Rescue 21 - Timeline

Timeline

High-level history and timeline of the Rescue 21 program:

• 1970s - National Distress System (legacy system) is installed to receive and respond to VHF distress calls.
• 1994 May - The Mission Analysis Report is completed. This document states the needed requirements and capability gaps of the legacy coastal communications system.
• 1995 July - The Mission Need Statement is approved. The approval of this document provides formal acknowledgement that a materiel solution is required to address the capability gaps.
• 1995 July - The acquisition project is chartered as the National Distress and Response System Modernization Program (NDRSMP).
• 1997 December - Morning Dew accident validates the need for a new VHF-FM system for the Coast Guard.
• 2000 August - Phase I contract awards to SAIC, Lockheed Martin, and Motorola.
• 2001 January - General Dynamics buys Motorola.
• 2001 November - Phase I contractors demonstrate that their designs meet critical functions.
• 2002 September - General Dynamics awarded Phase II contract.
• 2002 September - NDRSMP changed to Rescue 21.
• 2003 March - Work started at Group Atlantic City NJ.
• 2005 August - Project Resident Office stood up in Scottsdale, Arizona.
• 2005 September - The Disaster Recovery System is deployed to Louisiana in response to Hurricane Katrina.
• 2005 November - First rescue attributed to Rescue 21 from Group Eastern Shore, VA.
• 2005 December - Coast Guard accepts the Rescue 21 system at New Jersey and Eastern Shore, Virginia.
• 2006 May - Sector Mobile Alabama accepts system.
• 2006 June - Sector St. Petersburg Florida accepts system.
• 2006 December - Sectors Seattle and Port Angeles, WA accept system.
• 2007 August - Project Resident Office stood up in Juneau, Alaska.
• 2007 April - Sector New Orleans Louisiana (PHASE I) accepts system.
• 2007 September - Sector Delaware Bay accepts system.
• 2007 October - Sector Long Island Sound New York accepts system.
• 2007 November - Sector New York New York accepts system.
• 2008 January - Coast Guard accepts the Rescue 21 system at Staten Island, New York.
• 2008 February - Coast Guard accepts the Rescue 21 system at Jacksonville, Florida.
• 2008 February - Sector Hampton Roads accepts the Rescue 21 system at Hampton Roads, Virginia
• 2008 March - Sector Miami accepts the Rescue 21 system in Miami, Florida.
• 2008 April - Group Astoria accepts Rescue 21 in Astoria, Oregon.
• 2008 May - Sector Baltimore accepts Rescue 21 in Baltimore, Maryland.
• 2008 June - Group/Air Station North Bend accepts Rescue 21 in North Bend, Oregon.
• 2008 July - Sector Portland accepts Rescue 21 in Portland, Oregon.
• 2008 July - The Alaska Implementation requirements for covereage areas and site functionality were approved.
• 2008 August - Sector New Orleans Louisiana (PHASE II) accepts system.
• 2008 September - Sector Key West Florida accepts system.
• 2008 October - Sector Houston-Galveston Texas officially accepts system.
• 2008 December - Sector Charleston South Carolina officially accepts system.

As of January 2009 Rescue 21 covers 24,758 miles (39,844 km) of coastline.