Definition Of Search And Rescue

When the following terms are used in the Standards and Recommended Practices for search and rescue, they have the following meanings:

Alerting post. Any facility intended to serve as an intermediary between a person reporting an emergency and a rescue coordination centre or rescue subcentre.  

Alert phase. A situation wherein apprehension exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its occupants.  

Distress phase. A situation wherein there is a reasonable certainty that an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.  

Ditching. The forced landing of an aircraft on water.

Emergency phase. A generic term meaning, as the case may be, uncertainty phase, alert phase or distress phase.  

Joint rescue coordination centre (JRCC). A rescue coordination centre responsible for both aeronautical and maritime search and rescue operations. Operator. A person, organization or enterprise engaged in or offering to engage in an aircraft operation.  

Pilot-in-command. The pilot designated by the operator, or in the case of general aviation, the owner, as being in command and charged with the safe conduct of a flight.
 
Rescue. An operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a place of safety.  

Rescue coordination centre (RCC). A unit responsible for promoting efficient organization of search and rescue services and for coordinating the conduct of search and rescue operations within a search and rescue region. 

Rescue subcentre (RSC). A unit subordinate to a rescue coordination centre, established to complement the latter according to particular provisions of the responsible authorities. 

Search. An operation normally coordinated by a rescue coordination centre or rescue subcentre using available personnel and facilities to locate persons in distress.  

Search and rescue aircraft. An aircraft provided with specialized equipment suitable for the efficient conduct of search and rescue missions.  

Search and rescue facility. Any mobile resource, including designated search and rescue units, used to conduct search and rescue operations.  

Search and rescue service. The performance of distress monitoring, communication, coordination and search and rescue functions, initial medical assistance or medical evacuation, through the use of public and private resources, including cooperating aircraft, vessels and other craft and installations. 

Search and rescue region (SRR). An area of defined dimensions, associated with a rescue coordination centre, within which search and rescue services are provided.  

Search and rescue unit. A mobile resource composed of trained personnel and provided with equipment suitable for the expeditious conduct of search and rescue operations.  

State of Registry. The State on whose register the aircraft is entered. 
 
Uncertainty phase. A situation wherein uncertainty exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its occupants.

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