Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB1

I would like to introduce you to the Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB1, the world's smallest PLB (personal locator beacon). This unit has a 7 year battery storage life, a 7 year warranty and a host of features that are all condensed into a small, light weight portable device.

Introducing the world’s smallest PLB

• 30% smaller (typ) by volume
• Easily fits in lifejacket
• Retractable Antenna
• 7 Year Battery Life
• 7 year warranty
• High brightness strobe light >1candela
• 66 channel GPS receiver
• Unique mounting clip and flotation pouch

Give yourself peace of mind knowing you have a life saving device. The Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB1 can be purchased for under $300.00.

What if Your Rescue Hinged on an EPIRB

From the Coast Guard News, a story about an EPIRB.  Every rescue mission is different, in the event you need to be rescued having the right equipment is truly the difference between rescue and recovery.

There was no moon, and multiple cloud layers and thunderstorm cells blocked any available light provided by the stars,” said Lt. j.g. Caleb Thorp, the Hercules pilot. “The rain was near continuous, which reflected any light emitted from the aircraft and caused our night vision goggles to be useless.  So we secured as many lights on the aircraft as possible to aid the search outside.  We could only see straight down where we saw very rough seas.”

Finally, through the waves and winds, the C-130 crew received a blip on their radar that matched the profile of a sailboat.

Unable to actually see the vessel, and failing to establish communications over the radio, the Hercules crew began to fly over the boat’s location, flashing the plane’s wing tip landing lights to grab the crew’s attention.

The sailing vessel Wolfhound is seen here approximately 80-miles north of Bermuda in the FLIR camera of a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., Feb. 9, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Sarah Bachman and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jerimiah Strombeck

“We couldn’t see anything on the first pass, but on the second pass we saw a light cutting through the blowing rain,” said Thorp. “We flashed our lights and the sailing vessel flashed a handheld light back at the aircraft.”

The sailing vessel, later identified as the 48-foot long Wolfhound, lost all power and was at the mercy of the Atlantic Ocean.  With the power out, its radio was useless, and the four Irish nationals aboard had no other means of contacting a rescue agency.

Within six hours, both of the AMVER merchant vessels arrived on scene, led there by the Hercules crew.  The crew of the 738-foot Tetian Trader eventually came alongside the Wolfhound and helped the crew leave their stricken ship.

On average, there is a commercial ship in the AMVER system that is involved in saving a life somewhere in the world every 33 hours.

The rescue of the crew aboard the Wolfhound demonstrates how the culmination of EPIRB technology and the partnerships between multiple agencies save lives. The only other thing that might have better facilitated this successful search and rescue effort would have been if the sailboat’s EPRIB had been registered and up to date. With an unregistered EPRIB, a distress alert may be delayed before reaching the Coast Guard, often in situations in which there is not a moment to spare.

After reading this story, I would like to remind you to check the date on your EPIRB battery, make sure your EPIRB is registered and consider replacing older EPIRB technology with a GPS enabled EPIRB.

The Coast Guard, World Rescue Authorities and groups like AMVER can only do so much, you have to do your part and provide yourself with the best life saving tools available.

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EPIRB and PLB Spring Check List

If you read THIS POST last week then you know we are trying to help you check the safety gear on your boat before Spring arrives and lots of boating gets under way. This week will will focus on EPIRBs and PLBs. Both EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon)  (**note that the link is very helpful but a bit dated as the 121.5 MHz signal is no longer monitored as an emergency response signal and is now used as a fly over homing signal only**)and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacon) operate in the same way. There are differences including a longer battery life, floatation and deployment options, but they all have a battery life and expiration date! 

EPIRBs and PLBs operate on the 406 MHz frequency, if you still have 121.5 EPIRB you will need to replace it.
Starting on 1 February 2009, the Cospas-Sarsat System stopped processing signals from the deprecated 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz beacons; now only signals from 406 MHz beacons are processed. The switch to 406 MHz is expected to result in a substantial reduction in wasted use of SAR resources on false alerts while simultaneously increasing the responsiveness of the system for real distress cases.

COSPAS-SARSAT

If you have an EPIRB or PLB locate the battery expiration date and check it.

If you do not have one you should strongly consider purchasing one.

The gentleman in this post was not going to buy one but we encouraged him to purchase at least a PLB and it saved his life.

EPIRBs have to have a minimum battery life of 48 hours, they are designed to float in the water up right and transmit a signal, they also have a tether line to tied them to you or your life raft. EPIRBs come in Manual Deployment Versions and Automatic Deployment Versions. The Automatic Deployment EPIRBs have a housing and a Hydrostatic release unit that will set the EPIRB off and release it from the housing, allowing it to float to the surface and transmit. EPIRBs are also available with and with out a GPS transmitter built in. The GPS will help narrow down the search area.

PLBs will have a minimum operation time of 24 hours, they all have to be manually deployed and even though some models float they are not designed to float up right and transmit in the water like and EPIRB. PLBs usually have to be held with the antenna facing the sky. This doesn't mean your signal would not transmit if there was not a clear view of the sky, it is simply the best case scenario. Most PLB models have the built in GPS transmitter which will give rescuers a better idea of exactly where the user is.

So the check list is as follows:

Be sure the EPIRB is a 406 MHz and not a 121.5 MHz operating unit. It is OK to have both.

Be sure the battery is not expired

If the battery is expired find a factory authorized replacement center in your area.

Preform the manufactures self test

If it is an Automatic Deployment Unit check the date on the Hydrostatic Release

(good for 2 years)

Make sure the Housing is in working condition

For PLBs

Check the battery and perform the self test.

Safe boating is the best boating. Come back later in the week as we highlight some rescue stories and introduce you to AMVER (Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System , there are some rescue stories like these that resulted because of AMVER.

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