When you need help
 

In case of emergency, what is the order of operations on who to call? When a friend can’t help, who do you contact and in what order? Wondering if anybody has knowledge on the topic either firsthand or by rule. Thanks and tight lines!

If you are having an emergency I don't know why you wouldn't just call for emergency help. Channel 16 on your VHF, or 911 on your cell. IDK for sure but I would assume the vhf is broadcast to both coast guard and life guard and depending on where you are the dispatcher will send what ever the appropriate agency is. Cell phone could be tricky because signal may be spotty and it will probably go directly to a county dispatcher who will have to route your call to the proper agency.

im not any kind of professional but that seems like a good way to go if you are having an emergency. I'm sure there's some EMS personnel who would be able to assist you with the technicalities.

Im guessing here... but on the water... near shore needing help, I'd probably call 911 then try the radio if I remembered to bring it.

I've always thought better to go out with someone vs alone. Tell someone on land where you are going and when you planned on being back.

Good luck be safe!

I always go with somebody when I go outside of the harbor and always have a cellphone and a vhf. I guess I was wondering if you would contact harbor patrol, or coast guard. Do both harbor patrol and coast guard monitor ch. 16?

I was fishing La Jolla in my boat, when I saw a couple teens in a blow up raft waving their hands frantically yelling towards me. It turns out they srpung a leak and their raft (no motor) was deflating. I called LJ lifeguard, (VHF ch 16), and they came out on their boat, and picked them up.

VHF...
 

In an emergency please use your VHF radio first...
The Coast Guard and local Harbor Patrol or Bay Watch is monitoring channel 16 at all times.:notworthy:
You may be able to use your 911 function on your phone in an emergency ...but...as I've found out as a weigh boat on a few tournaments...you can be very wrong as to your actual location when transmitting that information to the operator. "I'm about 3/4 mile off the beach in front of the white condos"...in reality... he was 1.5 miles off the beach and there were a ton of white condos on the shore...LOL
When you broadcast from a VHF radio the Coast Guard or Harbor Patrol can use their Radio Directional Finder to get your approximate distance and location...and facilitate your rescue....:cheers1:

From Boat US..."In order of priority,

MAYDAY is the internationally recognized distress call that is used as preface in VHF radio transmissions only in situations in which there is an immediate danger of loss of life or the vessel itself. This includes when a boat is sinking, there’s a fire in the engine room, or someone on board is unconscious or experiencing a serious injury or illness.

PAN-PAN is the international urgency signal that is used as a preface to a VHF transmission when the safety of a person or the boat is in serious jeopardy but no immediate danger exists, but it could escalate into a mayday situation. For example, pan-pan is used in situations in which the boat has a slow leak or the engines are disabled and the boat is drifting toward a rocky shore.

SÉCURITÉ is a safety signal used as a preface to announce a navigation safety message. This may be an approaching storm, a navigation light failure, a submerged log in a harbor entrance or military gunnery practice in the area.

I agree, 911 as a backup, not first contact. If you have a fishfinder with gps learn how to get your current numbers quickly. If not, I recommend getting a handheld vhf that has GPS.

Thanks for the replies. Just one of those things that I never really think about and decided I should know. Its easy to jump on your yak and go fishing, but what if something goes wrong? Good to hear from more experienced people. Always appreciate the willingness of people on this forum to help out.