35 Fall 2025 Proceedings well-prepared, attainable scenario can foster teamwork, push crew resource management beyond normal train- ing ruts, and strengthen camaraderie. That same scenario can be expanded to involve a local civilian SAR team or perhaps a visiting Coast Guard cutter. Additionally, matching faces with the names of members from partner organizations can enhance communication and forge stronger relationships, leading to more efficient coordi- nation during real-world, multiagency operations. A SAR crew should be confident in its equipment, training and ability, but it is equally important to know its limitations. There is a time for a maximum effort and an acceptance of high risk to save lives, but there is also a time to accept that you may not be the best asset for the mission. Working alongside other SAR organiza tions has the added benefit of showcasing strengths and expertise. For example, while the Coast Guard aircrews excelled with hoisting to a wide variety of vessels and precise recoveries of survivors from the water, other attendees brought rope expertise as well as mass casualty com- mand and control capabilities. Coast Guard cutters proved to be excellent communication relays and civilian SAR teams brought local area knowledge. Though the nearest rescue coordination center has a grasp of capabilities and limitations, these events pro- vide valuable opportunities for crews placed in on-scene command roles to optimize the use of all responders. This enhances overall effectiveness while reducing risk. Besides the partnerships with fellow SAR response units, SAREX has also strengthened internal and local relationships. Within the unit hosting the exercise, multiple departments and personnel work together to accomplish the event, using support personnel as simu- lated survivors to get “rescued” throughout the week added a level of realism while improving teamwork and mission buy-in. Though Southeast Alaska’s geography and remoteness provides an ideal environment for train- ing, complicated layers of land ownership, wildlife pro- tection, and resource management sometimes require special use permits or prior permission from other gov- ernment agencies. Again, this bolsters relationships with numerous agencies and individuals in a remote, some- times resource-starved area. Hosting a SAREX For those interested in hosting and coordinating a joint SAR exercise, a few valuable lessons have been learned and techniques honed. First, include all invited partic- ipants in selecting a date. Personnel transfer seasons, weather, scheduled maintenance, temporary duty, standardization or certification visits, and budgeting, among other things, can all affect participation. Get the red tape done early, too. Foreign visitor authorization, visitor passes, approval to transport civilian SAR crews, special land-use permits, and fuel availability are exam- ples of tasks that may take some time to get approved. Assign sponsors to each participating crew or team to assist with logistics, coordinate arrival times, staging areas, and more. Scenarios are what can really make or break a SAREX. A good scenario can push skill development, find a weakness, or hone a skill. When creating scenarios, keep in mind who will be responding and what some of their basic capabilities and limitations are. Does their aircraft have a hoist? Can they use direction-finding equipment to locate a personal locator beacon? Are they EMTs or paramedics? Is the boat crew able to work with the SAR crew to perform helicopter operations? It may be neces- sary to develop different tiers of scenarios based on par- ticipants’ capabilities or training restrictions. There can be a strong desire to create a complex, mul- tifaceted scenario with lots of moving parts and decision opportunities. The result often seems obvious to the sce- nario’s creator, but more often than not, different back- grounds or experience will result in a crew tackling the scenario much differently than the designer intended. Make sure the information provided to the crew is suf- ficient and be ready to provide additional information if you see a crew misunderstanding the scenario. It’s better to clarify a detail than to let a crew go hours in the wrong direction and return frustrated. As the host unit, try to keep the details of the scenarios hidden from your crews to maximize the benefits for your unit personnel. Conclusion There are many competing demands on agencies and organizations. Areas of operations are large, resources are scarce, and experience levels ebb and flow. More so then ever, unique events generated at the unit level, such as SAREX Sitka, should be used to keep crews sharp and interoperable. In October 1980, the Dutch luxury cruise ship Prinsendam caught fire and eventually sank 130 miles off- shore in the Gulf of Alaska. In the miracle that followed, 520 people were rescued from lifeboats by rescuers from the same units and organizations that converge on Sitka every year. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka is proud to continue and promote the long tradition of joint search and rescue operations in Southeast Alaska and the Coast Guard’s Arctic District. About the author: LCDR Jared Carbajal is an MH-60 pilot stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, Alaska, and has been the lead planner for the past three SAREXs. Prior to Air Station Sitka, he was assigned to Air Station Kodiak, giving him a combined nine consecutive years flying as a search and rescue pilot in Alaska.
