Making an Emergency Call

19-1004.fm Page 11 Tuesday, August 3, 1999 9:11 AM

Emergency calls are made on Channel 16 because it is monitored by marine radio owners. In many areas, the Coast Guard monitors Channel 16 24- hours a day.

There are three levels of emergency calls:

•The Mayday distress signal is for the most severe situations and is used when there is grave and imminent danger to people and/or a vessel. Mayday has priority over all other calls.

•The Pan-Panurgency signal is the second level of emergency and is used when people or vessels are in jeopardy.

•The Security safety signal is the third level of emergency and is used for messages about the safety of navigation or important weather warnings.

Follow these steps to make a distress call.

1.Turn on the radio, and select Channel 16.

2.Set the output power to 5W (5 watts).

3.Hold the transceiver about 3 inches from your mouth, and press the push-to-talk button.

4.Say, “Mayday-Mayday-Mayday! This is (your call sign and name of your boat), (your call sign and name of your boat), (your call sign and name of your boat), Mayday (name of your boat).”

5.Then give the following informa- tion:

•Your location, including any navigational aids or landmarks

•The nature of your emergency

•The number of people on the boat and the condition of any injured

•The estimated seaworthiness of your boat

•A brief description of your boat length, type, color, and so forth

6.To end the message, say “I will be listening on Channel 16. This is (your call sign or name of your boat). Over.”

7.Release the push-to-talk button and listen.

8.Someone should answer. If not, repeat the call beginning with Step 3.

Use this same basic procedure for transmitting urgent and safety signals, substituting Pan-Panand Security in place of Mayday, and providing appro- priate information.