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1 INTRODUCTION
The Baltic Sea area is divided into nine SAR areas of
responsibility, belonging to eight EU Member States
(Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia,
Estonia) and Russia. The States subject to the SAR
Convention base their activities on various forms of
rescue work, in the case of Polish, Denmark, Germany
they are full-time rescuers, in the case of Sweden the
rescue is the responsibility of the military, while in the
case of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, rescue operates
on the basis of basic crew and volunteer rescuers.
However, each country whose activities are
coordinated by the Rescue Co-ordination Centers
(RCCs) base their operations on the International
Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue
Manual (IAMSAR) [2, 3]. This manual consists of
three volumes:
− Volume I 'organization and management' which
describes the importance of emergency services
and how they work together. This volume is used
by government agencies. On the basis of the
guidelines of this volume, the "Search and Rescue
Plan" was developed.
− Volume II "Coordination of rescue operations"
containing guidelines for the planning and
execution of rescue operations. This volume is
used in coordination centers and on board rescue
vessels.
− Volume III "Mobile equipment" describing means
of communication, organization and means of
search. This volume is required on board every
floating and flying craft.
The Polish Maritime Search and Rescue Service
bases its rescue planning activities on operational
publications [4]:
− IAMSAR Volumes I, II and III, [2, 3]
− Search and Rescue Action Plan (SAR Plan), [7]
− National Plan for Combating Hazards and
Pollution of the Marine Environment, [5]
− Air Search and Rescue Operational Plan (ASAR
Plan), [7]
− Plan for sheltering vessels in need of assistance,
Modern Equipment of the Polish SAR Service During
a Real Rescue Operation in the Baltic Sea Taking Into
Account the Recommendations of the 3-volume
IAMSAR Manual
P. Krajewska
Gdynia Maritime University, Gdynia, Poland
ABSTRACT: The article presents the legal basis for action and decision support systems of the Polish Maritime
Search and Rescue Service. Based on the course of a selected mission, the actual actions were compared with the
IAMSAR recommendations, presenting the ways of communication and the latest training techniques for saving
lives.
Conclusions from the conducted analysis indicate that because of the knowledge and experience of rescuers
the requirements for conducting a search and rescue action according to IAMSAR differ from the actual actions
of rescue services.
http://www.transnav.eu
the International Journal
on Marine Navigation
and Safety of Sea Transportation
Volume 15
Number 1
March 2021
DOI: 10.12716/1001.15.01.20