When is maritime SAR employed?

Maritime search and rescue is employed at all times it is needed. Distress at sea can occur at any moment. That calls for emergency response at any momeent. The ideal temporal extent of maritime SAR is therefore constant, continguous, and perpetual. This, however, depends on the available resources (financial, human-resources, technology, political will, etc.).

The two current paradigms for available reousrces are paid and unpaid. The former are typically national agency organizations: military, police, fire-fighting with maritime SAR as one function among other functions. The latter involves maritime SAR focused organizations that depend on unpaid persons to execute SAR missions, with a few paid high-level (headquarters) personnel.

Author (topical bio)

Robert J. Rovetto

• MMSAR
• Co-author of U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan
• USCG-licensed Merchant Mariner (Deck Officer - Master 100 Ton Inland)
• U.S. Maritime SAR Profile (1)
• Sample Project: https://ontowaves.wordpress.com/