Your vessel may be one of the following:

1. Non-Assisting Unit

• Non-participant due to distance to search and/or travel time to search datum. (Obligations?)

2. Assisting Unit

• Unit participating in the search.

3. On Scene Commander (OSC)

• Unit which has been delegated the task of locally coordinating the search effort

It must be noted that when considering yourself a NON-ASSISTING UNIT, you must be certain that the distances/ranges involved which could prohibit you from responding to a search and rescue operation in a timely manner are valid.

It is highly unlikely that you would be expected to take part in a rescue operation taking place in the English Channel 600 miles away, due to the density of shipping and rescue assets.

But you could be 900 miles away from a search datum in the Pacific and still be the closest unit!