Page updated: 27 November 2020
If you're the Incident Controller, you must identify the incident's emergency phase.
When identifying the emergency phase, you need to consider:
An uncertainty phase exists when you believe the subject's safety is in doubt. The key word for this emergency phase is doubt.
A situation is in the uncertainty phase if you need to monitor it or you don’t have enough information to know whether a SAR response is needed.
In this phase, you need to try to communicate with the subject whose safety is in doubt. You must do this so you have enough information to decide:
In this case, you need to:
If the independent expert thinks a SAR response is needed, they can propose a response that includes gathering and analysing more information. This response must happen as soon as possible.
As Incident Controller, you might gather and analyse more information and still think a SAR response is not needed. In this case, the same independent expert needs to agree that no further response is needed. They must be involved in making the final decision.
In this case, you may respond by:
An aircraft incident may be in the uncertainty phase if:
The uncertainty phase exists when a vessel:
The alert phase exists when you’re aware that a subject is at risk of death, injury, or harm, and may need help, but they’re not in immediate danger.
The key word for the alert phase is apprehension.
In the alert phase, information clearly shows that a subject is at risk, and enough information exists for you to develop a plan.
The distress phase exists when you’re reasonably certain that a subject is at risk of death, injury, or harm, and require immediate help.
The key words for the distress phase are grave or imminent danger and immediate assistance.
Examples of situations that should be identified as distress phases are when:
As Incident Controller, you need to: