First, Locate the following supplies;

• Piece of paper or notepad

• Pencil or pen

Now, take a moment to jot down the facts you know about each item in the check-list below:

1. Period of time the vessel has been overdue.

2. Purpose of trip.

3. Description of vessel (color, size, shape, etc.).

4. Vessel's departure point and destination.

5. Places the vessel planned to stop during transit.

6. Navigation equipment on board (GPS, EPIRB, Compass, etc.).

7. Survival equipment aboard vessel (life jackets, etc.).

8. Number of people aboard the vessel as well as their:

   • Names

   • Ages

   • Gender

   • Known medical conditions

   • Physical limitations

   • Race

9. Personal habits of the people aboard the vessel (e.g. dependability, reliability, etc.).

10. Was vessel already moored, or was it towed by a vehicle to the location. 

11. License plate number and description of the towing and/or crew transport vehicle.

12. Communications equipment on board including radio frequencies monitored, cellular telephone numbers of people aboard.

13. Additional points of contact in the area.

Keep the information you've just prepared handy, you'll need it in a few minutes.

Now...

Continue with the next step.