ALONG the top of the first page of the official instructions to H.M. Coast- guard the following words are written : " The swift emergencies of the sea call for prompt response ".

It is just that which has led to the development over a long period of years of the present organisation of search and rescue at sea. In a sense the organisation has, of necessity, developed of itself. It is based on the co-operation of a number of separate bodies, some governmental and some voluntary. The number of these bodies has grown with the years and as new life-saving devices have been evolved.

These are, to name only a few, the coast radio stations, the masters of vessels, the R.N.L.I., the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, Lloyd's, H.M.

Coastguard.

Co-operation Between Services Each of these organisations or indi- viduals, depending on circumstances, may be in a position to play a vital part, perhaps on their own, but more usually in conjunction with one or more of the others. Who is likely to be involved in a rescue service will, of course, depend not only on the im- mediate circumstances of the casualty but on its geographical position.

Because of its disposition around the coast of the country, H.M. Coastguard is often in the best position to initiate search and rescue measures. For this reason it is looked upon as the organisa- tion responsible for keeping other authorities engaged in a rescue opera- tion in touch with events as they occur or are reported.

H.M. Coastguard is primarily a life- saving organisation. It keeps watch at danger points around the coasts of Great Britain. The service is organised on the basis of the maintenance of an extensive visual watch, particularly in bad and thick weather, and the basic type of coastguard station is one at which watch is only set in such weather.

In fine weather, at these stations, the coast is scanned at dawn and dusk, and at intervals during the day, and watch is set at once on the approach of bad weather or if local circumstances re- quire it for any special reason.

Constant Watch Stations There are, however, a number of constant watch stations where watch is kept in all weather by day and night.

This is the case at all district head- quarters stations, and at points where there is a large volume of coastal and fishing traffic and the navigational hazards are such that immediate life- saving action will be necessary if a casualty occurs, even in fine weather.

In addition, there are some constant night watch stations, since it is neces- sary to keep watch at night, even in fine weather, at a number of stations over and above those keeping constant watch.

Although many casualties are first brought to notice by the coastguard look-outs, an increasing proportion make their plight known by sending out a wireless distress message. This is picked up by the nearest coast radio station, of which there are twelve round the coasts of the United King- dom, quickly re-broadcast to other ships, and passed on by telephone to the nearest Coastguard district head- quarters station, known as the Coast- guard liaison station. There the posi- tion of the casualty is plotted on a chart, and if this shows that the vessel lies outside the area controlled by the liaison station, the appropriate district headquarters are given the distress message by telephone together with any other information known. On the receipt of this information, it is the duty of this station to take the necessary life-saving action.

Life-Saving Apparatus Companies If a vessel becomes stranded on the coast, the Coastguard may be fore- warned by seeing the vessel drifting towards the coast, or they may see distress signals made from the vessel, or her plight may be reported to them by a coast radio station which has received a distress message from her.

The Coastguard at once inform the local life-boat station and assemble the appropriate life-saving apparatus com- pany and send it as quickly as possible to the scene of the casualty. These companies are formed of local volun- teers, and under the Coastguard locate the wreck and operate the life-saving equipment. In these circumstances it is unlikely that it will be necessary for any other authority to be called.

Aircraft Assistance If, on the other hand, a ship catches fire, perhaps fifty miles from the coast, and sends out a distress call, other ships picking up the call will at once go to her assistance. The coast radio station which receives the distress call will re- broadcast it to shipping on the distress frequencies, and also inform the Coast- guard, the appropriate naval com- mander-in-chief, and Lloyd's.

The Coastguard will tell the appro- priate life-boat station, and if it seems likely that the ship will be abandoned will ask the R.A.F. rescue co-ordination centre to send aircraft assistance. The naval commander-in-chief will decide whether he can assist by sending or diverting naval vessels. Tug companies, on being told of the casualty by Lloyd's, may decide to send salvage tugs.

The coast radio station keeps the Coastguard informed of all signals and messages received from the casualty and other vessels taking part in the operation.

The very fact that so many of the authorities mentioned earlier may easily have a vital part to play makes it clear that an efficient liaison must be kept up between as many of them as neces- sary in the special circumstances of each case. A ready and sympathetic understanding of the problems of others is essential.

What Can in Fact Happen It is a strange fact but experience has shown that the more local the incident the greater is the need for understand- ing and co-operation between separate bodies. The following is an example of what can in fact happen when someone is in danger at sea : A volunteer-in-charge of a coast- guard auxiliary station is rung up by the police and told that a dinghy has cap- sized off a certain cafe, and that men are reported clinging to the keel. Police have asked for a helicopter. The volunteer-in-charge rushes to his look- out. He does not know if the heli- copter has taken off. He rings the nearest coastguard launching station and asks for the help of the life-boat.

The honorary secretary is told, and if he decides the life-boat should be launched the maroons are fired.

Meanwhile all the volunteer-in- charge can see is a crowd on the beach near the cafe. He rings the police for further news. He rings a motor boat hirer, but get no answer.

The coastguard district headquarters ring and ask for information, as they have heard about the incident from the launching station. Later the volunteer- in-charge sees the life-boat and a heli- copter approaching and searching.

Messages are exchanged between life- boat and helicopter on very high frequency radio-telephone. The life-boat is seen to turn away and the helicopter goes off.

Room for Irritation The telephone then rings again and the police say that a local motor boat effected the rescue just before the arrival of life-boat and helicopter.

There is a quite a lot of room for irritation to creep in here if the par- ticipants have no knowledge or appreciation of the others' problems and difficulties. But the rescue has been effected, and that is what really matters.

All the organisations concerned were ready to give whatever help was needed, but the saving of life at sea is not the monopoly of any one of them. The purpose of the system which has been developed is to ensure that the different organisations co-operate to the best of their ability and that each plays its part in the work of rescue to which it is most suited..