Maritime SAR

National Search And Rescue Committee

National Search and Rescue Committee logo

The National Search and Rescue Committee is a federal-level committee formed to coordinate civil search and rescue (SAR) matters of interagency interest within the United States.

2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, SE * Washington DC 20593
Phone: (202) 372-2090 * Facsimile: (202) 372-8357*
Email NSARC Secretariat here

NSARC Library

International SAR
International SAR
- ◾International Law and Search and Rescue
- ◾List of IMO Documents and Publications
- ◾Large Scale Rescue Operations at Sea: Guidance on Ensuring the Safety and Security of Seafarers and Rescued Persons (2015)
- ◾Maritime Safety Committee: Guidelines on the Treatment of Persons Rescued at Sea (Resolution MSC.167(78); adopted on 20 May 2004)
- ◾International Convention on Salvage, 1989
- ◾Convention of the High Seas, 1958
- ◾Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (1967)
- ◾Convention of Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (1965)
- ◾United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/150: Strengthening the effectiveness and coordination of international urban search and rescue assistance (2003)
- ◾International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG): Hyogo Declaration (2010)
- ◾International Law and Search and Rescue
- ◾Rescue at Sea: A guide to principles and practices as applied to migrants and refugees (2015)
- ◾International Manual for Aircraft Coordinator
- ◾Guide for Cold Water Survival
- ◾Search and Rescue Contacts
United States SAR Publications
United States SAR Publications
- ◾U.S. National Search and Rescue Committee (NSARC) Interagency Agreement - 2016
- ◾National Search and Rescue Plan of the United States - 2016
- ◾U.S. National Search and Rescue Supplement to the IAMSAR Manual - NEW
Maritime SAR
Maritime SAR
- ◾U.S. Coast Guard Addendum to the United States National SAR Supplement
- ◾Theory of Search: A Simplified Explanation
Mass Rescue Operations
Mass Rescue Operations
- ◾Understanding the Challenge: Mass Rescue Operations at Sea
- ◾Coast Guard Passenger Vessel Safety Program
- ◾USCG MRO Planning Guidance
- ◾National SAR Supplement on Mass Rescue Operations
- ◾International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidance Documents
- ◾Alaska Maritime Mass Rescue Operations Job Aids
- ◾Costa Concordia Summary of Emergency Response Management, 2012
- ◾Black Swan After Action Report Executive Summary, August 2013
- ◾Black Swan After Action Report Executive Summary, August 2015
Catastrophic Incident SAR
Catastrophic Incident SAR
- ◾Catastrophic Incident SAR Addendum (Version 3.0)
- ◾Emergency Support Function #9 - May 2013
- ◾USCG Incident Management Handbook (May 2014)
- ◾FEMA Documents and Links
  - ◾FEMA Directive: Use of the United States National Grid (092-5)
  - ◾National Preparedness Goal (First Edition) September, 2011
  - ◾National Preparedness System (February 2016)
  - ◾National Planning System Fact Sheet
  - ◾National Response Framework Resource Center
  - ◾National Response Framework (2nd Edition) - May 2013
  - ◾Overview of the National Planning Frameworks - May 2013
  - ◾Catastrophic Incident Annex
  - ◾National Incident Management System (NIMS)
  - ◾National Incident Management System Guideline for Mutual Aid (November, 2017)
  - ◾National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) Version 1.4
  - ◾Joint Field Office Aviation Branch Operations Manual (September 9, 2009)
  - ◾FEMA National Incident Support Manual (February 2001)
  - ◾FEMA Incident Action Planning Guide (January 2012)
  - ◾National Urban Search and Rescue Response (SAR) System
  - ◾FEMA Training Website
  - ◾FEMA Urban SAR Website
More
Land Sar
Land SAR
- ◾Inland SAR School
- ◾Land SAR Addendum
- ◾Helicopter Rescue Techniques
- ◾Swift water Rescue Manual
- ◾Technical Rescue Handbook
- ◾A Simple Guide to Conducting Ground Search and Rescue Detection Experiments (VOL I)
- ◾A Simple Guide to Conducting Ground Search and Rescue Detection Experiments (VOL II)
- ◾Integrated Detection Experiment Assistant
- ◾Sweep Width Estimation for Ground Search and Rescue
- ◾Compatibility of Land SAR Procedures with Search Theory
- ◾A Method of Determining Effective Sweep Widths for Land Searches; Procedures for Conducting
  - ◾Detection Experiments
- ◾Australian Land SAR Manual
- ◾Good Samaritan Laws for Every State
UAS for SAR
UAS for SAR
- ◾Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Search and Rescue Addendum (Version 1.0)
Other Information
Other Information
- ◾Ditching Your Aircraft & Water Survival PowerPoint Presentation
- ◾SAR Responder Risk Management
- ◾Geo-referencing Info for SAR Responders
- ◾DOD Directives on Civil SAR
- ◾ State SAR Coordinator Location/Contact

Maritime SAR

U.S. Coast Guard Addendum to the United States National SAR Supplement
This is the new Coast Guard Addendum (CGADD) to the United States National Search and Rescue Supplement (NSS), which is a supplement to the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual (IAMSAR). This Addendum establishes policy, guidelines, procedures, and general information for Coast Guard use in search and rescue (SAR) operations.

(NOTE: International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual (IAMSAR) NSARC has adopted the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual (IAMSAR) as the primary guidance for federal conduct of civil search and rescue. The IAMSAR Manual is sponsored jointly by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It consists of a three volume set: Volume I is Organization and Management; Volume II is Mission Co-ordination; & Volume III is Mobile Facilities)

Theory of Search: A Simplified Explanation
The purpose of this paper is to provide the search and rescue (SAR) community with a single document explaining the scientific basis for search planning