Date: Dec. 16, 2005

Contact: PA2 Judy Silverstein
(727) 215-0738

U.S. Coast Guard Ceremony Dedicates Launch of Rescue 21 Command and Control System

Commissioning ceremony places new maritime ‘911’ system into service; adds new layer of protection to nation’s Eastern Seaboard

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard will officially accept and dedicate its advanced search and rescue communications and command and control system, called Rescue 21, at the hangar in Air Station Atlantic City, at 10:00 a.m. on December 20, 2005.

The acceptance ceremony highlights the achievement of a major milestone in the Coast Guard’s critical life-saving and homeland security missions. The acceptance of Rescue 21 in two locations - Atlantic City, N.J. and Eastern Shore, VA., means the equipment has reached full operating capability in those locations.

The Rescue 21 system recently proved its mettle when one of its components, the Disaster Recovery System was deployed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In November, the Coast Guard successfully rescued three mariners outside of Ocean City, Md., Central to the rescue was the enhanced direction-finding capabilities of the system that obtained accurate longitude and latitude readings from the last distress call. That reading placed the vessel nearly three miles from the location originally transmitted by the boat’s captain. This enhanced capability allowed the victims to be located and placed safely aboard a Coast Guard vessel in just 21 minutes.

Rescue 21 is an advanced command and control communications system that dramatically improves the Coast Guard’s ability to locate and assist distressed boaters while enabling full interoperability with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and emergency first-responders.

By working closely with its prime contractor, General Dynamics C4 Systems, the Coast Guard has harnessed 21^st century technology to search and rescue efforts, significantly improving the ability to save lives at sea, while enhancing the Department of Homeland Security’s coastal monitoring initiatives. Rescue 21 will replace the aging National Distress and Response System,  ultimately covering the entire 95,000-mile United States coastline, navigable rivers and waterways, by 2011.

 Ed. note: Media invited to attend and are asked to call ahead so provisions can be made for entry to Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City for the ceremony. The Air Station is located at Atlantic City International Airport, Bldg. 350, Pomona, N.J. Photo identification and prior arrangements will be required for entry.

                                                                -uscg-

The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and security of America.