RE: Emergency Help

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RE: Emergency Help

I remember being concerned when I learnt that the CG do nothing with passage plans until the boat is reported well overdue. Understandable really as so many boats dont contact Cg confirming safe arrival.

With survival time in the water so short what is the true position.

1. Passage plan with coastguard -search possibly commenced if relative notifies coastguard that you are 24hrs overdue?

2. EPIRB, boats in vicinity asked to look out after 2nd confirmation signal received? Search launched after say 2hrs once emergency telephones numbers contacted and confirmed that boat was in vicinity of signal etc?

3. DSC signal - search launched after 1hr? after failure to raise any contact on Ch 16? Delay due to possible accidental distress activation.

4. VHF Ch 16 Mayday -immediate response and dependant on distance rescue by helicopter say mid channel 1.5 to 2hrs. Divert a boat say 1hr.

My understanding of the situation is that if you are in the water its likely hyperthermia will get you first in all the above situations.

Can someone advise are my imaginary senarios and times realistic, have i missed anything and does this really say we need to take sensible precautions and look out for ourselves as rescue from being in the sea is unlikely but a life raft a possibility?

I really would like to get an understanding as to the realistic time that certain actions are taken by the rescue services. Anyone out there with that knowledge?
 
We do all seem to have adopted a "rescue me" mindset over the last few years. We used to be brought up to be self-sufficient.
On the roads, we are happy to pay large fees to AA; RAC etc for rescue - how much do you pay the Coast Gueard or RNLI ??
Ken
 
[ QUOTE ]
... does this really say we need to take sensible precautions and look out for ourselves as rescue from being in the sea is unlikely but a life raft a possibility?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you've answered your own question. Even if you know the "how long" it will only apply in some conditions - gales, other incidents, power cuts and a host of other things can affect your chances/priority for rescue.

When cycling carry a puncture repair kit, when sailing offshore carry a liferaft.
 
Sorry you missed the point of my post.

I was trying to establish the realistic responses and rescue times and then through this forum inform others and stimulate debate about what we really should carry.

I am not demanding an instant rescue service that I should not pay for and and unsure that anyone would think that.
 
I would hope that a rescue from somewhere like the channel would be underway in less time than you suggest. There has to be quite a high probability that a ship / ferry/ fv would be close enough to respond to a distress call in a reasonable time. Likewise a epirb signal -carrying a gps position- confirmed by overflying aircraft on 121.5 mhz should be taken seriously. Whilst on holiday we overheard the HMCG side of an urgency call from a pleasure vessel, somewhere mid channel. By the time Solent had taken the details an Affaires Maritime helo, which had monitored the call, was in contact with the boat and offering assistance.
 
I would have thought that a DSC "distress", even without CH16 confirmation would get immediate response.

Could be wrong though.

Wayne
 
I think you have answered your wider questions too from the framing of your examples.............I am going to suggest a wider viewpoint -
1. If you have lodged a passage plan and subsequently have cause to push the red button (and can hold it 5 secs..) but are unable to be contacted subsequently by VHF communications or mobile - the CG is going to try and put 2 x 2 together and if it fits you won't be waiting any longer than it takes to put things in motion. Given they know everything logged by you (if you believe in CG66s) they will be better placed to push green buttons then in anyother circumstance!
2. red button job out of the blue will inevitably have then looking for coroborating info - again CG66 data can help rationalise or dispute the info they are presented with - in my case an alert off blackpool would be a little inconsistent with a small moored not trailed powerboat from Poole.........
3. mayday on 16 has the advatage of catching the attention of local craft straight away but you are going to be on the radio for sometime to get the info to any responding craft - and the CG may well join in with their powerfull transmitters asking their own questions in their own order...........on balance if you can make a voice call then red button and respond to the CG's voice communications will be the fastest all round response - as has been said before if speed is an issue then red button / grab bags etc then pick up voice if you have time certainly has merits.
Epirbs come into their own if maintained on the person.........

belt and braces solution -

log journey with CG and at 'home'; have up to date complete CG66; wear lifejackets with spray hoods and personal epirbs, grab bag with flares, wp HH VHF and wp HH GPS - push red button for 5 secs and step up into inflated liferaft as you leave the vessel................
 
During the 2005 CIC when R4 caught fire off the atlantic coast, and issued a mayday on ch16 the response from rescue services was as follows:

0 mins - Instant response from Shannon CG on ch16
10 mins - Shannon Coast Guard helicopter arrived over head
11 mins - Kilrush Life Boat arrived on scene (RNLI Rib)
12 mins - Ballybunion Life Boat arrived (RNLI Rib)
14 mins - Two local fishing boats arrived on scene to assist
40 mins - Fenit Life Boat arrived on scene (RNLI Trent Class)

That's THREE Life Boats, ONE helicopter and 2 fishing vessels!

The response was impressive. As somebody who cruises the SW coast of Ireland it was very comforting to know the amount of rescue assets that could be tasked at such speed.

Give generously to the RNLI they deserve it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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