PIM Reporting Guidance - GU1113 PDF

Guidance PIM Reporting Guidance - GU1113 Guidance owner Version number Fergus Holley (Senior Operations 1.0 Manager (Lifeboat Operations)) Owning departm...

Guidance PIM Reporting Guidance - GU1113 Guidance owner Version number Fergus Holley (Senior Operations 1.0 Manager (Lifeboat Operations)) Owning department Guidance contact Lifesaving Operations Fergus Holley (Senior Operations Manager (Lifeboat Operations)) Published date 10/06/2024 Applicability Lifesaving Operations. Guidance Position and Intended Movements (PIM) reporting by RNLI lifeboats The current agreement on a range of communications procedures is under review with our SAR partners. One part of the review is the reporting of lifeboat positions when a lifeboat is at sea. Procedures are already established with the range of coordinating authorities with which we operate and are outlined in the radio procedure – PR1052. However, with advances in modern aids to navigation and tracking it has been timely to review our processes for this important reporting requirement. This guidance is to reiterate the safety transmissions required by each SAR Unit whilst at sea. The 2 most important and significant points in this guidance are: 1. The standardisation of timings for all ALB activity to 30 minutes for PIM reporting. 2. The reinforcement that both position and intended movements are reported, not position alone. What is a PIM report? A Position and Intended Movement (PIM) report - or as is often (not strictly correctly) referred to as an 'Ops Normal' report - is a transmission from a lifeboat to a coordinating authority, normally the Coastguard/Coast Guard, in which they report the current position and intended movement of a SAR Unit. Why is a PIM important? PIM reports are considered an essential part of the monitoring of safety for our lifeboat crew as well as allowing coordinating authorities to maintain visibility of assets within their area of operation. While there is a growing range of technical aids (Radar, AIS, DGPS, DSC) to help with vessel monitoring the system of voice calls for PIM reports has been assessed as still being the primary requirement in this area. Published date: 10/06/2024 | Classification: The content of this document is considered Protected in line with the RNLI classifications Guidance Without up-to-date knowledge of the current position of a lifeboat and its intended movement the coordinating authority would be unable to locate the unit in the event of a problem. For example an ILB in 15 minutes at full speed can be 7.5 miles away from it last position, now this is a 15 mile diameter circle or 176.8 square miles of sea which every minute is expanding. Where in these 176.8 square miles is the lifeboat when it has lost communications? This is why a PIM is so import as it helps ensure the lifeboat is safe and can be effectively found in the event of a problem. When do we do PIM reports? When any lifeboat or SAR unit is at sea it is vulnerable and by reporting its position at regular intervals, this vulnerability is reduced. Activities include services, exercises, trials and passages. ALB's at sea will report to the coordinating authority at 30 minute intervals during any activity. Note: this is a change to the previous reporting requirements for ALBs while on exercise or passage and all ALB crew should be made aware of this. ILB's at sea have a greater vulnerability therefore their reporting period is reduced to 15 minute intervals. This has not changed. In short, there has in the past been various reporting times for each activity, these have now been standardised to 30 minutes for ALB's and 15 minutes for ILB's. What channel(s) do we do them on? The PIM will be passed on the channel or frequency that has been agreed with the coordinating authority. When on a service the Coastguard/Coast Guard allocates the controlling channel or frequency (i.e. Ch0 or 2182 kHz). Lifeboats will normally stay on this channel for the duration of the service. The service will normally be conducted on Ch16 when non-SAR vessels are included in the search. During exercises, trials and passages the lifeboat is free to choose a working channel but must 'dual watch' Ch16 in case the coordinating authority needs to contact the lifeboat. During these events the PIM is to be passed on Ch16. Agreed alternative reporting procedures When a co-located station's lifeboats are working together or where lifeboats are working in proximity to each other it is permissible for one asset to take responsibility for reporting the 2 or more SAR units location and intentions. This is common when conducting multi-vessel searches or when lifeboats are exercising together. So an ILB may report to its co-located ALB and the ALB will report onwards to the coordinating authority. If there is constant contact with the coordinating authority during SAR activities and the communication time period is less than that stated then the PIM can be left in abeyance until the standard reporting period is reached. So a SITREP sent during a search will suffice and a PIM report need only be sent after a period of 30 minutes (ALB) or 15 minutes (ILB) has elapsed with no other reported activity. It may be that, due to high volume of work at coordinating authority rescue coordination centres, PIM reporting may briefly and temporarily be changed in duration for individual assets at sea. Published date: 10/06/2024 | Classification: The content of this document is considered Protected in line with the RNLI classifications Guidance This will be by extreme exception only and should not be normal practice. If this is required it will be agreed between the vessel at sea and the coordinating authority and will be made with due consideration of the type of activity being undertaken by the SAR unit, the weather, environment and other influencing factors. In these rare circumstances consideration should be made by the SAR unit to risk assess and modify exercise plans in pursuit of safety. What is not acceptable? PIM reports are not to be passed to the Boathouse or any non SAR unit unless directed by the controlling station but only under exceptional circumstances. Radio coverage from boathouses and licencing and personnel requirements do not make boathouses suitable reporting points for PIM reports. Voice communication is the only form of PIM reports. DSC or other non-voice methods are not to be used. PIM format PIM reports should give: 1. Position Latitude and longitude or range and bearing from a known point of land (on a chart) are the only forms recommended for positional information. Local names are often confused as they may be very colloquial and often repeated elsewhere along the coast. There are many 'Black Rocks'. 2. Intended movements State the next intentions. If on a passage, state the lifeboats course speed and next major waypoints. If on exercise state where you will intend to be within the next reporting window. If the intentions are to remain in the same area, say so. If communications are likely to be difficult for a period greater that the reporting windows allows, tell the coordinating authority. For example a veering exercise may take longer than 15 minutes so let the coordinating authority where you will be conducting the exercise and what time you will report again. Example Falmouth Coastguard, Falmouth Coastguard This is Plymouth Lifeboat, Plymouth Lifeboat My position is 2 miles south of Rame Head My intention is to remain within 1 mile of this position for the next 30 minutes We are conducting static man overboard exercises with a mannequin. Over Summary The safety and wellbeing of all lifeboat crew is paramount in all of the RNLI's activities by complying with this guidance lifeboat crews and coordinating authorities have a standardised platform of reporting with which both organisations can work to. Published date: 10/06/2024 | Classification: The content of this document is considered Protected in line with the RNLI classifications Guidance This process has recently been reinforced and agreed by all the coordinating authorities within the RNLIs various coordinating authority jurisdictions (HM Coastguard, Irish Coast Guard, Jersey, Alderney and Guernsey Coastguard) and is the standard required from all parties. Review information Next review date 10/06/2025 Amendment history Date Version Author/Contributor Amendment details 03/05/2017 Content first published on Horizon 10/06/2024 1.0 Fergus Holley Content migrated to this new template Review frequency 3 years Published date: 10/06/2024 | Classification: The content of this document is considered Protected in line with the RNLI classifications