Coast Guard personnel who are currently certified as a coxswain on a particular type of boat by their CO may ____
Take charge of the boat to perform a specific sortie or mission
Coxswain authority
The coxswain is the direct representative of the OIC and, as such, (subject to articles 88-91 of the UCMJ) has authority and responsibility which are independent of rank or seniority in relation to other personnel embarked. The coxswain’s authority and responsibility exist only when the boat is engaged on a specific sortie or mission.
When can the coxswain leave the boat?
In the coxswain’s judgment, and after careful consideration of the remaining crewmembers experience, the operational benefits clearly outweigh the risk of leaving the boat without a qualified coxswain, and when time permits, every effort is made by the coxswain to receive the concurrence of the OIC
What is the response time to any corner of the AOR?
2 hours from time of notification to time on scene
What is the AOR response time based on?
Moderate environmental conditions, cruising speed, and 30 minute prep time plus 90 minutes underway to on scene
What are the 4 SAR publications?
- IAMSAR Manual
- National SAR Plan
- National SAR Supplement
- CG Addendum to the National SAR Supplement
What level should SMC duties be at?
Lowest possible, however should move up to next level if beyond the capability of the current. Depends on nature and complexity of the case, and the adequacy of the current level to maintain it, the geographic proximity.
What requires SMC to be at the District level?
AMVER cases, initial actions for ELT, EPIRB, HF-DSC, and INMARSAT alerts. Also cases outside of the US SRR, where assistance is requested by an international RCC or where a US citizen appears to be in distress outside of US SRR
What is heavy weather?
Seas, swell and wind combining to exceed 8 ft or winds exceeding 30 knots
SAR program primary goal
Prevent loss of life in every situation where our actions and performance could possibly be brought to bear
SAR program objectives
- Minimize loss of life, injury, and property loss and damage in the maritime environment
- Minimize crew risk during SAR missions
- Optimize the use of resources in conducting SAR
- Maintain a world leadership position in maritime SAR
What is obviously dead?
Patients who are decapitated, incinerated, have major organs (heart, lungs, brain, or liver) separated, or for whom rigor mortis or lividity is present
What must be observed to determine if a patient is apneic, unresponsive, and pulseless for more than 10 minutes?
No pulse in carotid artery for 60 seconds, no respiratory effort for 60 seconds despite an open airway, unresponsive to painful stimulation, and not tendon reflexes. No pupillary reflexes, no corneal reflexes, and no evidence of drug overdose as the cause of the unresponsiveness
If this is a SAR or MEDEVAC mission, where higher level of care is ____, contact with a ____ is impossible, and the patient is ____, CRP may be withheld
- More than 30 minutes away
- Physician
- 18 years of age or older
CPR will be continued until ____
- The patient is revived
- Aid provider is exhausted and cannot physically continue
- Aid provider is relieved by another qualified aid provider
- Death is determined by physician
- Provider is directed to stop by physician
Who makes the decision to stop CPR for a hoist? How to determine if that person is unavailable?
- Flight surgeon
- CRP protocol chart
Who makes decision to transport NOK with MEDEVAC patients?
SMC with consultation with the coxswain
Factors impacting decision to stop CPR to hoist patient
- Time since arrest
- Proximity to medical care
- Expected duration of hoist and if sufficient personnel are available to continue CPR while prepping hoist
- On scene conditions
- Other medical factors
Distress policy
Respond immediately if able, to include broadcasting a UMIB and dispatching appropriate resources
Non-distress policy
Monitor the situation, help to contact assistance, or make a broadcast if no help available. If no response in a reasonable time, a CG resource may be used
Helo ops relative wind speed and angle
15 - 30 kts
35°-45° off the port bow
How to approach downed helo
Bow on from leeward
Chart hierarchy
- ENC
- NGA DNC
- Official RNC
- Commercial Vector Chart
- Commercial Raster Charts
When to make a new plot when dead reckoning
- At least every hour on the hour
- Every course change
- Every speed change
- After each fix or running fix
- When obtaining a single line of position
- Plot a new course line from each fix
