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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Warning From the USCG on EPIRB Battery replacements

November 30, 2009 Alert 08-09



Washington, DC


UNAPPROVED EPIRB BATTERY REPLACEMENTS


Fishing vessel safety staff in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District has received at least three reports in


the past few months regarding unapproved replacements of 406 EPIRB batteries by servicing


companies having no association with the EPIRB manufacturer. These unauthorized battery


installations would likely result in a failure of this critical item of lifesaving equipment, and as such are


not in compliance with the operational readiness requirements of 46 CFR.


The following is a typical excerpt from an EPIRB manufacturer report:


“The unit was opened and a foreign battery was found inside. The battery was built up using


(manufacturer) fuses and wiring salvaged from the original (manufacturer) battery. They then


covered their battery with the original (manufacturer) yellow heat shrink, (manufacturer) labels


and taped it together. This was then covered with a black heat shrink wrap. The connections


were soldered and not spot welded, as is required by the design and is performed in


(manufacturer) production. The battery measured 8.7 volts. Our batteries read 9+ volts when


they are new. This battery was installed one week prior to it being brought into (manufacturer).


There was also evidence of water intrusion due to the crack in the top cap, which (servicing


company) did not recognize as they are not trained in these matters.


The EPIRB was condemned by (manufacturer) and the customer was notified when he came


to pick the unit up.”


Every approved (i.e., accepted by the FCC) EPIRB is tested during its approval process using a


battery, or batteries, specified by the manufacturer. Approved EPIRBs come with a user's manual


which describes battery maintenance and replacement procedures. In order for the EPIRB to remain


within the conditions of its approval, the manufacturer's instructions in the user's manual must be


adhered to. To ensure that replacement batteries are of the same type with which the EPIRB was


approved, and are correctly installed, manufacturers typically specify that battery replacements only


be done by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved shop.


Any modification or changes to an EPIRP must be made in accordance with the manufacturer. The


use of alternative replacement parts or batteries is prohibited and may prevent the device from


meeting lifesaving requirements. The Coast Guard strongly reminds EPIRB owners and servicing


facilities to be aware of the compliance implications and potential for equipment failure stemming from


any EPIRB modification or unauthorized battery replacement.


This safety alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or


international safety, operational or material requirement. Questions regarding the information


presented in this alert may be addressed to LCDR Vince Gamma of the U.S. Coast Guard


Headquarters Lifesaving & Fire Safety Standards Division at 202.372.1396 or


Vincent.A.Gamma@uscg.mil.


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