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This page is a framework
Quick reference: requesting Coast Guard help
General planning guidance. The Coast Guard sector command center decides which units respond.
Ways a case reaches the Coast Guard:
- 911: the public calls 911; dispatchers pass maritime cases to the Coast Guard sector command center.
- VHF-FM Channel 16: the international distress and calling channel, monitored by the Coast Guard.
- Agency to agency: incident commanders contact the sector command center directly through their dispatch center.
- Beacons: distress beacons (EPIRBs and PLBs) alert the Coast Guard through the satellite system.
Information the command center will ask for:
- Position: latitude and longitude, or a clear landmark, and the time last seen.
- Vessel or person: boat type, length and color, or a description of the person.
- People: how many, injuries, and whether they wear life jackets.
- Conditions: weather, sea state and what the agency has already done.
Working a joint case:
- Unified command: on shared cases the Coast Guard and local agencies work under unified command.
- One channel: agree on a common radio channel with the command center early.
- Keep reporting: pass new sightings, witness reports and search areas covered to the command center.
Mutual aid workflow
Requesting Coast Guard help here
Maritime scene safety
- Life jackets on. Everyone on a boat or working at the water's edge wears a personal flotation device.
- Control vessel traffic. Keep other boats clear of the search area and helicopter operations.
- Watch the weather. Wind, waves and fog change quickly on open water; small boats may need to stand down.
Who pays
- Coast Guard: the Coast Guard does not charge for search and rescue.
- Local units: costs for sheriff, police and fire marine units vary; ask whether a mutual aid agreement applies.
County resource density
State agencies and coordination
State boating and marine law enforcement agencies, and where a request is opened
Local government air units
Sheriff, police and fire marine units
Coast Guard Auxiliary and volunteers
Volunteer crews that support Coast Guard missions
Coast Guard units
District, sector, station and air units
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Program statistics
Recent deployments
Live news search
Opens a running news query for search and rescue activity in this state.
Open news searchCapability mix
Share of registered assets by discipline.
Governance and statutory authority
State mutual aid guidelines
The typing documents behind a request
These documents set out how the Coast Guard coordinates maritime search and rescue and what crews are qualified to do. Open a card for the summary and a link to the published source.
No state guideline documents are indexed yet for this state.
State statutes
Authority for search and rescue in this state
Federal frameworks
These apply in every state
Joining Coast Guard search and rescue
The path for Coast Guard members and Auxiliary volunteers
Capabilities and qualifications
| Capability | What the crew does | Who provides it and the standard | Recurrency |
|---|
Training resources
National maritime SAR references
Field toolkit and admin
Helicopter safety, logs and coordination
Working near a Coast Guard helicopter
Hoist safety for boat and shore crews.
- Let the hook touch down before handling it.
- Never tie the cable to anything.
Logging and volunteer registration
Records that support after-action review, reimbursement and volunteer coverage:
- Case log recording times, positions, units involved, the area searched and what was found.
- Unit activity log for after-action reporting and reimbursement.
How Coast Guard SAR is organized
Districts, sectors and rescue coordination centers.
- Districts were renamed by region in July 2025.
- Sector command centers answer 24 hours a day.