OOPS 78 Here is a link to Search and Rescue in Australia
SAR
Search and Rescue in Australia is primarily conducted by Civil operators. The Military "look after their own" and also provide the long range off-shore capability that the civil sector can't provide, e.g. the southern ocean and ops more than 400nm off shore.
Contrary to JAMAIR's statement of "johnny on the spot" civil operators, AUSSAR has a well defined response capability, utilising 6 levels ( Tiers 1-6) of support. "johnny on the spot" does occur at the Tier 5 and 6 level.
At the top end of the scale, there are three TIER 1 contractors, based in Cairns, Wollongong and Melbourne.
A Tier 1 unit has a dedicated and fully equipped SAR aircraft, crew members on rostered standby and a contracted obligation to be airborne within 30 minutes of receiving a callout daylight hours/weekdays and 90 minutes after hours/holidays.
The Tier 1 aircraft carries a variety of stores, including PADS units (precision aerial drop system) to deliver liferafts, emergency baling pumps, radios and supplies to within one or two metres of a target. Also carried are "Heli-Boxes", also used to deliver supplies,radios etc to within 100 metres of a target.
The aircraft have an avionics suite to enable tasking with precision and this includes homing capability to both 121.5/243 beacons and to aircraft VHF frequencies to enable midair intercept and guidance. ( these capabilities take Tier 1 out of the "Johnny on the spot" capability of an ad hoc chartered aircraft.
Tiers 2-3 have similar capabilities to TIER 1 on an opportunity basis and the response time will include time to configure the aircraft, load stores and find suitable crew. obviously these Tiers cannot respond within 30 minutes, nor are they required to.
Tiers 2-3 are located in Perth,Geraldton, Karratha, Darwin, Alice Springs, Mount Isa, Brisbane, Hobart and Adelaide.
Tier 4 are located at all Tier 1-3 locations and other additional locations. They have limited capabilities, usually limited to searching but are AUSSAR trained.
Tier 5-6 are the "Johnny on the spot" operators registered with Aussar.
Additionally there is a Rotary Wing SAR component covering the majority of the Eastern seaboard with limited coverage of the Western seaboard.
Reef Helicopters are a major contractor to Aussar with Bell 412 and other helicopters.
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