
The Reach and Rescue Telescopic Rescue Poles are essentially water rescue equipment that makes distant casualty retrieval much safer for your team of rescuers. A 60 foot extension pole is an invaluable tool for the surfer who is paddling out to catch a wave, the beachcomber who’s wandered a little too far from shore, or the kayaker on an extended paddle. They have been used with obvious success by flood response teams and fire and rescue teams across the world.
● Rescue Success Rate with Telescopic Poles
The Reach & Rescue telescopic boom helps the rescue team to precisely position the flotation device / rescue device from a boat or land to the victim. With Reach and Rescues telescopic stands, your team can access a range of up to 60 ft- this is a new generation extendable pole with hook and provide much longer access than the ordinary ones. This way, they can assess and strategize for quick rescue operations with directional accuracy.
By allowing them to conduct rescue operations from a safe location without the need to take risks, the device helps protect rescuers and rescuee from associated hazards into further dangerous waters.
When it comes to location, the telescope clothing reach poles provide a solution to use in a variety of geographical environments. So the rescue team can ensure the safety and capabilities of operators in the event of accidents involving water, ice, mud, or flooding.
● A Look at the Characteristics of Telescopic Safety Rods
These poles are the telescopic device that extends and contract. Rescue Reach Pole systems provide a quick and agile way to reach an unconscious victim in the water and retrieve objects from the water.
These rescue tools are stored in special containers located in the city center and can be used by a large number of community members.. Accuracy of direction. Such versatility of Reach 60ft and Reach and Rescue rods. The retractable and lockable rescue rod with a large connecting hook has a unique safety function. The ever-popular Reach and Rescues poles are equipped with a water level indicator.
This system is especially effective for connecting rescue systems to workers who have fallen from their harness to their personal fall arrest systems. Thanks to the safety lock, the length of the rescue rod can be flexibly adjusted and automatically tightened when pulled out to ensure safety. If you think you need this outstanding equipment in your rescue system, or looking for more details, get in touch with our marine rescue expert at FSE SAFE.
● Statistics involved with Rescue Telescopic Rods
By ensuring that in the event of drowning, flooding, or accidents, the speed and effective action have a direct impact on the success rates. The telescopic rescue system makes rescue operations quick, safe, and reliable, unaffected by wind and sea currents, helping the injured and avoiding secondary injuries.
This device was introduced about a decade ago and has come a long way in saving lives and providing resume solutions. For instance, In the United Kingdom, over 80% of the rescue organizations have adapted the use of telescopic poles for their multifunctional use- though the long-range telescopic rod system is used to save lives around the world.
You may also check: Seabob rescue, Rescue Dummy
The Rescue Poles are manufactured using multiple layers of the highest-grade carbon fibre giving the system outstanding strength, rigidity and light weight. This provides users with control and confidence in the pole which ensures accuracy and speed in vital rescues.
The Rescue Poles are manufactured using multiple layers of the highest-grade carbon fibre giving the system outstanding strength, rigidity and light weight. This provides users with control and confidence in the pole which ensures accuracy and speed in vital rescues.
Marine search and rescue can be an urgent matter in many situations, and when you need to find someone. The right equipment and rescue tool kits are exactly what you need. Besides reaching out to the people at the right time, these accessories help your purpose in finding the people in time and even at great distances in the water.
