JP 3-50 National Search and Rescue Manual Vol I - US Navy

a. OSC reports to SMC.
b. Parent activity reports to SMC at end of day's
operations: sorties, hours flown, and further recommendations.
344 Alerting Ships at Sea and En Route Aircraft
A. Frequently the most immediate help available to a distressed
ship or aircraft is provided by ships or aircraft already in the
vicinity.
B. Ships can best be alerted by a maritime coastal radio station
(CRS). Normally, the RCC originates a message to all ships and sends it
to a CRS for broadcast. The RCC should include instructions on whether
to use the alarm signal, and whether to issue the broadcast as a
distress broadcast or as an urgent marine broadcast. The CRS should
then use the procedures in international radio regulations.
1. An urgent broadcast should be used during the Alert phase.
2. A distress broadcast should be used during the Distress phase
when the distressed unit may not be able to transmit a
distress alert, or when a distressed unit has sent a distress
alert not acknowledged by assisting units. The alarm signal
should be used before an initial distress broadcast and,
judiciously, for subsequent distress traffic.
3. When the incident is in waters usually traversed by oceangoing
merchant ships, 500 kHz should he used for emergency
broadcasts; 2182 kHz should be used when the incident is
within 300 miles of shore and 156.8 MHz (channel 16) when the
incident is within 30 miles of shore. Incidents within 300
miles of shore may require broadcasts on all three
frequencies.
4. In exceptional circumstances, the SMC may direct an additional
broadcast on another frequency (e.g., 2638 kHz or 2738 kHz)
after broadcast on 500 kHz, 2182 kHz, or 156.8 MHz. Local
factors, such as ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore frequencies in
use by fishing or pleasure craft in the area of the incident,
determine additional frequencies to be used.
5. The SAR Coordinator may alert small craft listening to the
above frequencies by contacting marine operators, commercial
radio broadcast stations, and the National Weather Service
(NWS). They should be asked to include the missing craft
information in their regular marine news or weather
broadcasts, asking anyone who has information to contact the
controlling RCC.
6. If a need exists to alert surface craft for an
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