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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PFD Talk - Spring Safety Check List for Leisure Boating

I would like to talk about PFDs (personal flotation devices), they are required for all boaters by the USCG. With Spring approaching it is a good idea to start checking all of your boating safety gear, my suggestion is start with you PFDs. Inspect each one for rips, tears, holes and frays at the seams. Check all straps and hardware for damage, check the buoyant materials for shrinkage and damage, and finally put it on and check to ensure it still properly fits from last boating season.

The USCG recreational boating requirements for PFDs are different than commercial vessel requirements and are the same across the board for children. All children must be wearing a PFD while on the boat.
Bellow are the rules for recreational boaters in our home state of Texas. Always check your state's laws about boating, also remember to check out boating rules if you will be traveling and boating as they may not be the same.

Texas PFD Requirements

• Children under 13 years of age in motorboats under 26 feet must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD while underway.
• All vessels under 16 feet (including canoes and kayaks) must be equipped with one Type I, II, III or V for each person on board.
• Vessels 16 feet and longer, in addition to the Type I, II, III or V for each person on board, must have one Type IV which must be readily accessible. Canoes and kayaks over 16 feet are exempt from the Type IV requirement.

So now we can talk about leisure boating and PFDs the USCG has a great informational page on PFDs you can CLICK HERE to visit. They have advice on how to choose a properly fitting PFD, checking them, caring for them and great information about cold water survival all in one place. There is a whole section that describes each "Type" of  PFD for Example a Type I is Best for all waters, open ocean, rough seas, or remote water, where rescue may be slow coming.  Abandon-ship life jacket for commercial vessels and all vessels carrying passengers for hire.

Type I PFD

Besides the USCG Type given to the PFD there are a couple of styles of PFD traditional inherently buoyant and Inflatable. Both styles have a Type given to them and can be identified at the time of purchase.
Inflatable PFDs are not for use by persons under age 16 as they may not be able to fully understand their operation. This means someone under age 16 will likely not understand how to manually activate the inflatable PFD if the auto activation should fail.

Mustang Inflatable PFD MD3184

Revere Comfortmax Plus Inflatable PFD

Revere general boating inherently buoyant PFD

The best PFD is always one they you are wearing and fits properly. This gives inflatable PFDs the advantage because they are more comfortable. For leisure boating in Texas carrying a life jacket of the proper type meets the requirements but will not save your life if you go overboard without it.
Many inflatable PFDs have 34-35 pounds of buoyancy where most standard non-inflatable PFDs only provide between 15.5 and 22 pounds of buoyancy depending on the type.

I would like to introduce you to the Mustang Survival MD0450 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT (Life-saving Inflatable Flotation Technology) This vest features Auto Hydrostatic Activation and has 40 pounds of Buoyancy when inflated. This is a high quality inflatable PFD designed to meet the needs of offshore boating. You can purchase high quality Mustang Survival products from Triad Marine.

Spring is around the corner and as we prepare the boats for another season of fun we need to make sure we are checking the boat's safety equipment. Check your PFDs and replace damaged ones. Consider purchasing at least one new safety item every Spring to accompany the current safety gear. There is always room for a PFD you will wear on every boat.

Please feel free to contact us if you need help choosing a PFD or any safety equipment for your boat. Also remember regulations and laws change from time to time so it is a good idea to check each Spring to make sure you are in compliance.
Happy and Safe Boating!

EPIRBs Save Lives! Another Tale of Rescue not Recovery!

Not too long ago our company Triad Marine sold a Fastfind 210 PLB, Revere Offshore Commander 4 in a valise and a new Achilles dinghy to a gentleman who was heading to Belize in a sail boat. Sailing to Belize this time of year is not to unusual but the weather has not been that great and the customer is 80 years old and had decided to sail solo. Given all of those conditions no good could come from this trip.





When the gentleman left we were all a bit worried and we had reason to be, the news reported that the Coast Guard rescued and 80 year old man who had set off his EPIRB after sending a radio distress signal stating he was unable to fend for himself.




I have never been happier to have sold someone a PLB. This story turned out to be a rescue and not a recovery. Apparently he did not need his life raft because he was able to be rescued before his boat had taken on too much water.

3 Hours and the Coast Guard was there! PLBs and EPIRBs work and save lives!
See the story below!



EPIRB leads Coast Guard to distressed mariner
Dec 15th, 2009 by cgnews.


SABINE, Texas — Following a distress from an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) onboard a 34-foot sailing vessel, the Coast Guard found a missing 80-year-old man Tuesday who had departed Houston ten days ago.
The Eighth Coast Guard District command center received the distress alert located approximately 115 miles south of Sabine at 9:30 a.m. The Coast Guard contacted the owner of the EPIRB and was notified by a family member that the 80-year-old owner of the sailing vessel, Enchantress, departed Houston approximately ten days ago and was headed toward Kemah, Texas.


A Coast Guard MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston and an HU-25 Falcon rescue plane and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi launched and located the owner and his sailing vessel at approximately 12:30 p.m. The man was hoisted and transported to Coast Guard Air Station Houston where he met by ambulance and transported to South East Memorial Hospital.


"The gentleman said over the radio to us that he was 'unable to fend for himself.' We safely hoisted him into the helicopter, and as soon as we started to hoist the swimmer, lightening struck within close proximity of the aircraft. The storm front began moving in and definitely made the situation more tedious, but we fell back on our training and the mission was a success," said Lt. Aaron Mader, air craft commander, Coast Guard Air Station Houston.


The Coast Guard reminds mariners to have a registered EPIRB onboard the vessel and to file a float plan with family members and friends.


Click HERE to see the video of him being rescued.

Now ask your self is $299.00 too much to spend to be able to return home to your family!

I may save your life!

Thank you to the Coast Guard and to the makers of the Fastfind 210 both for a job well done. We are so happy to see our customer is safe and that a product we believe proved it's self once more!

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.


********

Good information

COSPAS/SARSAT
Everyone should know about this information and how this system works especially boaters.

EPIRBs and PLBs are monitored here but not the SPOT messenger.

USMSA Information you may want to read

United States Marine Safety Association
Your International Resource for Marine Safety ********************************************************************
Coast Guard Authorization Bill 2010
The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 has been introduced by RepresentativeOberstar (H.R. 3619) to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard forfiscal year 2010, and for other purposes.It once again calls for revocation of the approval of survival craft that donot keep the occupants out of the water. USMSA members may take pride in theyears of hard work by our members on this issue and the efforts of thoseserving on the Small Passenger Vessel Initiative committee for continuing topromote and further this initiative.
USMSA will continue to work on this important issue. We encourage members to get involved.The act also contains many of the same initiatives previously contained inHR 2652 (see June 4, 2009 eblast below)H.R. 3619
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USMSA News Flash! H.R. 2652 - A Bill Concerning Marine Safety Issues6/4/2009
United States Marine Safety Association
Your International Resource for Marine Safety ********************************************************************
New Marine Safety Bill ~ H.R. 2652A new bill has just been introduced in the US House of Representatives to amend title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations concerning a variety of marine safety issues. Some of the proposals addressed in this bill were previously contained in last year's Coast Guard Authorization bill, which was not passed. Among the issues of interest to our industry: - Fishing vessel safety - Unsafe operation and termination of voyage - Equipment approval - Survival Craft - revokes approval of survival craft that do not ensure that no part of an individual is immersed in water - Merchant mariner licensing - Blended fuels in marine applicationsYou are encouraged to download and review the portions of this bill that are of interest to you and your business. We will need your insight and comments as we develop our positions on these issues. More information to follow after we have had the opportunity to review this further.HR2652

On the subject of EPIRBs

This is link is to a great article. Thanks to these guys for putting this out there.

http://www.soundingsonline.com/news/dispatches/252-aug-25/239482-epirbs-a-primer

Thank You for Your Business

Adrienne Rust

Triad Marine & Industrial Supply

1155 FM 518

Kemah,TX 77565

281-334-0815

Fax- 281-334-0041

arust@triadmarine.com

If you have a 121 Signal EPIRB it is time to upgrade!

We suggest when you upgrade to 406 signal you also include a GPS as it is just one more tool you will have should they need to look for you!




February 1, 2009: The Phaseout of 121.5 MHz Beacons
for Satellite Distress Alerting

In October 2000 the International Cospas-Sarsat Program, announced at its 25th Council Session held in London, UK that it plans to terminate satellite processing of distress signals from 121.5 and 243 MHz emergency beacons on February 1, 2009. All mariners, aviators, and individuals using emergency beacons on those frequencies will need to switch to those operating on the newer, more reliable, digital
406 MHz frequency if they want to be detected by satellites.

The decision to stop satellite processing of 121.5 / 243 MHz signals is due to problems in this frequency band which inundate search and rescue authorities with poor accuracy and numerous false alerts, adversely impacting the effectiveness of lifesaving services. Although the 406 MHz beacons cost more at the moment, they provide search and rescue agencies with more reliable and complete information to do their job more efficiently and effectively. The Cospas-Sarsat Program made the decision to terminate 121.5/243 MHz satellite alerting services, in part, in response to guidance from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These two agencies of the United Nations are responsible for regulating the safety on international transits of ships and aircraft, respectively, and handling international standards and plans for maritime and aviation search and rescue. More than 180 nations are members of IMO and ICAO.

NOAA, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, and NASA (the four Federal Agencies who manage, operate, and use the SARSAT system) are strongly advising users of 121.5/243 MHz beacons to make the switch to 406. Meanwhile, anyone planning to buy a new distress beacon may wish to take the Cospas-Sarsat decision into account.


Here is a link to the page so you can get more information as it could be helpful to you in the future. This is an important switch and the information is vital!

http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/phaseout.html

Yet another good reason to be safe on the water

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/586/292475/

Read this article …even the Coast Guard says they are lucky. I wonder If we could sell them a life raft and an EPIRB?

Thank You for Your Business

Adrienne Rust

Triad Marine & Industrial Supply

1155 FM 518

Kemah,TX 77565

281-334-0815

Fax- 281-334-0041

arust@triadmarine.com

Something from Twitter today

So I got this from Twitter and this is a great example that if these young men would have had a PLB such as the small, light weight, inexpensive Fastfind 210 ….the Coast Guard could be going to get them instead of searching.

uscgd13#CoastGuard #searching for Jonathon Shager, 22 & Cody Kidd, 23 who are overdue from a canoe trip in Puget Sound.

Be sure to follow along on Twitter

@TRIADMARINE

Thank You for Your Business

Adrienne Rust

Triad Marine & Industrial Supply

1155 FM 518

Kemah,TX 77565

281-334-0815

Fax- 281-334-0041

arust@triadmarine.com

USCG urges you to check your EPIRB and PLB registration

United States Coast Guard Headquarters

Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection Washington, DC

Marine Safety Alert  04-09 - EPIRB and PLB REGISTRATION

July 13, 2009                                                                                                                     

This Safety Alert addresses the importance of ensuring your Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) are properly registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

One of the circumstances surrounding a recent major marine casualty involving an uninspected commercial fishing vessel was the improper registration of the vessel's EPIRB.  The Unique Identification Number (UIN) entered into NOAA's registration database was different from the actual UIN programmed into the EPIRB by the manufacturer and transmitted to the Search and Rescue Satellite System after the vessel sank.  The improper registration of this vessel's EPIRB delayed the notification to Search and Rescue personnel, and subsequently delayed the launching of rescue assets.

The Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) System is composed of stationary and orbiting satellites.  For any given location (outside of the Polar Regions), there is continuous coverage by a stationary satellite, and coverage by an orbiting satellite every 60 to 75 minutes on average (which includes the Polar Regions).  The stationary satellites can receive all of the information transmitted by an EPIRB or PLB, but they are not capable of determining the position of the beacon unless the beacon has an optional GPS receiver (not all models carry this option).  Normally, position identification is accomplished by the orbiting satellites.  So, if a beacon is not equipped with the optional GPS, it could take up to 100 minutes for the orbiting satellites to identify the location of the beacon. 

In the case of this casualty, the first notification was received by a stationary satellite soon after the vessel sank, but the orbiting satellites were not within range and the improper registration prevented the identification of the vessel's name, homeport and emergency contact information from being forwarded to the Search and Rescue authorities.

As a result of this incident NOAA has commenced an important safety initiative, emailing and mailing all owners/operators of EPIRBs and PLBs registered in the U.S. National Beacon Registration Database, and requesting that they follow the steps listed below.  The U.S. Coast Guard supports this initiative, and strongly recommends all vessel owners and operators:

1. Confirm that current EPIRB and PLB registrations are correct.  Cross-check that the UIN printed by the manufacturer on your EPIRB or PLB matches the UIN printed on the proof-of-registration decal sent to you by NOAA.  The manufacturer-provided UIN is usually found on the exterior of the beacon, although in some cases the UIN is printed inside the beacon, under the beacon's battery.  You can also cross-check that the above UINs match the NOAA registration database by visiting the National Beacon Registration website at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ and choosing one of the links for your existing beacon registration.

If any of the numbers or letters in the UINs are different, your beacon may not be registered properly and you should contact NOAA immediately at: (301) 817-4515 or 1-888-212-SAVE (7283). 

2. Update EPIRB and PLB registrations if there are any changes to the vessel information, owner/operator information, emergency contact information, or if your registration information has expired.  Registration data must be renewed every two years.  Updates and renewals can be made using the same registration methods listed below.

3. Register new or previously unregistered EPIRBs and PLBs with NOAA via the internet at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/.  Note: Registration is mandatory and is required by Federal Regulation.

Alternatively, you can mail the registration form which can be found in the beacon's packaging, or downloaded from the beacon registration website provided above, to the following address:

       Beacon Registration

       NOAA/NESDIS,

       NSOF, E/SP3

       4231 Suitland Road

       Suitland, MD 20746

The registration form can also be faxed to: (301) 817-4565.

If you have already received a registration safety notification from NOAA and responded accordingly, no further action is required until your next beacon renewal or update.

This safety alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material requirement.  Developed by the Office of Design and Engineering Standards, United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC and the NOAA Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) Program Office, Suitland, MD.

Thank You for Your Business

Adrienne Rust

Triad Marine & Industrial Supply

1155 FM 518

Kemah,TX 77565

281-334-0815

Fax- 281-334-0041

arust@triadmarine.com