SAR Organization
1 December 2020
References
IAMSAR
NTTP 3-50.1
NTTP 3-22.5-SAR-TAC
CVN NATOPS
LHA / LHD NATOPS
Overview
I. General SAR organization
II. U.S. Navy SAR organization
III. Trauma center levels
IV. SAR Report lessons learned
International SAR Organization
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention – ratified by U.S.
• Participating countries provide 24 hour SAR response.
International SAR system has three general levels of
coordination (IAMSAR):
• On-scene Coordinator (OSC):
• Designated by SMC or person in charge of 1st asset to arrive on scene.
• Manages assisting ships and aircraft.
• OSC / SMC may assign Aircraft Coordinator (ACO) for flight safety.
• SAR Mission Coordinator (SMC):
• Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) chief or designee.
• Provides guidance for a specific SAR incident.
• SAR Coordinator (SC):
• Establishes RCCs, training, and policies at national level.
Search and Rescue Unit (SRU)
SAR
Coordinator
SRU– Mobile facility which
meets international standards
for equipment and personnel
SAR Mission
Coordinator training.
On-Scene
Coordinator
SAR Unit
U.S. National SAR Plan
Governed by National SAR Committee with
participating agencies (DHS, DoD, DoC, FCC,
NASA, DoI):
U.S. National SAR Supplement:
• Supplement to IAMSAR for U.S. specific structure.
NSP separates SAR operations in three
groups:
• Maritime
• Aeronautical
• Land
U.S. National SAR Plan
Country divided into maritime, aeronautical, and land
Search and Rescue Regions (SRR).
RCCs established to coordinate SAR operations within
each SRR
U.S. National SAR Plan
U.S. SAR Coordinators per NSP:
• USAF:
• Continental U.S. aeronautical SRR (not including Alaska); AFRCC
at Tyndall AFB, FL.
• U.S. Pacific Command:
• Alaskan aeronautical SRR.
• USCG:
• All other U.S. aeronautical and maritime SRRs (including Hawaii
and waters under U.S. jurisdiction).
Others:
• National Park Service.
• NASA, NOAA, FCC (distress alerting).
• FEMA.
• State and local law / SAR agencies.
Rescue of Civilians
National SAR Plan:
• “Each Participant will fund its own activities in
relation to the Plan unless otherwise provided for
by law or arranged by the Participants in
advance, and will not allow cost reimbursement
to delay response to any person in danger or
distress.”
• “Participants agree that unless required by law,
civil SAR services provided to persons in danger
or distress will be without subsequent cost-
recovery from the person(s) assisted.”
CVN Structure
Dedicated Plane Guard during flight operations:
• Alert status (5, 15, 30, 60) after flight operations.
Organization:
• SAR Coordinator – CSG Commander.
• SAR Mission Coordinator – CVN CO.
• On-scene Coordinator:
• Within visual range – Air Boss.
• Outside visual range – Strike or aircraft overhead.
• SRU – Plane guard asset.
LHA / LHD Structure
Dedicated Plane Guard during flight operations:
• Alert status (7, 15, 30, 60) after flight operations.
Organization:
• SAR Coordinator – PHIBRON CDRE.
• SAR Mission Coordinator – Ship CO.
• On-scene Coordinator:
• Within visual range – Air Boss.
• Outside visual range – Green Crown or aircraft overhead.
• SRU – Plane guard asset.
CRUDES Structure
Typically, no dedicated SAR alert:
• Crew sortied per OIC and ship’s CO.
May fulfill plane guard or alert status
during multi-ship exercises.
Shore Based SAR
Ready Duty SAR:
• Alert posture to supplement Coast Guard.
• Schedule published quarterly by Type Wing:
• 24/7 coverage.
• Notification:
• Coast Guard.
• FACSFAC.
• Type Wing.
• Squadron.
SAR of Opportunity:
• Not briefed as primary mission.
• Execute if qualified (with approval).
Inland SAR
USAF is SAR coordinator for the continental
U.S. aeronautical SRR (per NSP):
• SMC is designated as Air Force Rescue
Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Tyndall AFB.
AFRCC coordinates DoD SAR response in a
not-to-interfere basis with a unit’s primary
duties:
• No command and control authority.
• Communicates with local, state, and national
civilian SAR and law enforcement entities.
Navy Inland SAR Commands
Primary mission – Provide SAR asset for the
support of local naval air operations.
Secondary – SAR and/or MEDEVAC of
civilians (case by case basis).
Units:
• VX-31 (NAS China Lake).
• NAS Fallon.
• NAS Key West.
• NAS Lemoore.
• NAS Patuxent River.
• NAS Whidbey Island.
General Trauma Center Levels
Level I – Highest level of surgical care:
• 24-hour in-house specialists and equipment.
Level II – Supplement to Level I center:
• 24-hour essential specialists and equipment.
Level III – Not fully staffed with specialists:
• Resources available for resuscitation, surgery, and intensive
care for most trauma patients.
Level IV – Exist in some states without Level III centers:
• Trauma-trained nurse available immediately; physician on-call.
• Initial evaluation, stabilization, and transfer to higher level.
Level V – Trauma-trained nurse available immediately;
physician on-call:
• Initial evaluation, stabilization, and transfer to higher level.
Scenario
F/A-18E ejected off San Diego coast enroute
to FRS CQ:
• LPU inflated; face out of water; both arms
broken.
OSC – company F/A-18.
Fishing vessel on scene comms w/ OSC.
Two USN helicopters responded:
• MH-60S embarked on CVN.
• MH-60R conducting dual ship overland CATM
event from home guard.
MH-60S
CVN SAR Asset:
• Boat comms (discrete Frequencies).
• Established comms w/ OSC (F/A-18) & CVN AIROPS.
First on scene.
Sighted parachute on side of fishing vessel.
Manual approach changed to 70’ after parachute
sighting.
Swimmer unknowingly passes survivor enroute to fishing
vessel.
MH-60S attempted to notify swimmer of new survivor
location.
Upon reaching fishing vessel, swimmer headed for new
survivor location.
• MH-60S maneuvered aircraft to pickup survivor.
MH-60R
“SAR of Opportunity”:
• Tower / Beaver comms (unable to get OSC frequency).
• Attempted comms on Guard, Maritime CH16, 282.8.
On scene as MH-60S deployed swimmer near boat.
Sighted separated parachute and survivor using MTS.
• MH-60S ~300 yards from survivor location.
MH-60R pulled into hover to effect rescue.
• MH-60S turn in for survivor (2-3 rotors separation).
• MH-60S swimmer within 50’ from survivor.
No communications established between aircraft.
MH-60R utilizes direct deployment (DD) to affect rescue with
parachute still attached.
MH-60R busters to hospital with survivor.
Bads
Comms:
• Dissimilar SAR command/comms structure (CVN vs. civilian).
• No helo to helo comms.
• No Beaver to OSC comms.
• No helo to swimmer comms (unreliable swimmer radio).
Confusion:
• MH-60S swimmer (CRM).
• MH-60R interpreting MH-60S intentions.
Potential mid-air:
• Two helos within “2-3 rotor diameters” without comms.
MH-60R hovered directly over parachute:
• Violates NATOPS / NTTP 3-50.1.
DD procedures utilized with parachute attached:
• Violates NTTP 3-50.1.
Goods
Rescue ultimately affected.
MTS usage to sight survivor.
F/A-18E pilot survived.
Lessons learned.
Violating Standard Procedures
Sound Judgment:
• NATOPS
• “The standardization program is not intended to stifle
individual initiative…”
• “This manual…is not a substitute for sound judgment.”
• NTTP 3-50.1:
• “This manual…is not a substitute for sound judgment.”
• “A dynamic SAR environment may require on-scene
deviations or modifications from the procedures
prescribed herein to successfully accomplish a SAR
mission.”
Summary
General SAR organization
U.S. Navy SAR organization
Trauma center levels
SAR Report lessons learned