06-15-2003, 04:58 PM
Personal Locator Beacons inexpensive, life-saving
Beginning July 1, the government infrastructure monitoring emergency distress beacons currently used on airplanes and marine vessels will integrate Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) to their nationwide system.
PLBs are digitally encoded distress devices much like the EBIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) available, and in some cases required, for use by commercial and recreational boaters on marine waters.
Like EBIRBs, when a PLBs is triggered it transmits a signal to one of many satellites, and is then relayed to monitoring stations.
The PLB's signal is used to pinpoint the location of the device, and emergency search and rescue personnel are scrambled to respond.
That signal also tells rescue personnel exactly who is asking for assistance.
As with EBIRBS, PLBs must be registered with the federal authorities. That registration will put the PLBs unique identification number (transmitted with the distress signal) along with the owner's name, address, telephone number and emergency contact information in the system's database.
When a PLB is triggered, response is coordinated through the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. The AFRCC contacts the emergency response agency nearest the signal site. Also, responders contact the PLB owner's emergency contact to make certain the request for search and rescue is valid.
PLBs have been used with excellent results in Europe and Australia for nearly a decade.
The device also has been available for use in Alaska since 1995 under an experimental program to survey its effectiveness in North America.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which shares coordination of the system with other federal agencies, PLBs have been responsible for emergency search and rescue actions resulting in the recovery of more than 250 people in Alaska.
Federal officials were concerned about misuse of PLBs. If owners used them for minor incidents and not true emergencies, it could impact the effectiveness of the search and rescue system.
But a federal law make it a felony to willfully transmit a hoax distress call. Punishment can be as much as six years in prison and a $250,000 fine, plus costs associated with the rescue effort. This seems to be a considerable deterrent.
The Alaska success of that pilot program prodded NOAA to expand the PLB program for use nationwide, beginning July 1, the agency said
PLBs currently are on the market. They typically are about the size of a hand-held two-way radio, are weatherproof and are available with integrated Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signaling.
PLBs are not cheap. Low-end models cost about $400, with other models costing as much as $1,000.
A cell phone, which almost everyone carries these days, works wonderfully in emergency situations. But the devices certainly could be a life saver in some situations.
A PLB could be a great security blanket aboard a recreational fishing boat far offshore.
a PLB seems expensive, particularly for something its owner prays never will be used.
But if it's ever needed, a PLB promises to be well worth any cost.
[signature]
Beginning July 1, the government infrastructure monitoring emergency distress beacons currently used on airplanes and marine vessels will integrate Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) to their nationwide system.
PLBs are digitally encoded distress devices much like the EBIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) available, and in some cases required, for use by commercial and recreational boaters on marine waters.
Like EBIRBs, when a PLBs is triggered it transmits a signal to one of many satellites, and is then relayed to monitoring stations.
The PLB's signal is used to pinpoint the location of the device, and emergency search and rescue personnel are scrambled to respond.
That signal also tells rescue personnel exactly who is asking for assistance.
As with EBIRBS, PLBs must be registered with the federal authorities. That registration will put the PLBs unique identification number (transmitted with the distress signal) along with the owner's name, address, telephone number and emergency contact information in the system's database.
When a PLB is triggered, response is coordinated through the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. The AFRCC contacts the emergency response agency nearest the signal site. Also, responders contact the PLB owner's emergency contact to make certain the request for search and rescue is valid.
PLBs have been used with excellent results in Europe and Australia for nearly a decade.
The device also has been available for use in Alaska since 1995 under an experimental program to survey its effectiveness in North America.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which shares coordination of the system with other federal agencies, PLBs have been responsible for emergency search and rescue actions resulting in the recovery of more than 250 people in Alaska.
Federal officials were concerned about misuse of PLBs. If owners used them for minor incidents and not true emergencies, it could impact the effectiveness of the search and rescue system.
But a federal law make it a felony to willfully transmit a hoax distress call. Punishment can be as much as six years in prison and a $250,000 fine, plus costs associated with the rescue effort. This seems to be a considerable deterrent.
The Alaska success of that pilot program prodded NOAA to expand the PLB program for use nationwide, beginning July 1, the agency said
PLBs currently are on the market. They typically are about the size of a hand-held two-way radio, are weatherproof and are available with integrated Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signaling.
PLBs are not cheap. Low-end models cost about $400, with other models costing as much as $1,000.
A cell phone, which almost everyone carries these days, works wonderfully in emergency situations. But the devices certainly could be a life saver in some situations.
A PLB could be a great security blanket aboard a recreational fishing boat far offshore.
a PLB seems expensive, particularly for something its owner prays never will be used.
But if it's ever needed, a PLB promises to be well worth any cost.
[signature]