US Coastguard mission statement?

[ifmdalvey]

I sail around Maine waters and always listen to ch16. From the following i now wonder if the Coastguard`s duties include lifesaving or is Homeland security their priority.
While sailing 3 weeks ago i copied a mayday transmitted twice for an alternator fire, with no response from the coastguard, I proceeded to transmit a mayday relay twice, finally the distress vessel transmitted a mayday again and this time got a reply.
Also, on several of occasions, reports of people or dinghys floating in the water, an EIPRB transmission and a boat on rocks only got regular transmissions asking for boaters to keep a good lookout and report if anything has been sighted.
Back in the UK, all of those incidents would have had both the SAR helicopter launched and a lifeboat launched. Now i used to fly on RAF patrol aircraft and have flown many SAR missions and know the correct radio procedures for mayday traffic, the US coastguard appear to have a list of innocuous questions that if you are fighting a fire or desperately trying to stop a sinking would not have time to answer.
The question, is this only happening in the New England sector or is the coastguards response always a passive one relying on external help of other boaters?
My wife and myself are fast moving towards the decision of making our initial call for assistance to Towboat, at least they respond.

 

[Tim R.]

Ian, I have also heard some of those calls but I have also heard some calls that the coast guard was very responsive and went out of their way to assist vessels that were not in danger but simply disabled. A couple of weeks ago, a boat that was towed into Popham after the CG called Sea Tow. And a few random calls this past weekend.

I have been out the last 3 weekends and have not heard any Mayday calls although I only monitor 16 while making way.

One thing I do notice about the calls is that the CGs script is very consistent. What is your position? Is the boat in danger? How many aboard? Any lives in danger? Are you wearing life jackets? etc. After the initial script, they usually try to move the call to cell.

Another problem is that their budget has been drastically cut like most Gov agencies and they only have so much to work with. Despite what you see on TV, gov agencies are already cutting back in preparation for deep cuts in 2012.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Then there is the issue of can they even get there in time to do something. I've only seen heard them launch the helos once in 7 years and that was for a man in the water at night. Have heard plenty of suspicion of a man in the water, boat on fire, taking on water, etc. and all they did was the script and ask nearby boats to assist as possible. After following all these through to conclusion I'd have to agree that dispaching a helo or rescue boat is pretty useless. All the emergencies where handled by nearby boats with no lives lost. The one case of them launching the helo was during the week and at night when there is nobody around.
sounds like they are cutting costs where they can without accepting too much risk on our part.

 

[Alan]

Risk???.. on OUR part??? Their number ONE job is saving lives not money. Imagine your house is on fire, you dial 911 to get help and your requested to answer a litany of questions before anyone will respond. Better still, imagine you get no answer at all.
I have no first hand info on any of this but if as Ian states the facts then it seems the CG's are not doing their job that I would expect they should.

 

[kloudie1]

We have a lot more commercial traffic in the area with the Miss River and the Intercoastal. all the rigs, fishing boats, and the ports along the Gulf Coast, so we have fairly rapid response from the Coasties.. In addition, there is a lot of training in the south end of Mobile Bay which has helos and guys on the ready. The local sheriff has SAR that is used on Lake Pontchartrain.A couple of years ago, I was impressed by the Coasties intercepting a brand new 150 foot yacht that was in the process of sinking during its initial delivery. From the helo, they deftly landed a guy and a pump on the foredeck as the yacht was makiing about 10 knots toward New Orleans on the Intercoastal.. I was impressed by the pilot pacing the yacht, flying sideways, so he could see clearly, for a couple of miles or so that it took to get the pump and guy down and then the guy back up.. We heard the initial call and were close so we were paying close attention.. the pump was on the deck after only about a half hour from their initial call. Probably not the norm, but they surely responded quickly.

 

[CharlieCobra]

I've seen both behaviors out here. They usually respond quickly if anyone's in the water or a boat is sinking because the water here will kill you. I participated in a SAR that became a Recovery when currents grabbed a diver over by Deception Pass. The helo was airborne and gridding for about two hours over us. The Recovery was unsuccessful.

 

[KD3PC]

Risk???.. on OUR part??? Their number ONE job is saving lives not money.

Sadly you are mistaken, perhaps that was their job years ago; before DHS....their job is now what ever DHS says it is...and as an ex USCg Aux, I can tell you that, as the others have indicated, a lot of the response is handed back to the Aux/Towboat/SeaTow/LLEO/etc....and most of the recovery should a situation go that way.

Money is a very big issue, when it comes to response/readiness...

 

[ifmdalvey]

Tim, my mayday relay definately went out as a friend in an other sailboat heard my transmissions, therefore it took 5 calls of mayday (in Casco Bay) to get an answer, thats the bit i really find unacceptable. The question and answer script is mainly the fault of boaters not transmitting a full and complete mayday, therefore forcing the USCG to ask all the questions, i assume.
kd3pc, The UK has no spare money either, in fact probably worse off but there, the MCA and the lifeboat service (all volunteer) will go to a rescue situation straight away, money does not enter into the question when lives are at risk.
I just find the passive response alien in a boating situation.
So, is it just happening in the north east or all around our shores?

 

[Benny17441]

I find that to ask a few questions before dispatching a rescue vehicle is not only prudent but wise. Our local EMS could benefit from such a policy, instead or sending an EMS truck to every fender bender they should ask a few questions from the person reporting the accident. This perhaps may make the wait time a little less for those having a medical emergency and saving fuel and wear and tear on the vehicles. I'm pleased with the services the USCG provides here in District 7. They save lives, keep our waterways open and patrol and secure our shores. If you find their services to be defficient in your District I would suggest you contact the Admiral's headquarters and file a complaint. I don't find a problem with not dispatching a boat or aircraft until the nature of an emergency is determined, I do have a problem with them not responding to calls over the radio. Fortunately I don't see that as a problem here in District 7. It is not fair to say that in the UK it was done better. I, m glad to see that they have enough aircraft to respond to perhaps frivolous calls as well as have the aircraft and crews available to respond to real emergencies. I think the shoreline area is somewhat smaller as well as the number of registered vessels so things may be simpler on that corner of the other side of the big pond.

 

[Rick D]

Good Radio Response District 11

... at least in SoCal. I'd expect that the majority of responses are actually handled by the various Harbor Patrols and Lifeguard units, since most take place in proximity to them. However, they do respond when appropriate. So, no major issue here, and they seem to be generally responsive. However, issuing $300 tickets for a two-week expired flare set as they did to my friend in one recent training boarding seems over the top. I also believe they ought to qualify the radio operators by clarity and diction before turning them loose. And, while talking about nits, I sure would like it if they would give some physical location references with the coordinates with advisories since my radioman sometimes has to take a head break. Overall, they do a good job here with SAR. I do sometimes get irritated at the mindless check-sheet approach to a contact when it is a serious situation, but so do the 911 operators, etc, so we have to cut them some slack.

 

[Gail R]

I also sail in Maine. It was always my understanding that if lives are in imminent danger, the Coast Guard will do what is necessary to get rescue vessels to the scene as quickly as possible. Might be their own USCG vessels, Maine Marine Patrol or some local harbor master, or a nearby fishing or recreational boat. But a drifting dinghy in the New Meadows River, or a boat on the bricks but not taking on water, or a vessel that is simply disabled because their engine quit, does not reflect a life-threatening situation and does not require them to launch the helos. The CG will refer those folks to Sea Tow, or put out a pan-pan and urge vessels in the area to keep a sharp lookout and offer assistance.

As a taxpayer, I don't want my money used to tow some idiot back to shore because he was too stupid or too cheap to fill his fuel tank, or launch every helo in New England on the off chance that the dinghy someone neglected to secure may have had an occupant. They do the best they can to make a good judgement out of each call. I haven't heard a mayday call in Casco Bay for years.

 

[RobertLangdirect]

... However, issuing $300 tickets for a two-week expired flare set as they did to my friend in one recent training boarding seems over the top...

I thought that there is NO REQIREMENT to carry flares but rather a U.S.C.G. Approved Pyrotechnic or *** Non-Pyrotechnic **** Visual Distress Signals and that vessels are not required to carry day signals but must carry night signals WHEN OPERATING FROM SUNSET TO SUNDOWN AND competing in any organized marine parade, regatta, race, or similar event;

Did I get this wrong?

 

[Rick D]

I really don't know, but it's been my understanding and on all my check sheets.

Here's the language I found:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Recreational boats 16 feet and over used on coastal waters or the Great Lakes are required to carry a minimum of either 1) three day and three night pyrotechnic devices, 2) one day non-pyrotechnic device (flag) and one night non-pyrotechnic device (auto SOS light) or 3) a combination of 1) and 2). Recreational boats less than 16 feet on coastal waters or the Great Lakes need only carry night visual distress signals when operating from sunset to sunrise.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is recommended, but not required, that boats operating on inland waters should have some means of making a suitable day and night distress signal. The number and type of signals is best judged by considering conditions under which the boat will be operating. Alternatives to pyrotechnic devices (flares) include:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Night[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Day[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Strobe light[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Signal mirror[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Flashlight[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Red or orange flags[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Lantern[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hand signals[/FONT]I think the exceptions are only for inland vessels.

I was almost disqualified from a race after a USCGA inspector said my aerial flares were not approved for day use. I was lucky enough to have a catalog aboard and showed him they were sold as approved for day & night. He still was going to DQ me because they were not marked as such on the flare itself, but relented.







[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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[Stu Jackson]

How about a SIMPLE location, too???

... And, while talking about nits, I sure would like it if they would give some physical location references with the coordinates with advisories since my radioman sometimes has to take a head break.

I agree.

Our CG is now so used to using ONLY GPS coordinates that they fail to simplify issues. I am rarely in a position to write down a 20 digit set of coordinates. Why can't they simply add, "1/2 mile southeast of Point Point." But NOOOO, all we get are coordinates now. It is truly annoying in terms of wanting to be able to help if there's a real distress signal.

 

[Ross]

Re: How about a SIMPLE location, too???

At the root of this discusion is the cost of government. If you want unlimited government services then you must be prepared for unlimited demands for tax revenue. We all have credit cards and can all call Seatow or Boat US for assistance and pay the bills. Remember it is government of the people by the people and for the people. We all have to pay for what we want.

 

[tommays]

We had a pretty big issue on the Long Island Sound with FAKE calls over a several year time frame and there were several arrests and i would think we can not be the only place this happens and one reason they try and gather more info now

As we have head calls with real distress in 2009 which had a full response and made one in 2010 after hitting a rock which was handled really well i think it still works here

The 2009 call was telling as it was sad that a 37' boat in a distance race could NOT give a position

I have to say the private salvage guys were quite the vultures to the point of interfering with the CG communication

 

[Ross]

One thing that always need to be estaablished is whether you are reporting a problem or an emergency. Going aground on a soft bottom and a rising tide is a problem. Going aground on a lee shore in a building storm is an emergency.