The cutter surface swimmer program takes volunteer crewmembers with strong swimming skills and maritime knowledge and trains them in basic life-saving skills and recovery situations. The candidates go through a physical and written qualification process, where only the best qualified members are selected.

“The training builds you up to get you in the ocean. You learn in a controlled environment, and then, apply the training to a real life situation,” said Coast Guard Seaman Joshua Angelica, a cutter surface swimmer stationed aboard Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, homeported in Alameda, Calif

Seaman Angelica is one of two cutter surface swimmers aboard the Waesche and is constantly training and honing his qualifications in the event of a search and rescue mission. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Adam Stanton.

All cutters have at least one qualified surface swimmer aboard whereas cutters with flight decks have a minimum of two cutter surface swimmers aboard while the cutter is underway. Because deploying a surface swimmer off a cutter comes with risks, a certified line tender, responsible for tending the swimmer’s line and maintaining communication through a series of hand signals, is partnered with every surface swimmer.

The program has a dual purpose; providing for the safety of the general public in distress and for the crew in the event there is a shipmate overboard. While rescuing someone in a small boat is the preferred recovery method for persons in the water, a surface swimmer can be an ideal asset especially in cases where survivors are fatigued, entangled or injured.

“Its an eye opener of how challenging the conditions are in the ocean and in rough seas,” said Angelica discussing the training he and his fellow swimmers do on the open ocean. “As a cutter surface swimmer, you think about that worse case scenario where a person can’t move and a small boat cant get to them in really rough seas, we need to be prepared for that.”

The rigid training schedule surface swimmers maintain prepares them for real-life situations where every second counts. When disaster strikes at sea, and a life is in peril, you can count on the Coast Guard’s cutter surface swimmers to be ready to respond.

This article was originally posted to CG Compass by LTJG Stephanie Young

Story and photos by Seaman Adam Stanton

The brave men and women of the USCG who have earned the title of Rescue Swimmer are true heroes. When your life is on the line in dangerous seas these are the guys who are going to get your butt to safety. Here is a look at what they must endure to become graduates of the USCG Rescue Swimmer School otherwise known as A-School.

COAST GUARD STATION, Elizabeth City — They are a small group within the U.S. Coast Guard, only about 300 of them servicewide. To join their ranks, candidates must endure physical and mental challenges that rival those facing any potential Army Ranger, Navy SEAL or Air Force pararescueman.

The Coast Guard’s rescue swimmers are the brave young men and women who hoist or free-fall from a helicopter into dangerous seas to perform daring rescues.

The rescue swimmer training school here has one of the highest student attrition rates of any special operations school in the military. Roughly 75 students go through the school each year, and fewer than half make it out.

A quick look into the training required of the guys who are always ready to pluck one of us mariners out of a dangerous sea. usmilitary.about.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Links

• Youtube Rescue Swimmer Stoke
• Wikipedia: Rescue Swimmer
• USCG Rescue Swimmer: Slidshow

As a former UK SAR Mission Controller who also attended Governors Island, I can appreciate much of what is unsaid in all the videos of USCG rescues. The dedication, training and experience displayed by all the personnel seen or unseen. I worked the 1979 Fastnet Disaster, Penlee Lifeboat loss and the lash ship Munchen amongst many others.

Today being Rememberance Sunday [Veterans Day] when our service men/women and remembered perhaps we should also spare a thought for those we tried but didn’t manage to save at sea.

To view the post Martin is referring to CLICK HERE.