TUCKERTON, N.J. — Rutgers University recently partnered with U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay to support a day of realistic maritime search-and-rescue training aboard the university’s research vessel R/V Arabella, providing Coast Guard crews with valuable opportunities to practice lifesaving operations while giving undergraduate students a firsthand look at emergency response on the water.
The exercise brought together researchers from the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL), Coast Guard personnel, and undergraduate interns participating in the Chancellor’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (CSI SURF) program.
Using the R/V Arabella as the simulated vessel in distress, Coast Guard crews aboard their 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) conducted a series of training scenarios that included medical evacuations and towing operations. Coast Guard personnel appreciated the opportunity to train aboard the R/V Arabella, as the unfamiliar vessel provided a fresh operational environment that challenged crews to adapt and helped prevent complacency from repeatedly training on the same platform.
“Strong partnerships between Rutgers and federal partners benefit everyone,” said Hugh Roarty, Research Project Manager at the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL). “Providing the Arabella as a training platform allows the Coast Guard to conduct realistic exercises while giving our students an opportunity to witness the professionalism, teamwork, and technical skill required during maritime response operations.”
For the CSI SURF interns Jared Yili and Ryan Timko, the exercise offered a unique educational experience beyond the classroom. The training also highlighted Rutgers’ longstanding collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard. Researchers at RUCOOL operate a network of high-frequency coastal radars, funded by MARACOOS, that measure ocean surface currents in near real time. These observations are routinely incorporated into Coast Guard search-and-rescue planning tools, improving predictions of where people, vessels, or debris may drift and helping responders make more informed operational decisions.
As the exercise concluded, students had the opportunity to board the Coast Guard vessel and speak with Coast Guard personnel about careers in maritime operations, emergency response, and environmental stewardship, reinforcing Rutgers’ commitment to experiential learning and partnerships that serve both science and society.
The students ended their day with a tour of the Rutgers Marine Field Station, where they met with researcher Roland Hagan, who shared the history of the ichthyoplankton protocol. The netting survey is the second longest study of its kind on the east coast of the US dating back to 1989.
