ICAO 9731 VOL I PDF

Foreword

The primary purpose of the three volumes of the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual (IAMSAR Manual) is to assist States in meeting their own search and rescue (SAR) needs, and the obligations they accepted under the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979 and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS). These volumes provide guidelines for a common aviation and maritime approach to organizing and providing SAR services. States are encouraged to develop and improve their SAR services, cooperate with neighbouring States and to consider their SAR services to be part of a global system.

Each volume of the IAMSAR Manual is written with specific SAR system duties in mind, and can be used as a stand-alone document, or, in conjunction with the other two Manuals, as a means to attain a full view of the SAR system. Depending on the duties assigned, it may be necessary to hold only one, or two or all three volumes.

The Organization and Management volume (volume I) discusses the global SAR system concept, establishment and improvement of national and regional SAR systems and cooperation with neighbouring States to provide effective and economical SAR services;

The Mission Coordination volume (volume II) assists personnel who plan and coordinate SAR operations and exercises; and

The Mobile Facilities volume (volume III) is intended to be carried aboard rescue units, aircraft, and vessels to help with performance of a search, rescue, or on-scene coordinator function and with aspects of SAR that pertain to their own emergencies.

Organization and Management

Chapter 1 presents an overview of the SAR concept, including what is involved in providing SAR services, and why such services are required and beneficial. The SAR system is examined from a global, regional and national perspective.

Chapter 2 introduces some of the key components of the SAR system. These include communications, rescue coordination centres and sub-centres, operational and support facilities and the on-scene coordinator.

Chapter 3 considers the use of training, qualification, and certification processes to develop professionally competent SAR personnel. A number of aspects of training and of exercises used for training, are examined in detail.

Chapter 4 describes the communications needs of the SAR organization for reception of distress alerts and for supporting effective coordination among the various components of the SAR system.

Chapter 5 provides an overall management perspective of the SAR system.

Chapter 6 discusses the necessary factors and recommends some techniques for creating an organizational environment that fosters improvement of services.

This Manual is published jointly by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This edition of the Manual includes amendments adopted by the following MSC circulars:

A new edition is published every three years. The 2019 edition includes the 2018 amendments (adopted by ICAO and approved by IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee at its ninety-ninth session in May 2018 by means of MSC.1/Circ.1594), which became applicable on 1 July 2019. The amendments were prepared by the ICAO/IMO Joint Working Group on Harmonization of Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue and were endorsed by the IMO Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) at its fifth session in February 2018.

The IAMSAR Manual is subject to copyright protection under ICAO and IMO. However, limited reproduction of forms, checklists, tables, graphs and similar content is allowed for operational use or training purposes.