South African Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue Act, 2002RegulationsSouth African Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue (SASAR) Regulations, 2016Part 3 : SAR Operational Matters, Standards and Procedures10. SAR plans of operation |
| (1) | The Department in collaboration with SASAR must prepare detailed plans with procedures of operation for the safe and effective conduct of SAR operations within the SRR. |
| (2) | In addition to the plan referred to in (1) above, the authorities designated as RCCs or RSCs must ensure that the RCC Chief or RSC Head develop a comprehensive, detailed and unambiguous SAR plan to ensure that the RCC or RSC functions properly during a search and rescue action. |
| (3) | The plans of operation must specify, as a minimum: |
| (a) | the structure of functional responsibilities including authority, delegation and fines of reporting; |
| (b) | procedures whereby a search and rescue operation in the RCCs or RSCs area of responsibility should be conducted during different phases of an emergency; |
| (c) | arrangements for the servicing and re-fuelling of aircraft, vessels and vehicles employed in SAR operations; |
| (d) | arrangements for expeditious access to weather information and other operational information including NOTAM and navigational warning; |
| (e) | the precise area of responsibility pertaining to the RCC or RSC; |
| (f) | the responsibilities and accommodation of staff assigned search and rescue operations; |
| (g) | methods and procedures whereby information is obtained, stored and retrieved for use in a search and rescue operation; |
| (h) | the training and exercising of search and rescue staff; and |
| (i) | the facilities available to the RCC or RSC. |
| (4) | In respect of the facilities available to the RCC or RSC, the plan of operation must: |
| (a) | state precisely which agencies are responsible for activating facilities; |
| (b) | detail the methods of communication with the various agencies (communication network); |
| (c) | detail the methods of alerting mobile facilities; |
| (d) | detail the methods of co-ordination with various facilities; |
| (e) | indicate by whom, and to what extent, any of these facilities can be requested to participate in an operation; and |
| (f) | describe the facilities available to the RCC or RSC. |
| (5) | All search and rescue action must be undertaken according to the nation SAR plan. |
| (6) | SAR plans of operation must include details of actions to be taken with respect to: |
| (a) | the available communication systems and facilities; |
| (b) | alerting en-route aircraft and ships at sea; |
| (e) | the duties and prerogatives of all participating personnel; |
| (d) | the possible redeployment of personnel and equipment that may be necessitated by meteorological or other dynamic conditions; |
| (e) | the particular assistance appropriate to distressed aircraft confronted with the need to ditch, including rendezvous with surface craft; and |
| (f) | in-flight diversion to and intercept and escort of aircraft in distress. |
| (7) | RCCs must ensure that their plans of operation are integrated with aerodrome emergency procedures to provide for optimal, coordinated response to aircraft emergencies that may arise in the vicinity of airports, including, for coastal aerodromes, areas of water. |
| (8) | RCCs must ensure that plans of operation are integrated with harbour/port emergency procedures to provide for a co-ordinated response to marine emergencies that may arise within a vicinity of harbours, ports and VTS areas of responsibility. |
| (9) | RCCs must ensure that each SAR unit is cognisant of all parts of the plans of operation necessary for the effective conduct of its tasks or duties. |