THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
The United States Coast Guard: Semper Paratus
Carlin Burnside
Liberty University
HLSC 500
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THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
ABSTRACT
The United States Coast Guard is recognized as the nation’s premiere maritime agency. Its
missions consist of: ports and waterway security, drug interdiction, aids to navigation, search and
rescue, living marine resources, marine safety, defense readiness, migrant interdiction, marine
environmental protection, ice operations, and other law enforcement. Through numerous
regulations, the Coast Guard helps to ensure the safety of vessels, marine life, and citizens within
its jurisdiction. During times of challenging, the Coast Guard swiftly responds to disasters
whether manmade or natural, and aids in recovery and rebuilding.
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The United States Coast Guard shares a rich history of securing the homeland, lifesaving,
law enforcement, and environmental protection. The smallest of the five armed forces, the
United States Coast Guard boasts just over 40,000 men and women proudly serving on active
duty and in the reserve forces. From stopping drug runners in semisubmersible submarines from
Columbia, to performing helicopter operations during hurricanes, and executing search and
rescue operations in the Bering Strait, the United States Coast Guard has one of the largest areas
of responsibility of any agency in the entire United States.
The United States Coast Guard was officially established on January 28, 1915, but it can
trace its roots back much farther. The United States Coast Guard can track its heritage back to the
United States Revenue Cutter Service that was established on August 4, 1790. Established by
Alexander Hamilton under the Department of Treasury, the United States Revenue Cutter
Service acted as one of the first customs enforcement service in the newly formed United States.
In January of 1915 the United States Revenue Cutter Service and the United States Life-Saving
Service were united to form what is now known as the United States Coast Guard. Title 14 of the
United States Code Part 1 states that “the Coast Guard, established January 28, 1915, shall be a
military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times” (Coast Guard,
2019).
Over the next several decades the United States Coast Guard continued to absorb other
agencies and transfer between departments. In 1939 the United States Coast Guard merged with
the United States Lighthouse Service, and in 1967 was transferred to the Department of
Transportation (DOT). The United States Coast Guard remained under the DOT for over 36
years, until February 25, 2003 when it was moved to the Department of Homeland Security
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(DHS). The attacks of September 11th, 2001 set in motion the move of the United States Coast
Guard to the DHS.
The United States Coast Guard is no stranger to emergency management or disaster
response and recovery. Just in 2000 alone, the United States Coast Guard has responded to
numerous emergencies and disasters on a national scale. The attacks on the World Trade Center
in New York on September 11th, 2001, rescues performed during and after Hurricane Katrina in
August of 2005, and the response and recovery conducted after the explosion of the Deepwater
Horizon drill in April of 2010 are just a few of the larger disasters that the United States Coast
Guard responded to (Time Line, 2019). The United States Coast Guard, like any other agency,
has implemented policies and procedures to conduct, lead, and assist in emergency management
operations with numerous agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.
MITIGATION
The United States Coast Guard uses multiple equations and models to manage risk
factors when conducting training exercises or performing actual operations. Members receive
training annually and semi-annually on these different models in order to better understand their
specific uses and capabilities. Two of the more prominent models include the General
Assessment of Risk (GAR) and the SPE Risk Assessment Model (SPE).
Risk Management
The General Assessment of Risk (GAR) Model or “Green Amber Red” incorporates six
different categories that comprise a score to formulate the amount of risk involved in an
operation or exercise. A score of 0 to 10 is used by each member within the operation in each
category to determine the risk. The highest number will be applied to the overall tabulation. The
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categories include: planning, supervision, crew selection, crew fitness, environment, and
evolution complexity. Scores between 0 to 22 fall under the Green (low risk), 23 to 43 are
considered Amber (caution), and 44 to 60 are Red (high risk). As the risk increases, mitigating
factors must be addressed and if possible, adopted in order to reduce the risk.
The SPE model was designed to measure risk for certain specific hazards such as
launching vessels or aircraft operations. Risk is calculated by multiplying the severity,
probability, and exposure limits (R=S x P x E) (COMDTINST 3500.3, 2019). Severity is the
potential consequences of the event in terms of degree of damage, injury, or impact of a mission.
It is measured from 1 to 5. One meaning none or slight, while five is catastrophic. Probability is
the chance that something may happen. It is measured from 1 to 5. One meaning remote or
impossible, while is very likely to happen. Exposure is the amount of time, number of times,
and/or amount of people or equipment used in a mission. It is measured 1 to 4. One is none,
while four is great. Much like the GAR model, as the number of the risk increases, factors to
mitigate the risk must be addressed.
Intelligence Usage and Mitigation Strategies
The United States Coast Guard has developed these methods through scientific data and
experience. The foundations for risk assessment comprise of historical experience, a vast
collection of analytical methods, and years of knowledge and intuition. Information and
intelligence play a key role for Coast Guard assests when conducting a mission. According to
Afshartous, Guan, and Mehrotra (2009) “operation decisions are guided via established tables to
guide the search and rescue efforts and well-defined procedures and advanced technology
designed to maximize the probability of detecting a target” (p.1086). Additionally, the United
States Coast Guard uses additional models such as PEACE (planning, event complexity, asset,
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communications and environment) and the STAAR model (spread out, transfer, avoid, accept,
and reduce) in conjunction with the other risk models. PEACE and STAAR models are used to
identify hazards and explore mitigation strategies during risk assessments (Risk Management,
2018). By combining multiple risk assessment strategies and equations, the United States Coast
Guard is more apt to preventing and mitigating hazards when responding to emergencies or
conducting missions.
PREPAREDNESS
The United States Coast Guard motto is Semper Paratus, meaning always ready. The
United States Coast Guard lives by that standard and it can be seen throughout history when
tragedy strikes. Its response to emergencies large or small is unparallel. Nemeth (2016) aptly
stated:
Throughout its distinguished history, the Coast Guard has more than saved lives: it has
also rescued whole communities. At no place was this more obvious than during
Hurricane Katrina. Referred to as the only shining moment and silver lining in the
debacle, Coast Guard personnel swept up person after person in the raging waters of New
Orleans. The Coast Guard single-handedly saved more residents of New Orleans than any
other governmental authority (Para. 10.3.4.1).
Through the past several centuries the United States Coast Guard has accumulated a vast
amount of knowledge and experience through trial and error. The knowledge garnered is
compiled in the United States Coast Guard Incident Management Handbook (IMH). The IMH is
designed to assist Coast Guard personnel in the use of the National Incident Management System
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(NIMS), National Response Framework (NRF), and Incident Command Systems (ICS) during
response operations (USCG IMH, 2014).
National Response Framework
Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness (PPD-8) directs how the United
States will respond to national emergencies and natural disasters. Under the NRF, the United
States Coast Guard may act as a supporting agency or as the primary or supported agency. As a
supporting agency, the United States Coast Guard major role is to provide support to other
federal, state, and local agencies. Additionally, the United States Coast Guard is typically serves
as the primary emergency support function. As the supported agency, the Coast Guard will serve
as the primary coordinator of all available assets.
National Incident Management System
The United States Coast Guard established protocols closely related to that of other
federal agencies. Within the IMH, the Coast Guard has dedicated 35 ICS forms to track, log, and
update incident commanders of other agencies. Furthermore, the IMH was designed to work
closely with that of other incident commanders to ensure fluidity between agencies.
Incident Command System
The United States Coast Guard incident command system (ICS) is used to design and
distribute an operative and safe incident action plan for its assets during an emergency or
disaster. It also leads the unified command structure as the federal on-scene coordinator (Cheong,
2014). The Coast Guard will update partner agency incident commanders on current situations,
plans of actions, and resource assignments.
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Unified Command
The Unified Command (UC) is responsible for uniting all the incident commanders of
various agencies and volunteers under one accord. The United States Coast Guard held the UC
during Hurricane Katrina. Majchrzak, Jarvenpaa, and Hollingshead (2007) noted:
The ability of the Coast Guard operational commander to act relatively autonomously in
the filed and the development of a shared vision of what was necessary by both the Coast
Guard and civilian boat operators facilitated the ability to improvise at a
multiorganizational level (p.149).
RECOVERY
From Hurricane Katrina to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the United States Coast
Guard has worked towards the recovery of each emergency or disaster. Though property is not a
concern of the service, the Coast Guard was there to rebuild the communities. After Hurricane
Katrina, the Coast Guard along with FEMA, provided much help to the surrounding
communities.
Resiliency and Continuity of Operation Planning
The United States Coast Guard has developed a Continuity of Operations (COOP) as a
solution for the aftermath of emergencies or disasters. According to Contingency Preparedness
(2016) effective continuity planning and programs enhance the resilience of organizations and
facilitate the performance of essential functions during all-hazards emergencies or other
situations that may disrupt normal operations (p.2-2).
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BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
The Bible has much to say about the various phases regarding emergency management.
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household,
he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8, English Standard
Version). As Christians we should be prepared for disasters and emergencies. We are not to look
out for just ourselves, but our brothers and sisters. In Luke chapter 10, Jesus spoke of the good
Samaritan, and though he owed the man who was robbed and beaten, he took care of him. I see
the same kindness in the Coast Guard after many of the disasters America has faced. The Coast
Guard looks out for its people and the surrounding communities, not because it has to, but
because it is what is right. Proverbs 16:3 says “commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will
establish your plans” and Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. As Christians we
cannot push blindly forward and expect good results. We must continue to pray and rely on our
faith in the Lord to see us through.
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REFERENCES
Afshartous, D., Guan, Y., & Mehrotra, A. (2009). US coast guard air station location with respect
to distress calls: A spatial statistics and optimization based methodology. European
Journal of Operational Research, 196(3), 1086-1096. doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2008.04.010
Cheong, S. (2014). From frequent hurricanes to the deepwater horizon oil spill in coastal
louisiana: The impact of regulatory change. Ecology and Society, 19(2), 1.
doi:10.5751/ES-06382-190229
Coast Guard (2019). 14 U.S.C. § 1. Retrieved. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/14/1
Contingency Preparedness Planning Manual (2016). Retrieved from
https://media.defense.gov/2017/Mar/28/2001722997/-1/-1/0/CIM_3010_13C.PDF
COMDINST 3500.3 (2019). Encl. (1) Retrieved from
http://coastguardinstructions.tpub.com/CI_3500_3/CI_3500_30015.htm
Majchrzak, A., Jarvenpaa, S. L., & Hollingshead, A. B. (2007). Coordinating expertise among
emergent groups responding to disasters. Organization Science, 18(1), 147-161.
doi:10.1287/orsc.1060.0228
Nemeth, C. P. (2016). Homeland security: An introduction to principles and practices (3rd ed.).
Boca Raton, FL: Taylor & Francis (CRC Press). ISBN: 9781498749091
Risk Management (2018). Retrieved from https://media.defense.gov/2018/Mar/07/2001887167/-
1/-1/0/CI_3500_3A.PDF
Time Line (2019). Retrieved from https://www.history.uscg.mil/Complete-Time-Line/Time-
Line-1900-2000/
USCG Incident Management Handbook (2014). Retrieved from
https://homeport.uscg.mil/Lists/Content/Attachments/2923/2014%20USCG%20Incident
%20Management%20Handbook%20in%20English.pdf
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