Which statement correctly describes the role of the National SAR Plan in SAR governance?

• A. The AIM outlines the National SAR Plan.
• B. The National SAR Plan assigns GPS database standards.
• C. The National SAR Plan assigns SAR responsibilities to the military agencies for conducting physical SAR operations.
• D. The National SAR Plan designates FSS as sole responders.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that national-level SAR governance uses a National SAR Plan to define who is responsible for carrying out the actual search and rescue actions. The correct statement reflects that this plan designates military agencies as the ones responsible for conducting physical SAR operations, establishing clear authority, roles, and command during an incident. This ensures coordinated and rapid deployment of the assets needed for the search, with the military typically taking the lead in field operations. The other possibilities don’t match how SAR governance typically structures responsibilities: the plan isn’t about outlining what an AIM contains, it doesn’t setGPS database standards, and it doesn’t name FSS as the sole responders, since SAR operations involve multiple agencies and a defined chain of command beyond a single entity.