"USCG Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS): Capabilities, Environmental Models, Requirements, and Applications" By Cristina Forbes, United States Coast Guard

The Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience and CMCC Foundation hosted the webinar
“USCG Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS): Capabilities, Environmental Models, Requirements, and Applications”,
featuring Cristina Forbes from the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

The webinar took place on 23 January at 14:00 CET, during Cristina Forbes’ visit to the CMCC Headquarters in Lecce, Italy. As part of her visit, she led an open session focused on how science-based tools and environmental modelling support real-world search and rescue operations at sea.

Drawing on her extensive experience at the interface of oceanography, meteorology, and operational decision-making, Cristina Forbes illustrated how SAROPS integrates oceanic and atmospheric forecast models to improve drift simulations, optimize search planning, and ultimately contribute to successful rescue missions.

Abstract

This presentation will provide details on the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS). SAROPS accesses an extensive number of ocean and atmospheric forecast models which are critical components for performing drift simulations, planning the search of mariners lost at sea, and resulting in successful rescues.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Cristina Forbes is an oceanographer with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Office of Search and Rescue. She received her Ph.D. in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography from the University of Miami, Florida, USA.

Throughout her career, she has worked in academia, private companies, and government agencies, developing algorithms for atmospheric, ocean, and storm surge numerical prediction models; processing large geophysical datasets; performing statistical analyses; and conducting model verification.

In recent years, she has applied her expertise to support multiple aspects of the USCG Search and Rescue (SAR) program. She collaborates with national and international government agencies, institutions, and universities to improve SAR capabilities, and serves as an Advisory Board Member and Scientific Evaluation Contributor to several oceanographic and meteorological projects in support of the USCG SAR mission.