HOW TO GET HELP!

Whether you’re taking on water or simply out of gas, knowing what to do and how to get the help you need can speed up assistance and, in the case of certain emergency situations, SAVE LIVES!

First and foremost, DON’T PANIC! Keeping a clear head during an emergency or even a simple mechanical failure is vital to assuring the safe rescue of yourself, your passengers and your vessel. Following these simple steps as soon as your vessel becomes disabled can make the difference between speedy assistance and lengthy delays while rescue boats attempt to locate you.

	First:	Put on your life jackets!!! Even if you lose the boat, wearing your life jacket will keep you afloat until rescuers arrive. “They Float, You Don’t”. Your boat can be repaired or replaced…you can’t!
	Second:	If you have an emergency, Call The Coast Guard on your VHF radio and hail “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”. Give the name of your vessel, your location and the nature of your problem. Remember…a “Mayday” indicates that lives are in danger. Never hail “Mayday” if you have simply broken down or ran out of gas/fuel – more on that later.
	Third:	Give your specific location including the body of water. The better your directions, the sooner help will arrive. Start by giving a geographical position relative to the nearest landmark such as “about 1 mile south and 2 miles offshore of the Lake Worth Inlet. This information allows rescuers to dispatch the nearest vessel(s) to your location. Next, if your vessel is equipped with GPS, give your latitude and longitude. Don’t forget, most GPS units take a few minutes to warm up and you need to be sure you are giving your CURRENT position, not one of the waypoints programmed into your unit.
	Fourth:	If possible, anchor your vessel. This will not only keep you from drifting away from the position you gave to the rescue vessel, it will also keep you from getting in even MORE trouble by drifting up onto the beach, into the rocks, under a bridge or some other area that will make your problem even worse.

During a “Mayday” situation, the Coast Guard will have many questions for you. Giving them accurate information is vital to making sure the proper resources are sent from the nearest possible location. When passing information over the radio, keep the volume turned up, speak clearly and give accurate, detailed answers to their questions. Keep in mind that both distance and crowded radio channels are a factor so don’t get impatient if you are asked to repeat some of your transmissions.

Some of the questions you will be asked are:

	a.	What is your location and the nature of your distress?
	b.	How many people do you have on board?
	c.	What is a description of your vessel? (Make sure you give the length, the make and the color and if there are any distinguishing characteristics that will make you easier to spot)
	d.	Is everyone wearing a lifejacket?
	e.	If there is an injury, you will be asked the extent of the injuries, the age and many other details about the patient.

If you simply have a mechanical breakdown, are out of gas/fuel or have another non-emergency problem, contact your towing membership provider, as these are matters for local commercial tow companies, not the Coast Guard. If you have a towing membership with one of the commercial towers, hail them on Channel 16 and they will take you to a working channel, get your location and nature of your problem and will get a vessel underway to you. If you do not have an affiliation with one of the commercial towers, you have a couple of options:

	a.	Simply get on Channel 16, give the name of your vessel, the nature of your problem, your location and say that you are in need of assistance. One of the local commercial towing companies will usually answer immediately.
	b.	Hail for the United States Coast Guard. Let them know you are in need of assistance and they will broadcast a “MARB” (Marine Assistance Request Broadcast) for you requesting that anyone desiring to render assistance to you come up on the radio and give their estimated time of arrival.

In both cases, if you do not have a towing membership, payment will be expected by any commercial tow company who comes to your aid. Most charges are “portal to portal” meaning from the time they leave the dock until the time they return and there is usually a 1 hour minimum charge.

Remember…..LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. In order to come to your aid, we have to know where you are! Accurate and detailed information can save both lives and property.