Coast Guard Search and Rescue Manual

[Joseph Berkovitz]

Do you ever wonder what just the US Coast Guard does when they receive a Channel 16 Mayday call? Or how they go about looking for someone out there in trouble, if they don't know exactly where they are? How do they decide when to stop looking for someone because they're probably no longer alive?

All you ever wanted to know about this, and much more, can be found here:

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/CG-5R/manuals/COMDTINST M16130.2F.pdf

It's a bit much to read cover to cover, but it gives a lot of insight into how much careful process, planning and execution is applied to keeping us all safe on the water. Interesting fodder for reading and discussion, along with a copy of Deep Trouble.

In the meantime, here's a summary of key points provided by a USCG employee who is active in the Bay Area kayaking community:

Quote

-Someone in a survival situation has a distorted understanding of time. They usually think that things are much longer than they are. Unless they hacked their watch as soon as they hit the water, estimations are usually generous. Meaning, 15 minutes may have been closer to 2-5 minutes, but who knows, this could have been tracked by the survivor somehow.

-People tend to not accept that they are in a survival situation very quickly. While it’s easy to assume the right action in a survival situation is clear, those in crisis go through a process of sorting through fact vs. emotion, wading through physical discomfort to harvest inputs, and finally, creating an accurate mental model of their full situation. This takes longer than one would expect but does explain inaction.

-Stress is the ultimate IQ killer. Next time you're late to an important meeting and have your car keys in your hand, your glasses on your face, or phone in your pocket while you frantically search for these items, you will know what I mean - and that’s the stress created by potentialy missing an obligation let alone a hazard to your life. When someone hits the water, alone, watching their boat sail away from them, and realizes they are in trouble - stress-based emotion is in charge. Sometimes that’s ok because that can save our lives. It allows us to swim incredible distances, tread-water with a child above our heads, or cling to a rock being pounded by surf. However, as this emotion slows we regain executive function and start to remember the radio strapped to the vest. So, unless you are very experienced with being in this type of situation, the critical life-saving action like using your radio may not come to mind first.

-The radio is a lifesaver. There is almost no better tool in any scenario. Your radio “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.” on CH. 16 is recorded, then triangulated to fairly high accuracy, and that will lead crews directly to your position. After a PFD, an immersion-proof VHF is the most important piece of gear if you get in trouble.

 

[Pintail]

Joe, I have actually heard (or witnessed) <two> real Mayday calls on VHF, back in my aviation days -- and I tell you what: it <really> makes you sit bolt upright and listen with bated breath!  Hope you never hear one for real...

[prudenceb]

8 hours ago, Pintail said:

Joe, I have actually heard (or witnessed) <two> real Mayday calls on VHF, back in my aviation days -- and I tell you what: it <really> makes you sit bolt upright and listen with bated breath!  Hope you never hear one for real...

Hope we never have to MAKE ONE for real!

[Doug Cooke]

Thank you for sharing this Joe! I found it insightful.