“Our Mission…to provide worldwide support and assistance to volunteer maritime rescue services and to recognize and honor extraordinary maritime rescues.” Recent Initiatives: Commencing from approximately 2004 onward, AFRAS sought to take on several new initiatives, to include Corporate Sponsorships to assist with fund-raising efforts, more inclusive recognition of other significant SAR events to include a CAR/SAR Award (recognition of heroic SAR in the Caribbean), the C-PORT Award (commercial maritime assistance industry), and SAR events of national significance, including: US Naval Reserve Unit, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD for rescue of capsized water taxi in April, 2004; Carnival Cruise Liner "Holiday" for rescue of five Mexican fishermen in August, 2004; Cruise ship "Grand Princess" for rescue of two after getting underway from Galveston in April, 2006; Annapolis Fire Department for rescue of a woman from a capsized sailboat at night in July, 2008; and, the NY Waterway for the rescue of passengers from US AIR light 1549 in NYC in January, 2009. In addition, new initiatives to focus on better establishing the AFRAS “brand” commenced in 2012, to include a complete overhaul of our web-site, establishing a Mission Statement, the first use of afras.org email addresses, and attendance at a maritime industry event for the singular purpose of soliciting corporate sponsorships.