EPIRBs Save Lives!

If you had to pick a single item from all of the optional pieces of safety equipment that one could purchase and install on a powerboat, what would it be? The only criteria are that the option has to be highly recommended by federal, state or local maritime authorities and equally as important, not be handicapped by distance limitations. Would it be a VHF radio…a radar system…maybe an EPIRB? Let’s take a quick look at each of these choices and see which piece of equipment meets our parameters.

A VHF radio, while a mandatory piece of communication equipment on any vessel, can generally reach another VHF radio station up to 20-miles away. On a chamber of commerce, blue bird day, maybe twice that. Why such a limited range? Because, VHF radio signals work primarily on ‘line of sight,’ and if the antenna can’t see the other antenna, it won’t be able to hear it.

In the recreational boating sector, radar is becoming an increasingly popular safety device primarily used to help with safe navigation and collision avoidance. In varying circumstances, radar reception can typically reach 24 to 36-miles depending on the type of unit, the frequency level, how high above the surface of the water the radar antenna is mounted and precisely how level the antenna is to the distant horizon. Again, an invaluable tool, but somewhat limited.

An EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) on the other hand, communicates directly with satellites in orbit. There are no distance limitations. EPIRB signals are detectable not only by COSPAS-SARSAT satellites, which are polar orbiting, but also by geostationary (GOES) weather satellites. EPIRB signals detected by the GEOSTAR system, consisting of GOES and other geostationary satellites, send maritime rescue authorities an instant alert that something is a miss. Other satellite systems also receive EPIRB signals but with different degrees of timeliness and information. This makes EPRIBs a MUST HAVE for anglers and boaters who venture far and wide across open seas in search of their angling thrills.

While there are many types of EPIRBs, today there is only one acceptable type, a 406 MHz EPIRB. Many of today’s EPIRBs (Category II) come with built-in GPS receivers that enable the EPIRB to relay not only the distress signal, but also accurate latitude and longitude coordinates. With an EPIRB without the GPS component (Category I), position must be calculated by triangulation, which can leave quite a large error.

Purchasing an EPIRB

Do a quick Google search on EPIRBs and you’ll come up with prices ranging from $344.64 for Category I units without a built in GPS receiver to $1,099.99 for Category II units with a built in GPS receiver. Most of these units activate in the event of an emergency when the unit is submersed or when released from its bracket. Higher end EPIRBs even come equipped with extremely powerful strobe lights which can be seen from miles away, a worthy feature to help facilitate rescue in low-light conditions. Others are completely water-resistant to one atmosphere (33-feet). The price you pay will ultimately depend on the precise unit you select and the options you choose.

Why do you need to register your EPIRB?

Every EPIRB must be registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Your registration is entered into the U.S. 406 Beacon Registration Database maintained by NOAA/NESDIS. If your EPIRB is ever activated, the unit’s precise location along with the information you provided will be sent to the appropriate United States Coast Guard Search And Rescue (SAR) Coordination Center for response.

If you’ve listed a phone number, the Coordination Center’s watch-standers will first attempt to contact the owner/operator via phone. This is done to determine if the vessel is underway. If the vessel is at dock, then a false alarm/malfunction becomes the primary suspect.

If the vessel is underway, the watch-standers will try to ascertain the intended route of the vessel, the number of passengers on board, and a host of other information from a family member. A rescue plan will then be established and quickly put into action.

Safe boaters must not forget that they may face a fine for false activation of an unregistered EPIRB. The U.S. Coast Guard routinely refers cases involving unregistered EPIRBs and non-distress activations (e.g., as a hoax, through gross negligence, carelessness or improper storage and handling) to the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC will prosecute cases based upon evidence provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, and will issue warning letters or notices of apparent liability for fines up to $10,000. However, the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended forwarding non-distress activations of properly registered 406 MHz EPIRBs to the FCC, unless activation was due to hoax or gross negligence.

After purchasing a new or pre-owned 406 MHz EPIRB and registering it with NOAA, if you change your boat, address, or your primary phone number, you must re-register your EPIRB with the updated information. If you sell your EPIRB, make sure the purchaser re-registers the unit, or the U.S. Coast Guard may call you if it later becomes activated.

So what’s your next purchase?

If you’re not quite sold on the importance of an EPRIB, read your local papers or scan the headlines on the Internet. Day in and day out vessels of all sizes get caught in unexpected situations that require rescue. EPIRBs save lives. It’s that simple! Boating education also saves lives, as do free Vessel Safety Checks offered by the U.S.C.G. Auxiliary and other safety partners. Remember, the best safety equipment doesn’t work if you don’t wear it, maintain it, or know precisely how to use it!