USAF AFRCC / SMC Graduate Patch

Air Force Rescue Coordination Center / SAR Mission Coordinator Graduate Patch

Circa 2015/6'.

MISSION

The Commander, Air Forces Northern is the Inland Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator. The Air

Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) is designated as the SAR Mission Coordinator (SMC)

for the aeronautical Search and Rescue Region (SRR) corresponding to the continental US other than

Alaska, also known as the Langley SRR. The AFRCC seeks to encourage a cooperative SAR

network and help coordinate assistance for persons in distress.

AUTHORITY

The AFRCC mission is derived from international treaty requirements in the Chicago Convention

(ninth addition, 2006) and the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue

(IAMSAR) Manual. These requirements are satisfied by the U.S. via the National Search and Rescue

Plan (NSP) and the National Search and Rescue Supplement (NSS) to the IAMSAR Manual. The

NSP and NSS provide the United States a national plan for coordinating SAR services to meet our

domestic needs and international commitments. Further implementation guidance is provided in

Department of Defense Instruction 3003.01, Support to Civil Search and Rescue and Air Force

Policy Directive 10-45, Air Force Support to Civil Search and Rescue.

TASKING AUTHORITY

The AFRCC has no command or control authority. The AFRCC supports domestic civil authorities

by coordinating Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal SAR services to the fullest extent

practicable on a non-interference basis with the unit’s primary duties, according to applicable

national directives, plans, guidelines, and agreements. No DoD or other federal resources are

assigned or tasked for the aeronautical civil SAR mission.

Staff Sgt. Jose Grimes, search and rescue duty officer with the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., monitors the radar as he coordinates with another agency during a SAR mission. Sergeant Grimes played a critical role in locating a downed aircraft March 7 near the Canadian border in Maine and coordinating bi-national assets to rescue the aircrew member who survived.

RESPONSIBILITIES

When managing SAR operations the AFRCC has the full operational authority of the Inland SAR

Coordinator. Specific responsibilities include:

- Coordinating SAR operations involving missing/overdue general aviation (GA) flights, interstate

aircraft flights, DoD aircraft, and commercial aircraft.

- Coordinating SAR operations in response to Emergency Beacon Alerts. The AFRCC receives

all COSPAS-SARSAT emergency beacon distress signals registered to the United States or those

originating from within its SRR. The AFRCC investigates the signal in coordination with

federal, state, and local officials and determines the required type and scope of response.

- Coordinating federal SAR capabilities (both Aeronautical and Inland) at the request of other

designated Rescue Control Centers (RCC), Federal and State SAR coordinators in support of

their civil SAR operations. Through SAR Agreements with other SAR Coordinators (SCs) and

their SMCs, the AFRCC may be a coordinating authority for specific SAR events outside the

Langley SRR. These events include mercy, patient transport, search, rescue, and search and

rescue unit (SRU) transport.

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