Situation Report

2.27.5 The OSC uses a situation report (SITREP) to keep the SMC informed of on-scene mission progress and conditions, and normally addresses SITREPs only to the SMC unless otherwise directed. The SMC uses SITREPs to keep superiors, other RCCs and RSCs, and any other interested agencies informed of mission progress. For cases where pollution or threat of pollution exists as the result of the casualty, the appropriate agency tasked with environmental protection should be an information addressee on all SITREPs.

2.27.6 Often a short SITREP is used to provide the earliest notice of a casualty or to pass urgent details when using the SITREP to request assistance. A full SITREP is used to pass amplifying information during SAR operations, or to inform SAR authorities of the home State of the craft in distress.

2.27.7 Initial SITREPs should be transmitted as soon as details of an incident become clear enough to indicate SAR system involvement, and should not be delayed unnecessarily for confirmation of all details. Further SITREPs should be issued as soon as other relevant information is obtained. Information already passed should not be repeated. During prolonged operations, " no change" SITREPs should be issued at intervals of about three hours to reassure recipients that nothing has been missed. When the incident is concluded, a final SITREP should be issued as confirmation.

2.27.8 While SITREP format is usually established by agency directives, the standard format shown in Appendix I should be used along with standard codes as necessary for international communications between RCCs. Each SITREP concerning the same casualty should be numbered sequentially.

2.27.9 Regardless of format, SITREPs usually provide the following information:

Identification: usually in the subject line,

the SITREP number,

identification of the craft, and

one-or two-word description of the emergency.

The perceived phase of the emergency should be indicated. SITREPs should be numbered sequentially throughout the case. When an OSC is relieved on-scene, the new OSC should continue the SITREP numbering sequence.

(b) Situation: a description of the case, the conditions that affect the case, and any amplifying information that will clarify the problem. After the first SITREP, only changes to the original reported situation need be included.

(c) Action taken: a report of all action taken since the last report, including results of such action. When an unsuccessful search has been conducted, the report includes the areas searched, a measure of effort such as sorties flown or hours searched, and the coverage factor.

(d) Future plans: a description of actions planned for future execution, including any recommendations and, if necessary, a request for additional assistance. Status of case: this is used only on the final SITREP to indicate that the case is closed or that search is suspended pending further! developments.

2.27.10 The SMC should develop a search action plan and a rescue action plan as appropriate. In some situations these plans may be combined into one message.