Coxswain Study Guide Flashcards
Coxswain Duties and Responsibilites
Shall be responsible in order of precedence;
- Safety and conduct of passsngers and crew
- Safe operation and navigation of boat assigned
- Completion of sortie or mission assigned
- Respond to hazards to life or property
- Respond to violations of laws or regulations 6. Respond to discrepancies in aids to navigation
Who may relieve the coxswain?
(The coxswain is the direct representative of the CO or OIC and as such has authority and responsibility which are independent of rank or seniority)
- the CO, OIC, XO, XPO
- The most senior officer at the scene of a distress who excersises authority under the provisions of article 5-1-4, wether or not other units are involved.
When can the coxswain leave the boat?
- In the coxswains judgment and after careful consideration of the remaining crew memerbers’ experience, the operational benefits outweigh the risk leaving the boat without a qualified coxswain and
- every effort is made to receive the concurrence of their operational commander or CO.
SAR Policy TITLE 14, Section 2 (14 U.S.C. 2?
The coast guard SHALL! Develop, establish, maintain and operate SAR facilities and may render aid to distressed persons and protect and save property on and under the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
SAR Policy TITLE 14, section 88 (14 U.S.C. 88)
- Law AURHORIZES! The coast guard to undertake SAR missions but because of the critical importance of evaluating each mission and its risk, the law DOES NOT COMPEL! The coast guard to undertake any particular mission.
- Coast guard MAY! Rescue persons or property, take charge and protect property saved, furnish food and clothing to persons in distress, tow or destroy hazards to navigation.
SAR Policy TITLE 14 Section 141 (14 U.S.C. 141)
Allows local, state and federal entities to request coast guard assistance and allows coast guard to request their assistance.
(ALWAYS a coast guard priority to remove people from danger)
Maritime SAR Assistance Policy
- Enacted by Congress in 1982
- It directed the commandant to “review coast guard policies and procedures for towing and salvage of disabled vessels in order to further minimize the possibility of coast guard competition or interference with commercial enterprise.”
MARB Policy
(Maritime assistance request broadcast)
- CG Policy to defer to an alternate responder
- Specifically for non distress
- Mariner will be informed that a marb can be made to their assistance
- It’s Policy to defer to an alternate responder when no imminent danger exists and will assist in contacting commercial help, Good Samaritan, friend, etc.
- Must allow 10 min prior to launching Coast guard asset
- coast guard asset can be launched if party cannot be on scene within a reasonable time (1 hour)
Hoaxes and False Alarms
- case where info is reported with intent to deceive
- false alarm; defined as a distress reported but confirmed to be not in distress but reporting source did not deliberately act to deceive
- coast guard units will respond without delay even if suspected of a hoax.
Policy for closing hoax and false alarm cases
When the source of a hoax or false alert has been confirmed, SMC or the SC should close the case. However, when source of suspected false alert or hoax is unknown , the case cannot be closed but only suspended because of how we would be perceived.
Medico/Medivac
Medico: a request for medical advice at sea
Medivac: an evacuation from a vessel at sea due to a medical emergency
Fire Fighting Policy
- coas guard primary concern is saving lives, then property
- coast guard shall response to fires onboard coast guard vessels
- coast guard renders “assistance as available” based on personal training and equipment
- coast guard shall not engage in independent fire fighting operations, except to save a life or in the early stages of a fire.
- coast guard shall not actively engage in fire fighting except in support of a regular fire fighting agency under the supervision of a national fire protection association (NFPA) certified fire officer.
- primary responsibility for coordinating fire fighting activities involving commercial vessel or waterfront facilities within their AOR rests with COTP.
Forcible Evacuation Policy
- The authortity to force or compel mariners to abandon their vessels when a life threatening emergency exists and there is an immediate need for assistance or aid.
- Coast guard should use all means like powers of persuasion to encourage a mariner to evacuate when appropriate.
- Use ORM as a model
- Decision authority can be as low as the OSC, SMC, and SC shall be notified immediately.
- Actual removal is performed by a BO/BM
- 14 USC 88 allows to take any and all acts to save a life.
Direction and NAV assistance policy
- Responsibility for the safety and NAV of a vessel rests with the operator NOT the coast guard
- Passing info is discouraged due to potential liability.
- Accurate and reliable NAV info may be passed like any info from NOAA nautical charts, LNM, LL, CP, ect.
- Watchstanders shall not pass courses to steer.
- Request/advice to enter and inlet or breaking bar: unit shall advise mariner to have all personnel put on their PFD’s and to not attempt until weather moderates. “When in doubt, stay out” is good advice.
Flare Sighting Policy
- Issue UMIB (urgent marine info broadcast)
- Pyro shall be treated and responded to as distress situations unless sufficient other available info indicates no distress exists.
- Fill flare sighting sheet in SAR addendum.
- Unresolved red/orange flare sightings require a first light search.
General Salvage Policy
Other than towing
- When no commercial salvage facilities are on scene, coast guard shall engage in salvage when limited salvage ops can prevent a worsening situation or complete loss of the vessel
- Commercial salvors on scene, you may assist if salvor requests
- Salvage ops are performed at the discretion of CO/OIC
- Coast guard may assist in non distress situation when no higher priority mission exists and no other capable resource is reasonably available.
- If a coast guard resource arrives first in a distress situation and renders the situation non distress CG may complete case or pass it over to commercial vessel.
Examples include:
- Ungrounding of small recreational vessel
- Dewatering
- General Damage control
- Allowing the next tide to refloat a vessel
- Help set anchors
- Evacuate passengers
- Help determine vessels sea worthiness
Surface Swimmer Policy
-Normally deployed to assist in man overboard situations
-SHALL not enter capsized hulls, May attempt to direct trapped persons out but shall not dive under the vessel.
-CG addendum states:
“The coxswain will designate a crew member as a swimmer.. a swimmer should be used only when absolutely necessary because.. it means an additional person has to be picked up from the water. Another crew member must tend the line attached to the swimming harnes at all times.”
Policy for persons falling or jumping from bridges
When report received from a person falling or jumping from a bridge, the report shall be treated as a distress call with a corresponding appropriate response.
SLDMB
Self locating datum marker buoy
Utilizes satellite based technology to determine position and current information.
When to issue UMIB (urgent marine information broadcast)
- Whenever The SMC determines that important maritime information needs to reach the wisest possible audience
- “PAN PAN”
- All uncorrelated mayday ch 16 calls. Ex: no position or identification info to generate a search area
- Flare sightings
- Shall be broadcasted for 1 hour at 15 min intervals
- Overdue vessel reports
- Other situations as deemed necessary by the SMC
EPIRB’s (electronic position indicating radio beacon)
- 121.5 and 406 MHz
- 121.5: anonymous, accurate to 15nm, limited satellite detection, treated as uncertainty, needing additional info.
- 406: designed to work with satellites, accurate to 3nm, includes vessel identity, no range limit, treated as maydays/distress.
-Two categories:
Cat 1: auto and manual
Cat 2: manual
(EPIRB->Satellite->Mission coordination center->Rescue coordination center)
ANT philadelphia AOR
-Trenton NJ in the north to little river, DE in the south
-Tributaries included:
Rancocas Creek, big timber creek, schuylill river, mantua creek, Christina river, Salem river, Cohansy river, Smyrna river and eastern end of C and D canal
Max U/W limits
8 hours for less than 4 ft waves
6 hours for more than 4 ft waves
Minimum 8 hours of rest.
250 miles or 8 hours trailering.
Max allowable cross track error on each leg?
50 yards
Max speed at night
20 knots
Who is authorized to silence and alarm?
The coxswain
AOR 1?
Cooper river
Dredge harbor
Rancocas creek
Neshaminy creek
AOR 2:
Schuykill river Mantua creek Racoon creek Christina river Salem river C and D canal Cohansy river Port Mahon
ANT Philadelphia’s restricted areas
- North of Trenton marine terminal on the Delaware river
- Charted limited access areas and restricted navigation areas when no conducting ATON missions or transiting to conduct ATON missions.
State the Four primary geographic divisions of responsibility for U.S. SAR
- Atlantic maritime
- Pacific maritime
- Aeronautical Atlantic
- Aeronautical pacific
State the 2 geographic areas of Coast Guard Responsibility for SAR
Pacific
Atlantic
4 general objectives that provide guidance for the SAR program
- Minimize loss of life, injury, and property loss and damage in the maritime environment
- Minimize crew risk during SAR missions
- Optimize use of resources in conducting SAR
- Maintain a world leadership position in maritime SAR.