R 051945Z OCT 09

ALCOAST 576/09
COMDTNOTE 16130
SUBJ: PROMULGATION OF THE NEW U.S. COAST GUARD SAR ADDENDUM,
COMDTINST M16130.2 (SERIES)
A. U.S. COAST GUARD ADDENDUM TO THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL SEARCH
AND RESCUE SUPPLEMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL AERONAUTICAL AND
MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE MANUAL, COMDTINST M16130.2 (SERIES)
1. THIS ALCOAST ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF REF A.
2. THIS REVISION ESTABLISHES SEVERAL NEW POLICIES AS WELL AS
UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE MANUAL. THE TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR REF A
CONTAINS A DETAILED LISTING OF CHANGES. A SUMMARY OF MAJOR CHANGES
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
 A. ADDS THE SEARCH AND RESCUE OPTIMAL PLANNING SYSTEM (SAROPS) AS
THE PRIMARY SEARCH PLANNING TOOL WITH ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN SEARCH
PLANNING PROCEDURES.
 B. UPDATES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESCUE21 COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM.
 C. WORDING CHANGES TO REINFORCE AND MORE CLEARLY DEFINE SAR
MISSION COORDINATOR (SMC) AS A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL THAT IS
ASSIGNED FOR EACH SAR CASE.
 D. INCLUDES CHANGES TO REFLECT THE COAST GUARD REORGANIZATION.
 E. UPDATES THE POLICIES AND GUIDANCE FOR THE TRAINING,
QUALIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION OF SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR)
WATCHSTANDERS AND SAR CHAIN OF COMMAND. SETS SPECIFIC TRAINING
PROGRAM ELEMENTS TO INCLUDE:
  (1) WRITTEN PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATION STANDARD,
  (2) SUPERVISED BREAK-IN WATCHES,
  (3) FORMAL QUALIFICATION BOARD AND BOARD MAKEUP,
  (4) REQUIRED INTERVIEW WITH SECTOR COMMANDER FOR PROSPECTIVE
SECTOR SAR WATCHSTANDERS AND DISTRICT (DRM) FOR PROSPECTIVE
DISTRICT SAR WATCHSTANDERS, AND
  (5) FORMAL DESIGNATION LETTER.
 F. UPDATES PROGRAM GOALS TO INCLUDE LIVES UNACCOUNTED FOR (LUF).
 G. UPDATES POLICY ON SAR AGREEMENTS TO REQUIRE ALL AGREEMENTS TO
HAVE PROVISIONS FOR CANCELING AND AMENDING.
 H. ADDS POLICY ON RELEASE OF NAMES DURING ACTIVE SAR CASES, ALLOWS
DISCLOSURE UNTIL THE MARINE INFORMATION FOR SAFETY AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT (MISLE) SYSTEM CASE IS CLOSED.  POST CASE RELEASE
SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PRIVACY
ACTS.
 I. ADDS REQUIREMENT THAT ALL CASE STUDIES BE PREFACED WITH THE
PURPOSE OF SAR CASE STUDIES PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 3.9.4.3.
 J. REMOVES LANGUAGE THAT EACH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) SERVICE
PROVIDES SAR FOR OWN FORCES, ADDS REQUIREMENT FOR CG SAR
COORDINATOR TO COORDINATE WITH DOD SERVICES WITHIN THEIR SEARCH AND
RESCUE REGION AND TO IMPLEMENT AGREEMENTS AS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE
FOR SAR FOR DOD FORCES AND TO UTILIZE DOD FORCES IN SAR RESPONSE.
ALLOWS FOR EITHER CG OR DOD SMC FOR CASES INVOLVING DOD FORCES IN
DISTRESS, AND ADDS DIRECTION FOR IMMEDIATE CG RESPONSE AND A
REQUIREMENT TO NOTIFY THE AIR FORCE RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER FOR
ALL INCIDENTS OF DOD FORCES IN DISTRESS.
 K. REMOVES STAR-CG SERVICE EXCEPT FOR ALASKA.
 L. ADDS NEW SECTION ON CG AUXILIARY INTERPRETERS, AVAILABILITY AND
HOW TO ACCESS.
 M. EXPANDS DISCUSSION ON FIRST LIGHT SEARCHES FOLLOWING FLARE
SIGHTINGS. INCLUDES FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-RED/RED-ORANGE
FLARES AND OTHER PYROTECHNICS AND INVESTIGATION TIME VERSUS
SURVIVAL TIME AND ULTIMATE DECISION TO DISPATCH RESOURCES IN A
TIMELY MANNER.
 N. ADDS POLICY FOR CONTINUING SEARCH DURING DARKNESS OR OTHER
PERIODS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY.
 O. ADDS POLICY ON FIRST LIGHT SEARCHES FOR OTHER (NON-FLARE)
DISTRESS ALERTS. REQUIRES ADDITIONAL SEARCHES IF THE FIRST SEARCH
WAS CONDUCTED AT NIGHT OR UNDER REDUCED VISIBILITY.
 P. ADDS REQUIREMENT FOR SEARCH ACTION PLANS FOR ALL SEARCHES
BEYOND INITIAL RESPONSE.
 Q. EXPANDS SAR CASE DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDS POLICY AND GUIDANCE.
 R. REVISES POLICY FOR REQUIRED SEMI-ANNUAL MEETINGS WITH
COMMERCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS TO ALLOW FLEXIBILITY IN MEETING
LOCATION AND INVITED ATTENDEES TO MEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (AOR)
NEEDS.  DETAILS WHO SHALL REPRESENT THE CG AND MINIMUM TOPICS TO BE
COVERED AT EACH MEETING.
 S. ADDS CLARIFICATION THAT THE FINAL DECISION TO RESIDE ON SCENE
TO CONDUCT OR NOT CONDUCT A MEDICAL EVACUATION (MEDEVAC) RESIDES
WITH THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, CUTTER COMMANDING OFFICER OR BOAT
COXSWAIN.
 T. EXPANDS DISCUSSION ON AIR TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN MEDICAL
FACILITIES TO HIGHLIGHT THE BALANCE BETWEEN MEDICAL CARE AND
APPROPRIATE USE OF CG RESOURCES.  POLICY SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT
LIMIT AN AIR STATION COMMANDING OFFICERS DISCRETION ON TRANSFER
DECISIONS.
 U. SELF-LOCATING DATUM MARKER BUOY (SLDMB) UPDATES FOR
INCORPORATING DATA INTO SAROPS, EXPANDED DETAILS ON WHEN AND HOW
SLDMBS SHALL BE USED, INCREASED SLDMB DEPLOYMENT PARAMETERS TO BE
OBSERVED AND REPORTED TO AID IN USE AND FAILURE TRACKING, AND
POLICY AND GUIDANCE ON USING SLDMBS TO MARK FLOATING OBJECTS WITH
NO OBLIGATION TO MARK ABANDONED VESSELS WITH SLDMBS.
 V. ADDS NEW POLICY ON RESCUING PETS AND OTHER ANIMALS.
 W. INCLUDES COMPREHENSIVE ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS LISTING.
 X. MADE SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE APPENDICIES.
  (1) EXPANDS POLICY AND GUIDANCE ON SAR DATA ENTRY IN MISLE.
INCLUDING TIMELINESS, RESPONSIBILITY, SPECIFIC DATA ENTRY,
MANDATORY FIELDS, VALIDATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS, AND GUIDANCE
ON RELEASE OF SAR DATA.
  (2) ADDS MEDICAL PROTOCOL FOR CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION.
  (3) DELETES OLD APPENDIX L, STAR-CG AGREEMENT EXAMPLE.
  (4) ADDS NEW APPENDIX L CG LEGAL AUTHORITIES REFERENCES.
  (5) REMOVES APPENDIX M COMSAT-C WEB INTERFACE.
 Y. FOR IMPROVED USABILITY INCLUDED IN NOTES TO READERS:
  (1) DISCUSSION OF SPECIFIC WORD USE AND HOW IT RELATES TO
DISTINGUISHING POLICY AND DOCTRINE AS DEVELOPED BY THE DOCTRINE
STUDY GROUP.
  (2) USE OF BOLD/ITALIC TEXT IN HIGHLIGHTING POLICY.
  (3) PROVIDES RESPONSIBLE OFFICE AND CONTACT NUMBER FOR EACH
CHAPTER AND APPENDIX.
3. INITIAL DISTRIBUTION OF REF A WILL BE ELECTRONICALLY. A PAPER
DISTRIBUTION OF THIS CHANGE WILL BE MADE WHEN FUNDS ARE IDENTIFIED.
DISTRICT AND SECTOR COMMAND CENTERS SHOULD PRINT A COPY LOCALLY FOR
USE WITHIN THE COMMAND CENTER. THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF
REF A CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE WEB AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
 A. CG DIRECTIVES SYSTEM ON THE CG WEB:
HTTP://CGWEB2.COMDT.USCG.MIL/CGDIRECTIVES/WELCOME.HTM
 B. CG DIRECTIVES SYSTEM ON THE WWW:
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/DIRECTIVES/CIM.ASP
4. COMDT (CG-534) POC IS MR. RICH SCHAEFER (202) 372-2079.
5. RADM J.T. RIKER, DIRECTOR OF RESPONSE POLICY, SENDS.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.