GMDSS & IAMSAR Vol. III Flashcards
GMDSS
What are the three main search patterns?
For witnessed MOB:
- Sector Search - Good over a small search area
- Expanding Square search - good when datum is known to relatively close limits
How would you know / determine your search leg lengths?
What are you searching for? Person? Liferaft?
What are the weather conditions? Wave height, visibility?
Look at table inside IAMSAR - “uncorrected sweep widths for merchant vessels”
For unwitnessed MOB:
- Creeping line search - in collaboration with yachts tenders? Used when a person has disappeared without a trace on a known route
GMDSS
How long will your reserve power sources last?
- Emergency generator 18 hours
- Batteries only 6 hours
- Both will power steering, bridge equipment, fire pump and bilge pumps etc
GMDSS
What would be an OK reading for your emergency GMDSS battery during your daily checks?
- 13.2 V
- Hydrometer to check battery acid - PPE!
- Distilled water
Describe the Williamson turn
Describe the Anderson turn
Describe the Sharnov turn
New turn - Loren turn
-Facilitates launch and recovery of rescue boat on leeward side
-Circling calms the sea by interference with wave patterns
Checklist - Man Overboard
Man Overboard
- Release lifebuoy with light and smoke signal on side that person has fallen overboard
- Assign the look-out to indicate the position of the person in the water
- Activate MOB marker on GPS
- Activate MOB mark on ECDIS
- Engage hand steering
- Take immediate manoeuvring action to preserve safety of person in water
- Sound general alarm, including three prolonged blasts on the ship’s whistle
- Be called as Master
- Post extra look-outs
- Commence recovery manoeuvre
- Prepare for recovery of persons from water
- Broadcast DISTRESS messsage, if appropriate
- Engines on standby
- Assume role of On-Scene Co-ordinator
- Hoist signal OSCAR
- Maintain log/record of events and decisions
IAMSAR Vol III
Provides guidance for those operate mobile facilities and who may be called upon to support SAR efforts, require assistance or act as OSC. Contains actions cards which provide quick access to important informations.
IAMSAR Vol I, II, III
Vol I - Organisation and Management
Vol II - Mission Co-Ordination
Vol III - Mobile Facilities
AMVER
Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System. Voluntary reporting system used by SAR quthorities to arrange assistance to persons in distress at sea. Sponsored by the US Coast Guard
Action of reciept of Distress message
Treat Every distress message as serious
UNCLOS - SOLAS V R.33
Within Sea-Area:
-Commence Record keeping
-If DSC switch to RT channel
-Wait 5 mins for coast radio/RCC to answer / Distress traffic in progress
-Make entry into GMDSS Logbook
-Position to assist - Acknowledge distress
-Relay if no response from Coast Radio
-Proceed at best speed
-Prepare for possible search and rescue action.
-Prepare onboard equipment and LSA equipment
Outside Sea Area:
-Commence record keeping
-Immediately acknowledge distress by radiotelephony
-Obtain as much information as possible
-Relay by any means
-Proceed at best speed
-Conduct risk assessment on route
-Prepare for possible search and rescue action.
-Prepare onboard equipment and LSA equipment - liferafts, lifejackets, lifebouys, line throwing apparatus, means of embarkation.
-post additional lookouts
-Medical / Food / Water / Rescue Boat / Liferafts / Cranes or methods of recovery / shelter / blankets / consider safety of own crew and vessel
See a flare: take a bearing
Responsibilities of the OSC
On-Scene Coordinator:
Check the action cards in the back of IAMSAR III:
-Co-ordinate operations of all SAR facilities on-scene
-Receive a search action plan from the RCC or plan the operation if no plan is otherwise available
-Co-ordinate on scene communications
-Monitor the performance of other participating facilities
-Make periodic SITREPS to the RCC
-Maintain a detailed record of operation
-Advise, Report to RCC the number and names of survivors and release facilities no longer required.
What is GMDSS?
Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. All vessels >300GT
-Alerting
-Search and Rescue coordination
-Location
-MSI broadcasts
-General comms
-Bridge to Bridge comms
GMDSS Sea Areas
**A1 **- means an area with RT / DSC of at least one VHF coast station (15 - 30NM or line of sight) - require Navtex / VHF 06/13/16 & 70
**A2 **- means an areas (excluding A1) within RT coverage of at least oen MF coast station 200-300NM) - require Navtex / VHF / MF
**A3 **- means an area (excluding A3) within coverage of an Inmarsat geostationary satellite (about 76 degrees N/S) - require Navtex / VHF / MF / SATC or MF/HF
A4 - means an area outside sea areas A1, A2, A3 - Polar regions - require Navtex, VHF, MF/HF
SART x 2 -500GT and over
EPIRB x 1
3 x VHF radio - 500GT and over
