Fishermen have a complicated relationship with the U.S. Coast Guard.
When we are at sea and the white Coast Guard boat with a red racing stripe approaches, we are wary. But when we are in trouble at sea and the white helicopter with the red racing stripe is seen approaching, we are so happy to see them.
In the Bering Sea a few years ago, the USCG was contacted to evacuate a crew member suffering from a heart attack on a factory longliner. The helicopter crew calculated their fuel consumption and realized that they only had time to make one approach to hoist the patient off the vessel and still have enough fuel to make it back to base.
Everything had to go seamlessly.
Once they got on the vessel’s location, the USCG pilot found the crew had the patient ready, the deck cleared and the vessel in the proper position to wind. They hoisted the patient into the helicopter in their first attempt. They made it back to base and hospital with just enough fuel. The patient recovered.
“The fishing crew was awesome,” the pilot said afterward. “We got on scene and the vessel and crew had everything ready. We would have never made it back to base without the crew being so well prepared on the vessel.”
The maximum range of a HH-60 helicopter (Jayhawk) is 500 nautical miles. The HH-65 (Dolphin) has a maximum range of 350 miles. This is in ideal weather and weight conditions for the trip out, on-scene hover for 20 minutes and return to base. They can fly at 125 to 150 mph and can fly for 6-7 hours.
However, the range a helicopter can fly to assist in a rescue depends on the weather, amount of fuel and weight of its load. In a helicopter rescue there are real dangers to your crew as well as to the helicopter and its highly trained crew. It pays to know how to prepare for assistance from a Coast Guard helicopter.
Preparation Before the Arrival of the Coast Guard Helicopter
First and foremost, contact the Coast Guard on VHF channel 16 and appraise them of your situation early. The Coast Guard would much rather have you radio a MAYDAY and cancel it because the situation is now under control, than have you call at the last minute and hear only the last part of your message. There is no fine or cost for calling and then canceling a MAYDAY as long as it is not a hoax call. Search and rescue is an expensive service the government provides for free. If it’s a life-threatening situation, contact the USCG early.
A life-threatening situation demands that a MAYDAY be called in a clear voice on VHF Channel 16 (or 4125 kHz for those few areas that the USCG still monitors – Alaska, Hawaii, Guam). Also give the USCG your location (latitude/longitude) as well as other geographic data, vessel name/description, nature of problem and number of people in crew. Wait for a response. If no response, repeat. Once the Coast Guard responds they will confirm your information and continue to ask questions. If you are needed for keeping the vessel afloat or fighting the fire, schedule communications for every 15 minutes or so to check in with the USCG. This will allow you to do what needs to be done on the vessel. If you do not get back to the USCG, they will know the five most important things you just told them. If you have time, give them the other information they will prompt you for, such as on scene weather, wind, sea conditions, your speed, direction etc. If the situation on your vessel or the patient’s vital signs change, let the Coast Guard know.
At some point as the helicopter approaches your position, it will contact you directly. The crew will do a circle around your vessel to ascertain how they’ll approach it. For most house-forward vessels, the pilot will want you moving at speed with the wind 35 degrees off your port bow. House aft-style fishing vessels may be a bit more difficult to get into position. Communicate to the pilot on the radio and follow the pilot’s instructions.
Before they lower a rescue swimmer/EMT or dewatering pump on your vessel, clear the deck of any gear or loose debris that could get blown around. This includes the cap you may be wearing. The helicopter rotors create hurricane force winds. Pilots don’t want to see bits of loose airborne material. If even a small bit of debris gets sucked into a jet turbine it can shut down an engine and threaten your rescuers. Lower booms, rigging, cables and poles, except for communication antennae, before the helicopter arrives. Your medivac patient should wear a PFD (personal flotation device) if conditions allow, and crew on deck should also be wearing a PFD.
If the hoist takes place at night, lighting the deck may be necessary and vessel lights should be pointed downward. Due to poor visibility and depth perception in the aircraft, do not shine lights toward the helicopter. Sodium vapor lights can be blinding to an aircraft crew. Communicate lighting needs to the air crew before they arrive on scene.
The helicopter hoist operator will lower a weight bag at the end of an orange polypropylene line which is attached to a medivac litter, basket or a dewatering pump depending on the nature of the emergency. Use hand signals to the hoist operator. Let the litter or pump land on the deck before grabbing it to discharge the static charge from the rotors. Then it will be safe to disconnect the hoist cable and the hoist operator will bring the cable back up until the patient or pump is ready to be hoisted. Do not tie the hoist or trail line to the vessel at any time. A rescue swimmer/EMT may or may not follow or proceed the litter or pump onto your vessel, depending on the situation.
If your vessel is sinking or on fire, the air crew may direct your crew to don immersion suits and leave the vessel and swim away so the helicopter can hoist you out of the water in an area that is less risky.
If it is a medical evacuation, the patient should be secured in the litter with a blanket, away from the rotor wash and given eye and ear protection. The patient’s medications, medical history and wallet can be secured in their clothing. Instruct and position the patient so the arms and hands are not outside the litter or basket to protect them from being injured against side of helicopter as they are hoisted up. Have crew tend the trail line to keep it from being fouled as well and keep the litter from swinging as it is being hoisted.
Every emergency and rescue at sea is different and presents its own problems, so communication between the air crew and vessel crew is critical. Train your crew in what to expect and what to do to prepare. You never know how your day is going to end.
You can view AMSEA’s video on USCG rescue procedures and more for free at https://www.amsea.org/amseavideos.
About AMSEA
AMSEA’s mission is to reduce injury and death in the marine and freshwater environment through education and training provided by a network of qualified marine safety instructors.