Coast Guard Eastern Great Lakes Jeff Platt Lieutenant

Coast Guard Eastern Great Lakes Jeff Platt Lieutenant, U. S. Coast Guard Command Center Chief Sector Buffalo, New York

Coast Guard Missions �Search & Rescue �Ports, waterways & coastal security �Drug interdiction �Living marine resources �Marine safety �Defense readiness �Migrant interdiction �Marine environmental protection �Ice operations �Other law enforcement

Coast Guard Command Center �The PSAP for the Coast Guard � 4 person live watch 24/7/365. �Maintains listening watch for VHF-16 (156. 8 MHz) via radio towers. �Specially trained search and rescue planners. �Can coordinate air support. �Can authorize use of CG VHF working frequencies for operational uses.

Rescue-21 11

Lines of Bearing (LOB) 12

Range Ring Analysis 13

Lines of Bearing (LOB) Search Area 14

Before and After Comparison Before Rescue 21: • Search Area: 950 sq. miles • Assets: One helicopter • Hours: 1. 5 -hour search plus transit time • Cost: $39, 000 After Rescue 21: • Search Area: 15 sq miles. • Assets: One boat • Hours: 30 -minute search plus transit time • Cost: $3, 400 15

The Importance of a 911 Partnership �Despite advances in marine VHF radio systems, boaters are using cell phones primarily �Nationwide, since 2008: 40% cell phone vs. 22% VHF radio �Great Lakes, since 2008: 52% cell phone vs. 25% VHF radio �Most boaters call 9 -1 -1 vice Coast Guard directly �WPH 2 Cellular X/Y data is crucial �Coordinate other responders

Key Information to Collect “The Big Four” �Position of vessel �Coordinates (X/Y), GPS, geographic reference, distance from shore �Nature of distress �Sinking/taking on water, person in the water, aground, fire, medical emergency, collision �Description of vessel �Type (i. e. sailboat), hull color, name, distinguishing features �Number of persons on-board �Adults, children, pets, any disabilities

Non-Distress Situations �Non-emergency or not life-threatening �Out of gas �Disabled (engine, propeller, etc. ) �Aground (not sinking, not taking on water) �Disoriented �CG follows specific policy for responding

Maritime SAR Assistance Policy �Enacted in 1982 by Congress �Determined to be non-distress �“…review Coast Guard policies and procedures for towing and salvage of disabled vessels in order to further minimize the possibility of Coast Guard competition or interference with. . . commercial enterprise. ” �Coast Guard includes active duty, reserve, and auxiliary.

Maritime SAR Assistance Policy • Maritime Assistance Request Broadcast (MARB) – 10 minutes to respond – On scene within a reasonable time (usually one hour or less) – The Coast Guard supports and encourages efforts of private enterprise and volunteerism to assist mariners. Coast Guard resources will not unnecessarily interfere with private enterprise.

Coast Guard Mobile App • Intended Audience: Recreational Boating Public • Distribution: Free download (Android & i. OS) • Status: Final Testing / Approvals • Rollout: “Safe Boating Week 2015”

Resources for the Recreational Boater 1. State Boating Information (State and Local Info & Requirements) - Links to state websites 2. Request Safety Check (Vessel Safety Check by the CG Auxiliary) - Emails the request form data to the CG Auxiliary 3. Review Safety Equipment - Required and Optional Safety Equipment & Checks 4. File Float Plan - Emails float plan to up to three responsible individuals 5. Navigation “Rules of the Road” - Excerpts from the rules and links 6. NOAA Buoys - Displays current conditions from the nearest NOAA buoy 7. Report Hazard (Coast Guard Navigation Center) - Location based reporting with attached geo-coded image 8. Report Pollution (National Response Center) - “Call in a Report” button, dials the NRC 9. Report Suspicious Activity (America’s Waterway Watch) - “Call in a Report” button, dials the NRC 10. Emergency Assistance Button - Dials the nearest CG Sector based on the phone’s current location.

Sector Specifics • Does not replace established comms procedures. • Tool to enhance recreational boater safety. Not a tool for commercial operators. • Displays Warning to user if outside cell-coverage. • Dials nearest CG Sector “As the Crow Flies” • Will not dial outside of the US (International Call) • Public Affairs Guidance (PAG) will be forwarded ahead of the app release to the public.

NG 9 -1 -1 Implementation: The Way Forward What needs to happen to enable CG to get 9 -1 -1 data into the CG-IT Cloud? • Coast Guard needs to be on the National Emergency Number • • • Association (NENA) Standards Committee On a state-by-state basis, CG needs to work with the State on an agreement regarding how NG 9 -1 -1 data will be handled/transferred safely/securely A metadata/VOIP ingest point needs to be identified A way to process and prioritize incoming metadata/VOIP needs to be developed Sprint III will address this issue specifically An auto-routing process/infrastructure needs to be established Watch-standers need training

Points of Contact • LT Jeff Platt, Sector Buffalo (PA/NY border to Ogdensburg, NY) • (716) 843 -9312 • Jeffrey. R. Platt@uscg. mil • (LT Jeff Young after June 19 th, Jeffrey. A. Young@uscg. mil) • CDR Aurora Fleming, Sector New York (NYC, Hudson River) • (718) 354 -4188 • Aurora. I. Fleming@uscg. mil • LT Shannon Smith, Sector Long Island Sound (Long Island) • (203) 468 -4568 • Shannon. F. Smith@uscg. mil