Eckerd College Search and Rescue

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Eckerd College Search and Rescue (EC-SAR) is a student volunteer maritime search and rescue team. EC-SAR provides its services, free of charge to the St. Petersburg / Tampa Bay area of Florida, within 10 miles of its station on the Eckerd College campus. EC-SAR works alongside local EMS services and the United States Coast Guard. For emergency assistance EC-SAR can be contacted on VHF channels 16 and 68, ph. (727) 864-8256, or through Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. Along with providing its services to the community, EC-SAR seeks to better the students by "Education through Service", building leadership and team skills.

[edit] History

In 1971 the team was created for the safety of the college's own vessels in the Waterfront Program. By 1977 EC-SAR expanded its services to the Tampa Bay area community. EC-SAR gained national attention in 1980 when it was one of the first agencies to respond to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge disaster.

EC-SAR was rated "Best Student Group" in Florida Leader's "Best of Florida Schools 2003" issue.[1]

Members coordinate the utilization of four rescue boats through an operations/communications center located in the Waterfront Activities building. EC-SAR assists over 300 vessels each year, including:

[edit] Services

Towing -Using a variety of techniques, disabled vessels are towed to the place of nearest safe mooring.

Pulling vessels from aground -If a vessel has run aground, the vessel will be pulled off.

Dewatering sinking vessels -If a vessel is taking on water, the source of the flow of water will be temporarily plugged and water will be pumped out.

Righting a capsized vessel -Parbuckling is the term used to describe righting a vessel that has flipped over.

Firefighting -Boat fires are extinguished using some of the only on-water fire fighting equipment in the Tampa Bay area.

Searching -Ranges from looking for an overdue vessel to a person in the water.

Medical Assistance -First Responders will stabilize injured patients and transport them to land where local EMS can meet them.

[edit] External links

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