Coast Guard Emergency Response Flashcards
6 cards from real Coast Guard Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Coast Guard Emergency Response flashcards as text
What does the acronym EPIRB stand for and what is its purpose?
Answer: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon — a device that transmits distress signals with GPS coordinates to satellite rescue systems
An EPIRB automatically transmits a distress signal on 406 MHz to the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system when activated (manually or by water contact), providing identity and GPS position for search and rescue coordination.
What are the stages of the Coast Guard search and rescue process?
Answer: Awareness, initial action, planning, operations, and conclusion
The SAR process follows five stages: Awareness (receiving distress information), Initial Action (evaluating and alerting), Planning (developing search plans), Operations (conducting the search/rescue), and Conclusion (suspending or completing the case).
What is the purpose of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety program?
Answer: Preventing maritime casualties, protecting property, and safeguarding the marine environment through inspections, investigations, and regulations
Marine Safety encompasses vessel inspections, port safety assessments, marine casualty investigations, waterways management, and environmental protection enforcement to prevent loss of life, property, and environmental damage.
What is the Incident Command System (ICS) as used by the Coast Guard?
Answer: A standardized management system for organizing multi-agency emergency response with clear command, operations, planning, logistics, and finance sections
ICS provides a standardized, scalable framework with defined roles (Incident Commander, Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Administration) enabling effective multi-agency coordination during emergencies.
What are the primary duties of the United States Coast Guard?
Answer: Maritime safety, security, stewardship (environment), law enforcement, and national defense
The Coast Guard's eleven statutory missions include ports/waterways security, drug interdiction, aids to navigation, search and rescue, marine environmental protection, fisheries enforcement, ice operations, and defense readiness.
What type of distress signal should be used during the day versus at night?
Answer: Day: orange smoke signals, signal mirror, or distress flag; Night: red flares, strobe light, or electric SOS light
Day signals include orange smoke flares (visible against sky), signal mirrors (flashing reflected sunlight), and distress flags. Night signals include red flares, electronic strobe lights, and electric SOS lights visible in darkness.