USCG Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information must be included in a MAYDAY distress call?
- MAYDAY, vessel name, position, nature of distress, number of persons aboard, and any other relevant information (Correct answer)
- MAYDAY, vessel name, home port, and cargo manifest
- MAYDAY, registration number, and destination port
- MAYDAY, vessel name, and owner contact information
Correct answer: MAYDAY, vessel name, position, nature of distress, number of persons aboard, and any other relevant information
A MAYDAY call must include the word MAYDAY spoken three times, vessel name, position, nature of distress, number of persons aboard, and any other information helpful to rescuers.
Question 2: What is the primary SAR coordination agency in the U.S.?
- NOAA
- The U.S. Navy
- The U.S. Coast Guard (Correct answer)
- The FAA
Correct answer: The U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead federal agency responsible for maritime SAR coordination, operating Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs) and Rescue Sub-Centers (RSCs) throughout the country.
Question 3: What is a 'man overboard' (MOB) buoy used for?
- Marking anchored vessels at night
- Marking the location of a person in the water to assist in recovery (Correct answer)
- Warning other vessels of shallow water
- Signaling a vessel's position during fog
Correct answer: Marking the location of a person in the water to assist in recovery
A man overboard buoy is deployed immediately when a person falls overboard; it marks the spot to help the crew track the person's location as the vessel maneuvers to recover them.
Question 4: What is the 'Williamson Turn' used for in SAR operations?
- A method for anchoring in currents
- A shiphandling maneuver to return a vessel to its reciprocal track to search for a person overboard (Correct answer)
- A method for deploying life rafts
- A turning maneuver in restricted waters
Correct answer: A shiphandling maneuver to return a vessel to its reciprocal track to search for a person overboard
The Williamson Turn is a standard shiphandling maneuver that returns the vessel to its original track on a reciprocal course, allowing it to search the path where a person was last seen.
Question 5: What is the recommended immediate action when a person falls overboard?
- Sound five short blasts and stop the engines
- Throw a life ring, shout 'man overboard,' alert the crew, and keep the person in sight (Correct answer)
- Contact the Coast Guard before maneuvering
- Deploy the life raft first
Correct answer: Throw a life ring, shout 'man overboard,' alert the crew, and keep the person in sight
Immediately throw a life ring toward the person, shout 'man overboard' to alert the crew, assign a lookout to keep continuous visual contact, and maneuver the vessel for recovery.
Question 6: What is GMDSS and its primary purpose?
- A navigation system for coastal waters
- A global maritime distress and safety communication system ensuring rescuers can be alerted and located quickly (Correct answer)
- A weather satellite network for mariners
- A port traffic management system
Correct answer: A global maritime distress and safety communication system ensuring rescuers can be alerted and located quickly
The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is an internationally agreed system using satellite and terrestrial radio communications to ensure rapid alerting of SAR authorities and coordination of rescue operations.
USCG Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations 2
What information must be included in a MAYDAY distress call?