Search and Rescue is the ultimate mission we get involved in; actually it could be said that the boatcrews live for the SARs. In recent times with the proliferation of private towing companies the normal SAR assist which we used to render, a tow, has gone to those companies. This means that the 'routine' SAR is almost a thing of the past and when we are called out it is a more serious situation.
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The Temporary order number will be 6 digits consisting of month and day (2 digit format) plus the coxswains initials.
For example, if John Smith ran a mission on Feb 12 and needed a temporary order number it would be 0212JS.
Effective March 18, 2008 the official mileage rate was raised to .505 cents per mile. As to whether or not we get that much is a good question; we have been getting 4 cents less that the official rate.
and as of Jan 1, 2008 the MEAL RATES went up to:
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Breakfast $2.10
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Lunch $3.85
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Dinner $3.85
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Midnight $2.10
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Division 15 had held 3 Red Baron exercises in 2007. These involve a coordination drill in which an aircraft is given information on a Search and Rescue event by radio and goes out to find the “distressed unit”. The Surface vessel, AUXFAC, is kept abreast of the goings on and is also dispatched to the scene after the aircraft locates the “distressed” vessel.
A couple of times the AUXFAC has found the distressed unit before the aircraft. This was not the plan, but sometimes everything doesn’t go according to plan.
A lot was learned from these exercises; unfortunately generally from mistakes made. Fortunately the mistakes were made during a drill and that is the purpose of the RED BARON exercise.
Mistakes could be summarized in the following:
1) INCORRECT ASSUMPTION: Example, A boat with a bimini may not have it deployed. or it may not be anchored:
2) FAILURE TO RELAY DATA: Example, the aircraft should ask the surface vessel for surface conditions - set and drift, wave height etc.:
3) Non SPECIFIC INFORMATION: Example, each area has local names that may be duplicated in other areas. Earlier this year there was a real case off Pine Island and a vessel from Hernando Beach was dispatched to look for it when in fact the Pine Island the distressed vessel was talking about was off Mr. Myers over 100 miles away. The radio call was recieved by Station Yankeetown and they assumed it was off the Pine Island north of Hernando Beach. :
Here comes the "calvary" -- an Auxiliary rescue boat approaching |
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The Operations Policy Exam now required for new Coxswain candidates is available online at
Operations Policy test
It's a two step process just to get in.
You will have to log into the eDirectory and get a password, then log into the National Testing Center and get another password for testing. Lots of luck, it was easier with they were at DIRAUX West.
Be sure to keep track of all your passwords for various Auxiliary sites - I have 5 as of now.
If all else fails, Contact your FSO/OP and he will contact the QE's who have a written version that can they can administer.
Revised Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Manual- Signed
The revised Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Manual, COMDTINST M16794.51A has been signed and will become effective as of 01 January 2007. The manual is being released now to give members as much time as possible to become familar with the changes made to the Boat Crew Training Program.
This year, there has been an effort underway to revise the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Program. The US Coast Guard Auxiliary Standardization Team, which consists of an Operational Training Officer (OTO), a QE/QE-PWC, a Chief QE, a District Commodore, the DC-O and the Chief DIRAUX Surface Operations Chief, was responsible for this review. These revisions were recently approved by the NEXCOM. The final instruction will be signed and promulgated to all members no later than January 1st, 2007.
In an effort to provide as much information to the membership about the changes that are planned, the Office of the Chief Director and the Department of Operations is providing this “SITREP”. A summary of the major changes follows below.
Brief Summary of Changes:
Incorporation of a Qualification Examiner (QE) Guide to the Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Manual.
Changed some initial qualification tasks from optional to required, removed some optional tasks, and changed some optional tasks to waiverable by DIRAUX.
Changed the required number of underway time from 8 hours to 12 hours per year, which can be earned as either coxswain or crew. (Time for Coxswains serving as crew members will count toward the 12 hour requirement!)
Annual tasks currency maintenance tasks have been removed!
Five year QE Check ride will be reduced to every Three years. (Implementation plan pending approval.) But if you are due in 2007 or 2008, be looking for the new task list. You will probably be completing the revised check ride with a QE sometime in 2007.
Check ride tasks are being revised and will be published when approved. There will be a few additional tasks in the new check ride taken from the qualification check ride tasks. Nothing you haven't done before, but you might not have done some for a while.
One hour annual TCT review, designed by the Department of Operations, that can be conducted without a TCT facilitator at the local level.
There was an interesting question posed at the October 2006 Division meeting " now that we've LOST channel 83 what channel should we use?"
I discussed this with the SO/CM 15 and she reiterates the following.
We have not LOST Channel 83, but it is not displayed on the RESCUE 21 screen unless Sector turns it on.
There are two other radios at Station Yankeetown capable of monitoring Channel 83 but they must be Turned On!
THE CORRECT PROCEDURE is to establish what channel you will be communicating on BEFORE the patrol starts - this is usually done by land line with Station by either the vessel or their radio guard.
In the event this was not done Channel 21 would be the default, but so as not to conflict with the Rescue 21 system make sure your communications path is set in advance.
The Maiden Voyage of the Operational Facility Shark-Bait
The initial patrol of the Shark-Bait ended as it started, with Port Engine problems. However, everything in between was really a good first patrol.
The patrol plan was multi-functional and included a routine safety patrol, a plant patrol and a planned assist that evening as the dead boat for Tom Franz
Coxswain Recertification. As it turned out, we could have played a very convincing Dead Boat but I don’t want to digress just yet.
Just to ensure that all was well with Shark-Bait, I arrived an hour early and set about preparing the boat for the days patrol. It was then that I discovered that both the batteries for the Port Engine were too low to crank it over. Thanks to our new Jump Pack I was able to start the Port Engine without further difficulty. The batteries charged throughout the day and cranked the engine each time without hesitation.
We had good but uneventful plant and security patrols, crew training at the helm with stick time for all and a Man-Overboard drill. The highlight of the patrol was when we were patrolling Kings Bay and did a fly-by past Captain Bob Bell’s place. Bob Bell (the man who donated Shark–Bait) was at his dock and was beaming from ear to ear. You could really tell that Bob was pleased to see his old boat with all flags flying. After that we returned to the radio room and took a break in preparation for the Dead Boat assist.
Shortly before we were due out for the assist and because we were to be operating at night, I performed a light check. To my dismay, the Stbd. Nav. Light was out. While attempting a repair I managed to blow the fuse for all the Nav. Lights. To make matters worse, while attempting to take Shark-Bait back to my house for repairs, the Port engine coughed, died and wouldn’t restart. Thanks to excellent line handling by my crew we managed to dock a boat designed to be maneuvered by 2 engines via a single engine. It is somewhat like pushing a rope.
Thanks to my wife, my crew, and Station Yankeetown we managed to bring in a cripple, get it docked and somewhat secured, get Patrol Orders changed to the Henry Morgan, prepare the Henry Morgan for Patrol and get underway to support the night mission all in 40 minutes.
All went well with the Dead Boat support mission aboard the Henry Morgan. Some crew assignments were changed to facilitate annual maintenance for Boat Crew Certification. While returning to base that night, we hailed a vessel navigating downstream on the Crystal River with 2 POB and requested that they turn off their docking lights and turn on their navigation lights. The captain indicated that he would comply with the request, but that he was a new boater on a new boat and was not sure how to turn on the Nav. lights. After an unsuccessful search, (it was later determined that the Nav. lights were not even plugged into their sockets) the captain plugged in a hand held spotlight which apparently shorted out their electrical system resulting in the loss of all electrical power except for the engine, which thankfully, kept running.
We determined that the couple on board lived in Dixie Shores (A small development on the Salt River) as the tide was low and it was night we could not take the disabled boat to it’s home dock.
At this point we suggested that we would escort the disabled boat to Twin Rivers Marina, which is near their home, secure it for the night and transport the people to Henry Morgan’s dock. One of the crew, who was returning to
Tampa that evening gave the couple a ride home.
Lessons Learned:
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Never assume that just because that you have spare light bulbs, that they actually fit All the nav.lights.
Never take for granted that the spare fuses you have on board are the right size for All the fuse holders.
Good crews and a wife with a Captains License are invaluable!
1) LOG ONTO POMS
2) SELECT REQUEST ORDERS FROM TOOLBAR AT TOP
3) FILL OUT THE FORM -- USE THE TAB TO ADVANCE , NOT THE MOUSE
You only need to enter the Month and Date in the format MM/DD it will auto fill the year.
4) For time of day use : Morning, Midday, Afternoon or Sundown rather than exact hours, It's easier
5) Make appropriate selections from Dropdown boxes for STATION, PATROL AREA, and PATROL TYPE
6) IN THE COMMENTS LINE - put any special request -- 2 man crew etc.
7) PLACE REQUEST
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TO INSTALL POMS if you haven't done so The POMS website is www.statronics.com/poms/
Click on Citrix Client and POMS-OE.ica
MacIntosh Users go to the MacIntosh users section.
Download the ICA32.exe
You will also have to download the POMS-OE.ICA icon to your desktop.
NOTE
I did not write the POMS site so you may want to get help from someone experienced with computer downloads if you are unsure of yourself. It's not real user friendly, but the POMS system is pretty easy to use once you get it installed
The old ICON for POMS was POMS.ica which has been replaced with POMS-OE.ica as of 01/01/2007. Be sure the correct one in on your desktop.
- Division Webmaster.
WINTER CREW QUALIFICATION
When the water temperature is under 60 degrees only Winter Crew Qualfied personnel may go out on patrol. This ANNUAL requirement is to don a anti exposure suit, enter the water, float for 10 minutes and exit the water unassisted.. This is an ANNUAL requirement and is required IF you want to be Winter Crew Qualified.
It does not affect your regular crew status.
Effecitve 1 October 2005 reimbursments will ONLY be made by Direct Deposit. NO MORE CHECKS so if you are not signed up here is a link to the form.
click here for Direct Deposit Form
NOTICE:
Station Yankeetown needs updated Facility data sheets. A full sized sheet is available by clicking on the following link:
Facility Data Form
NEW PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING 5132's Times are a changin'
Coxswains or owners will be expected to fill out the form on POMS via the computer
Then save it as a pdf, print it out, sign it ( printing the word VERIFIED above the signature line)
Then SEND it by mail to:
AUXLO, Sector St. Petersburg
600 Eighth Ave. SE
St Petersburg FL 33701
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A courtesy copy to your FSO/OP via E mail or hard copy should be sent as well.
Want to know what your allowances are -- click here for for the Allotment Website
REMINDER:
It was requested that Facility Inspections coincide with the owners birthday month in order to spread the load out throughout the year. As it is now all of us will be having our Facility inspections due this fall. It will take a while but lets try and spread them out; it should cut the processing time down.
ALERT - DSC is here!
The Coast Guard is implementing a new service that will help take the Search out of Search and Rescue. It relies on the boater having a DSC (digital selective calling) VHF radio hooked up to his GPS (Global Positioning System) or LORAN unit. This allows for a one button calling --call it a PANIC BUTTON if you wish. When it is activated it sends a distress signal and the position of the transmitting vessel. Consider it an automatic S-O-S. However, you must have a MMSI number registered to your radio and vessel. To get that number you may go to http://www.boatus.com/mmsi/ -- or simply click here for the MMSI Website to get your MMSI number and instructions on how to register and install on your vessel.
Flotilla 15-2 and the Coast Guard at scene of airplane crash off Cedar Key |
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Patrols are basically 4 types: Routine Safety Patrols, Regatta Patrols, Harbor Patrols and the SAR Callout. Other types are Chart Updating and Aids to Navigation (ATON) which are frequently done in conjunction with a Safety Patrol. Flotilla 15-2 recently did a Chart Updating Patrol on the Waccassassa river entrance. The exact position of the PATONS (private aids to navigation) was not known so they made 3 readings on each and submitted the data to Station Yankeetown who forwards it to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
We don't think about cold weather much here in Florida, but it is a requirement that winter crews wear a Anti-exposure suit when the water temperature is below 60 degrees. It is also required that boat crew membrs actually enter the water with one on and get out on their own. Of course some Auxiliarists get a bit of help from mermaids, yep they are real, and even a true siren for a observer.
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