Coastal Rescue Operations System (CROS) - A Web Based Distress Response ManagementG Parvathesam Sr. Systems Analyst, Weston Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd. P.V.M. Sirish Software Engineer, Weston Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd. Abstract Most of the Asian countries are surrounded by a large coast-line and had become one of the sources to improve the economy by fisheries. The fishing is the primary occupation for the people around the sea-coast. Simultaneously, deaths or missing boats has increased due to various disasters. The communications in most coastal regions is maintained through radio device. The government should have an adequate knowledge about the situation. This paper discusses about the rescue operations that can be taken with an effective communication when any debacle takes place. The Asian coastline is very large and the disasters like cyclones, floods, etc., occurring everyday at one or the other place, causing the damage to lives. The damage caused affects the dependants of the victim. The government should take initiation to reduce the deaths by arranging the latest equipment. The feasible proposal can be a communication system between the boat and a control room on the coast. In this paper we discuss an effective solution by using the latest communication technology and GPS along with GIS as an interface. Every boat would contain a GPS receiver that locates the position of the boat on the sea. When a boat is in trouble, an indication or signal is sent to the control room through a latest communication technique. This helps the coast guard or a control room in-charge to identify, based on the position (Lat/Long, height) that has a GIS interface, whether the boat is on the sea or have met with accident, and can take respective actions instantly. Some improvised rescue operations such as helping people using helicopter can be performed immediately to help and reduce the loss or deaths. If the government makes it a compulsion to every boat the tracking can be done easily. 1. Introduction The goal of the CROS is to identify the boat in distress on the sea, finding the location in the 1st minute by utilizing the technology which is discussed under at Coast office. Then finding the nearest helicopter and send alert information of the incident in the 2nd minute. In parallel, identify the nearest hospital to support that incident and alerting hospital team at the same time. The high speed helicopter (400 km/hrs) continuously communicating to the Coast office (coast guard’s) till it reaches the incident location at sea, and brings the person(s) back to the nearest rescue center (hospital) at coast within specified response time. This system helps in organizing tasks and allocating resources until the Coast office team (coast guards) handles the incident. In this context, a Web based distress response system can act as a complementary tool for carrying out response activities efficiently by effective allocation of the tasks and resources and to track the same for its status round the clock 24 x 7 and 365 days. System Overview:  CROS (Coastal Rescue Operations System) Overview (Proposed for Indian Context) 2. Proposed Methodology for Coastal Rescue Operations System: Proposed Web based Distress Response System has to be synchronized with the existing Operational Satellite Based Search and Rescue System (SARS) so as to get the location of distress and activate the Response Mechanism. 1. DAT (Distress Alert Transmitter) activated due to grave and imminent danger. 2. Distress signals received by MCCs (Mission Control Center). 3. CROS receives the information and alerts the HQ Personnel. 4. CROS HQ in turn sends the Alarm to the corresponding Coast Offices. 5. Coast Offices responds by sending the helicopter to rescue. 6. Rescuing people to nearest hospitals or rescue centers on the coast. 2.1 Technologies involved: 2.1.1 Existing Communication Devices:  Communication Mechanism Between Coast and Sea 2.1.2 Low Cost Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT): The transmitter is meant for emergency message communication for fishermen or any merchandising vessel, going deep into sea and it operates through DRT Transponder of INSAT-3A in the frequency band of 402.65 to 402.85 MHz. It has quadrafilar antenna, having hemispherical coverage, suitable for operation from fishing boat. Data validation is achieved through Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC). Transmission Protocol when activated transmits in random mode, once in every 5 minutes for 1 minute. This transmitter is floatable and suitable for marine environment. Reception from INSAT 3A through 2.4m antenna on extended C-band. It displays time of activation, Boat ID and Type of emergency and position of boat (in terms of Lat and Long) along with audio alarm at receiver’s end and displays locations on map (GIS). This signal transmitted by the beacon, is picked up by a satellite and relayed to the ISRO Mission Control Centre, Bangalore, from where it is passed on to the CROS headquarters which allocates its nearest helicopter for the rescue operation. The data, like time of activation of the DAT, boat identification number, type of emergency and position of boat, would reach the receiver’s end. Thus the distress signals would help the Coast Guard to quickly send either a ship or a helicopter to the exact spot. The DAT is fitted with an in-built global positioning system, a lithium primary battery, an omni directional antenna, and it is floatable. 2.1.3 Supporting System: Satellite Aided Search and Rescue System in India is operational since 1989 under Cospas-Sarsat programme, an international satellite system for Search and Rescue providing detection and location of distress signals on 3 distress frequencies i.e. 121.5 MHz, 243 MHz and 406 MHz. With Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as nodal agency, a steering committee was formed involving Airport Authorities of India, Indian Coast Guard, and Director General of Shipping, Indian Defence Services, etc., to operate and maintain the system in India. First ground station, known as Local User Terminal (LUT) under Indian Mission Control Centre (INMCC) became operational at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC, a unit of ISRO in Bangalore) in Sept. 1989. The second LUT was commissioned at ISTRAC ground station at Lucknow in Sept. 1990. The Geostationary component of the system known as GEOSAR was developed by ISRO and integrated with INMCC in Dec. 1992. The GEOLUT is co-located with INMCC in Bangalore and uses Indian National Satellite (INSAT-3A) for reception and processing of 406 MHz alerts over a vast area from UK to Australia.  Courtesy: INMCC STATUS & OPERATIONS REPORT, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) The system has proved to be very efficient in detecting and locating distress alerts received from ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitters – carried by aircraft), EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons – carried by marine vessels) and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacon – carried by individuals on expedition or journey to remote place) on three internationally identified distress frequencies (121.5, 243 and 406 MHz). The alert locations are passed on to 4 national Rescue Co-ordination Centers (RCCs) in India (Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta and Chennai) and 7 neighboring countries (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Tanzania) through AFTN (Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network), used for civil aviation authorities of National & International airports. (Source: INMCC Status and Operations Report April 2005) It may be noted that INSAT-3A, launched on April 10, 2003, carries a Search & Rescue transponder that keeps a constant vigil over the Indian Ocean region, complementing the COSPAS-SARSAT satellites, for detecting distress signals from beacons carried by maritime, aviation and land users. The satellites transmit the distress signals to the Local User Terminals established by ISRO. The alert signals are then passed on to the Search & Rescue Coordination Centers along with location information, for rescue operations. 3.0 Application Framework: 1. Web based GIS Viewer: To display distress locations on map to identify its position on the sea. Historic information of the distress can be maintained. 2. Task Manager: Assignment and tracking of missions and task. CROS HQ assigns task to CO for performing rescue operations accordingly. 3. Resource Management: Ability to manage and deploy/track any type of resource. Identifying the nearest hospital or rescue centers near to the coast. 4. Enhancements: For improved services (to reduce the turnover time) more number of Coast Offices, hospitals, helipads can be identified and added to the system. This can be improvised further by tracking the helicopters.  A prototype model of the Web based Response Management System 3.1 Software involved:
4.0 Summary and Conclusion The ultimate goal of the any Search and Rescue (SAR) Program is to prevent loss of life in every situation where our actions and performance could possibly be brought to bear. The success in meeting this goal is the result of not only how well the SAR system (CROS) responds to maritime SAR incidents, but also to how well prevention efforts of other maritime safety programs are performing. Search and Rescue performance is measured as the number of "lives saved" versus the number of "lives in distress." "Lives in distress" refers to persons in peril as a result of an extraordinary event (e.g. injury, material failure of a vessel, environmental conditions, etc.) beyond the inherent danger of the maritime environment. The proposed system helps in performing the measurement by tracking the number of lives saved versus lives lost both before and after the rescue team is notified, thereby measuring both response and prevention actions. This measure encourages the rescue agencies involved to invest in supporting the acquisition of new response assets, such as the Response Boat Medium, and improving prevention activities. References 1. http://www.indiancoastguard.nic.in/Indiancoastguard/sar/sar.html 2. “Safe Waters”-News Letter of Indian Coast Guard–April 2008 3. INMCC Status and Operations Report April 2005
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