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viernes, 26 de julio de 2019

U.S. Coast Guard, partners conduct mass rescue exercise off Oahu

The 8th Pacific Search and Rescue workshop gathers for a static display of participating assets at Kalealoa Airport on Oahu, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The United States is hosting this year's event with more than 15 countries to discuss search and rescue throughout the Pacific Region. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Wyrick/Released).

The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) and international partner agencies take part in a search and rescue exercise off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The purpose of the exercise is to improve SAR response capability and capacity throughout the Pacific. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released).

A Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter crew participates in a mass rescue exercise off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, July 24, 2018. The exercise was a part of the Pacific Search and Rescue Steering Committee's biennial Pacific regional SAR workshop. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released).

A first responder jet crew conducts operations off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, during a mass rescue exercise, July 24, 2019. The exercise was a part of the Pacific Search and Rescue Steering Committee's biennial Pacific Regional SAR workshop. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released).

The crew of an HC-130 Hercules airplane from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point drops a life raft kit to a simulated vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The exercise, part of a larger weeklong international search and rescue workshop, simulated a commercial inter-island ferry taking on water and sinking during a 70-mile transit between islands with around 80 people onboard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarists Bill Melohn and Buzz Paxton/Released).

The crew of an HC-130 Hercules airplane from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point prepare a dewatering pump to be dropped to a simulated vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The exercise, part of a larger weeklong international search and rescue workshop, simulated a commercial inter-island ferry taking on water and sinking during a 70-mile transit between islands with around 80 people onboard. On behalf of the Pacific Search and Rescue Steering Committee, the United States is hosting delegations from more than 15 countries this week in Honolulu to discuss search and rescue throughout the region at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarists Bill Melohn and Buzz Paxton/Released).

The crew of an HC-130 Hercules airplane from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point drop a dewatering pump to a simulated vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The exercise, part of a larger weeklong international search and rescue workshop, simulated a commercial inter-island ferry taking on water and sinking during a 70-mile transit between islands with around 80 people onboard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarists Bill Melohn and Buzz Paxton/Released).

HONOLULU — As part of the 8th Pacific Regional Maritime Search and Rescue workshop in Hawaii, the U.S. Coast Guard hosted a joint static display and on-the-water demonstration Wednesday on the westside of Oahu.

Partners simulated a response to a vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae. Assets included the observation vessel Dolphin Star, the USCGC Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126), and a Coast Guard Station Honolulu 45-foot Response Boat-Medium as well as crews from the Honolulu Fire Department. Aircraft from the U.S. Navy, France, Australia, and New Zealand also participated. 

The workshop will continue Thursday with a review of the MRO, case studies, systems and tools such as the Tsunami warning system and advances in personal locator beacons, and other panels. Friday participants are anticipated to review the team's goals, outcomes, and action items to carry forward for further growth. 

More than 15 different Pacific countries are participating in the workshop. PACSAR 8 is a continuation of the biennial event sponsored in part by the International Maritime Organization, secretariat of the Pacific Community, and Pacific SAR steering committee to build SAR capacity across the Pacific. Every other year, a different country hosts the workshop. Maritime New Zealand hosted the last round, PACSAR 7, in Aukland in May 2017.

The long-term goal of these regular workshops is to further the mission of the steering committee to measurably improve the SAR capability of each of the Pacific Island countries or territories in line with international standards and the PACAR measures of success by 2021. The PACSAR 8 workshop is a place to collaboratively share successes and continue the learning process by assessing strengths, risks, opportunities for partnerships, and to learn from each other.

-USCG-