Search And Rescue At Sea: Inside The US Coast Guard With Matt Baer | Sea Views

Search and rescue at sea is not theory — it is split-second decision-making where lives, ships, and entire coastlines are on the line.

In this episode of Sea Views, host Julia Gosling is joined by Matt Baer, retired US Coast Guard captain and now Director of Emergency Response at Gallagher Marine Systems, for a rare, unfiltered look at how maritime search and rescue actually works in the real world.

Drawing on decades of frontline experience, Matt breaks down how major rescue operations are coordinated across borders, why merchant vessels are often the fastest first responders offshore, and how technology like EPIRBs, personal locator beacons, AIS, infrared imaging, and aerial surveillance is changing survival outcomes at sea.

This conversation moves beyond headlines into the realities professionals face — from mid-ocean rescues thousands of miles offshore, to next-of-kin notifications, to the hard decisions involved in suspending a search. Julia and Matt also compare UK and US search and rescue systems, highlighting where they differ, where they align, and what both still need to improve.

Key topics include:

• How modern search and rescue operations are coordinated internationally
• Why “people first” governs every maritime emergency
• The role of AMVER and vessel-to-vessel assistance offshore
• How EPIRBs and personal locator beacons can take the search out of search and rescue
• Why registration details and data accuracy directly affect rescue speed
• The growing role of technology — and its limitations — in maritime emergencies
• The emotional toll of search and rescue, including next-of-kin notifications

• What still needs to change to improve safety for professional and recreational mariners

Whether you work at sea, manage vessels, operate offshore, or simply want to understand how rescue really works when something goes wrong, this episode delivers rare insight from someone who has lived it.

Host: Julia Gosling
Guest: Matt Baer, Director of Emergency Response, Gallagher Marine Systems (Retired US Coast Guard)

Supported by:
CHIRP Maritime & The Seafarers’ Charity
www.chirp.co.uk | www.theseafarerscharity.org