National Safe Boating Week 2009 - Multiple forms of communication can mean the difference of life, death on the water

	Office of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District

News Release	Date: May 20, 2009 Contact: Petty Officer Walter Shinn Phone: (907) 463-2068
National Safe Boating Week 2009 - Multiple forms of communication can mean the difference of life, death on the water
JUNEAU, Alaska - The Coast Guard continues to promote National Safe Boating Week 2009 urging all boaters to ensure they are prepared by having multiple forms of communication on board their vessel before spending time on Alaskan waters. A communications device is one of the most important tools on board a boat. A VHF radio should be your primary means of communication, which is monitored by the Coast Guard 24 hours a day, but cell phones, satellite phones, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons and Personal Position Indicating Radio Beacons serve as a secondary communications tool to call in a distress situation. Boaters should keep in mind that Alaska has VHF coverage dead spots and it is advisable to always have a secondary means of communication. Cellular telephones can be unreliable when traveling throughout Alaskan waterways and should not be used as a primary means of communication. The farther away from land the less likely you are to have reception and is the main reason it's recommended to have multiple communication devices. "An EPIRB distress signal is typically received by the Coast Guard within five minutes of being activated and its location is accurate to within 650 feet," said Lt. John McWhite, command duty officer for the 17th Coast Guard District rescue coordination center in Juneau. "An activated EPIRB is generally our first indication that a vessel is in distress and in conjunction with the supporting search and rescue satellite is absolutely our most valuable search and rescue tool in the command center." Below are details of a few communication devices: - EPIRB: EPIRBs can help save your life if you get into trouble by alerting rescue authorities to your location. This device can be manually triggered or automatically triggered by water immersion. It is important to ensure EPRIBs are properly registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. - PPIRB: Similar to an EPIRB, however the device is smaller and may be attached to a person's body. If the person falls overboard the device signals their exact location to a satellite that in turn relays the information to the nearest rescue coordination center. For more information on EPIRBs click here.
### The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History. Powerful Future.

printer friendly