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The Coast Guard’s Rescue 21 System: Improving Response Time

boattest.com

In an emergency situation, seconds count and hitting the distress button on the VHF radio may be all that can be done before a boat sinks.

Ever wonder what that red “DSC” button is on the front panel of a VHF radio? That is the passageway to the Coast Guard’s Rescue 21 system that was more than two decades in the making. The “21” refers to technology of the 21st century. It brings improved rescue enhancements in how the USCG receives and responds to emergency Mayday situations. The long-used radio initiated rescue system is more than 40 years old. It is antiquated in equipment and implementation and has many inherent shortcomings. The Rescue 21 system will reduce reception and response time by benefit of electronics equipment and engineering innovation that wasn’t even thought of four decades ago.

What’s coming out of your megaphone?

sailingscuttlebutt.com

In an emergency situation, seconds count and hitting the distress button on the VHF radio may be all that can be done before a boat sinks.

The internet, and all of the social media tools it has spurned, has put a powerful megaphone into the hands of every person who has a connection and a device. What was once reserved for news editors, publicists, speech writers, and other professionals, is now a capability of anyone who cares to share a written or spoken word, photograph or video. Although we may not get paid to do it, today each of us is an “influencer.”

What does this have to do with ice sailing? In my opinion, it introduces a new responsibility that we should all take seriously. Each of us is now a publicist for the sport we love. That being the case, I would advocate that we protect our sport by adopting an unwritten rule that we don’t unnecessarily post the unfortunate aspects of ice sailing.

Before you compose and click, ask yourself, “What good will come for my sport if I share this content?”