Category Archives: SAR

What do these two technologies have in common?

What is/are the relationship(s) between the technologies pictured here? We’re not trying to be unfair, so we’ll explain that one image is of a pilot climbing into an F-16, and the other is of a whistle.

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They differences, of course, are intuitive: The F-16, while still being manufactured for export to selected countries, is no longer being purchased by the United States military, but those still in service are intended to remain in service until 2025, which speaks volumes about the complexity of military aircraft design and the consequent length of the design cycle. The F-16 is unquestionably a weapons system or platform: there are many cofigurations of armament, electronic countermeasure, complex IFF systems (“Identify Friend or Foe,” an automated means of reducing friendly fire incidents on the one hand, and thereby permitting faster action by pilots who are, by using IFF, at less risk of accidentally attacking an ally, a colleague, perhaps even a friend and comrade); training is complex and demanding; because of its complexity and maneuvering ability, the F-16 is unforgiving of error.

The whistle, the WW-3 Res-Q™ Whistle, has a single function: to call for help and direct help towards the signaler (so perhaps two related functions), and its characteristics include:

  • Loud, shrill, dual tone audible from great distance
  • Unique flat design prevents holding water
  • Required by SOLAS 83
  • Meets USCG/SOLAS requirements
  • Aids in land or sea rescues
  • Use on life jackets, vests, foul weather gear, ring buoys, rafts, keychains, etc.
  • Developed for the U.S. Navy; used by NASA, major airlines and shipping companies
  • Complete with 18-inch (45.5 cm) lanyard

Its only safety defect is its greatest virtue: users and persons near them may experience discomfort or transient hearing loss because it is so loud. It’s simple to operate; as Lauren Bacall said in the film Key Largo,

“If you want me just whistle. You know how to whistle don’t you? Just put your lips together and blow.”

Lauren Bacall, The Complete Films of Humphrey Bogart; found at  Lauren Bacall Quotes Page, via GoodReads.com

So what do they have in common?

  1. The same parent company, Cobham plc, makes both components and subsystems for the F-16 and other very complicated pieces of tech costing millions of dollars, as well as the Res-Q-Whistle, which often retails for under $3 USD. It’s hard to imagine that there’s much of an economic motive for Cobham in selling these whistles, but we’re glad they have them on the market.
  2. The pilot stepping into the F-16 probably has the Res-Q-Whistle in his survival gear which, because its most likely use is after ejection and parachuting and consequently has carefully rationed space, says something about the perceived value of the whistle. Insofar as we know, the $2 whistle must be purchased separately, and is not included in the price of the more expensive F-16 subsystems and accessories.

 

Thanks to RFCafe.com for providing the link which led to this piece.

General SAR and Disaster Reference via NYSAR

New York Search and Rescue maintains a downloads page

which has a fairly deep/wide set of resources for disaster planners and responders.

Here’s a sampling of useful and essential resources:

Via New York Search and Rescue.

James Vlahos on the search for Steve Fossett

The December 2007/January 2008 issue of National Geographic Adventure has an excellent piece by James Vlahos about the SAR (S

earch And Rescue) effort following Steve Fossett’s disappearance. “The Vanishing” appears on page 68 of the print edition – but not at all on National Geographic Adventure‘s on-line counterpart. Vlahos makes some interesting points about the human factors issues that are likely to have led to Fossett’s death, and suggests that decentralized – and perhaps somewhat uncoordinated – efforts – may have overlooked some portions of the area in which Fossett was most likely to have crashed. This is worth a read – especially if you’re not familiar with the large area/small target search problem.

The National Geographic Adventure websitedoes have a great piece on survival skills by Laurence Gonzalez . About which more shortly.

Andrée de Jongh, 90, heroine of Belgian Resistance

My hometown paper, The New York Times, routinely publishes obituaries of people one has likely never heard of – but upon reading the obituary are glad the Times has written about them.  (I’ve heard bits and pieces about the editorial process by which the Times  identifies people, during their lifetimes, and keeps a “morgue” file – but I don’t know enough to explain it).  From their obituary of   Andrée de Jongh, of the Belgian resistance, who ran the “Comet” escape line for downed Allied fighters – so named because it was so fast.

Andrée de Jongh, whose youth and even younger appearance belied her courage and ingenuity when she became a World War II legend ushering many downed Allied airmen on a treacherous, 1,000-mile path from occupied Belgium to safety, died Saturday in Brussels. She was 90.

Her death was announced by a Web site for former resistance fighters, verzet.org. There was no information about survivors.

Derek Shuff, in his book ”Evader” (2007), told of three British crewmen whose bomber made a forced landing in 1941. They found their way to the Underground and were ensconced in a safe house when a slip of a young woman appeared.

”My name is Andrée,” the 24-year-old woman said, ”but I would like you to call me by my code name, which is Dédée, which means little mother. From here on I will be your little mother, and you will be my little children. It will be my job to get my children to Spain and freedom.”

She left and the three sat in stunned silence. One finally spoke. ”Our lives are going to depend on a schoolgirl,” he said.

Two of the men survived the grueling trek along what became known as the Comet escape line, because of the speed with which soldiers were hustled along it.

Ms. de Jongh eventually led 24 to 33 expeditions across occupied France, over the Pyrenees to Gibraltar. She herself escorted 118 servicemen to safety. At least 300 more escaped along the Comet line.

When the Germans captured her in 1943, it was her youth that saved her. When she truthfully confessed responsibility for the entire scheme, they refused to believe her.

The citation of her Medal of Freedom With Golden Palm, the highest award the United States presented to foreigners who helped the American effort in World War II, said Ms. de Jongh ”chose one of the most perilous assignments of the war.” Continue reading →