Emergency priority calls
There are three priority calls that can be broadcast
on VHF channel 16: mayday, pan and security. These
preambles to messages are meant to alert all vessels monitoring channel 16. And every
vessel should monitor channel 16 as part of its scanning setup. In descending order
of priority:
MAYDAY - This is an emergency call denoting the highest level of distress when
life or property is at imminent risk. It should only be used in situations of
serious injury or illness, cases where the risk of death or loss of the vessel is
a real possibility in the immediate or near future.
PAN (pronounced pawn) - This is used when there is the possibility of risk to
health and safety of people or property, but the risk is not immediate and not
necessarily life threatening. For example, the boat has lost power and is drifting,
but it can deploy an anchor to stay off the 'rocks. Someone is injured but isn't at
risk of dying. A fire on board that is out of control could be a mayday situation.
A broken prop could, under some circumstances, be a pan.
SECURITY (pronounced say-cu-ri-tay) - This involves messages relating to safety
and traffic. Spotting a serious hazard to navigation or notification of a large
vessel (a ship) leaving its berth or entering a heavily trafficked area justifies a
security call.
To make one of these calls if it becomes necessary:
- Check for traffic on channel 16. Pressing the push-to-talk button say, "Mayday,
I Mayday, Mayday. This is (your boat's name)" three times.
- Say, "Mayday, this is (your boats name)" again once.
- Give your boat's position in latitude/longitude, or by giving the magnetic
bearing to a I readily identifiable object, a landmark or an aid to navigation;
Latitude/longitude is the best, most precise description of your position. This is
a good reason to have GPS.
- Define the nature of your distress. Are you sinking, on fire, aground, or is
someone suffering a heart attack or other life threatening condition? Are you
abandoning the boat? Do you need, pumps, firefighting equipment, medical support,
in-water rescue?
- Tell how many are on board.
- Estimate how much time your boat has left.
- Describe your boat: length, type, color, anything that can help distinguish
it.
- 8. Say, "Over," release the push-to-talk button and listen for a response. If you
don't get a response, wait a minute or so, go to high power, and repeat the call.
The message shouldn't take more than a minute to transmit.
The same procedure is used for pan and security calls, whichever is appropriate to,
the situation.