Safety specialist Ocean Signal is highlighting their extended range of EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons) for leisure boat owners and commercial operators looking to enhance safety and meet Australian standards this season.
EPIRBs ensure maximum chance of survival in an emergency when installed on the vessel, communicating the location of a survivor to search and rescue services via the 406 MHz Cospas-Sarsat satellite system when activated.
As the world’s most compact EPIRB, the Ocean Signal rescueME EPIRB1 is the ideal solution for anyone who needs to equip their boat or Personal Water Craft (PWC) with an affordable Class 3-Approved EPIRB. The 406 MHz beacon, which features a ground-breaking 30% reduction in size compared to other EPIRBs and a huge 10-year battery life, ensures compliance with The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) regulation stipulating that vessels operating beyond smooth and partially smooth waters must carry an approved EPIRB when more than two nautical miles from land.
For commercial users and some leisure owners who want a float-free solution, Ocean Signal has developed the market’s most compact Category 1 (auto-deploy) EPIRB – the SafeSea EPIRB1 Pro. The beacon complies with IMO regulations that require an automatic release housing to be provided for mandatory fitted EPIRBs and also meets the AMSA legislated standards that will require certain types of commercial vessels – including trawlers – to carry float-free EPIRBs from 1 January 2021.
The SafeSea EPIRB1 Pro is designed to release automatically from the Auto Deploy Bracket once submerged in water and float free from a sinking vessel. When floating on the surface, the EPIRB will automatically activate and will then transmit the boat’s distress message to alert rescue authorities.
All owners of Ocean Signal EPIRBs and PLBs who activate their beacons in an emergency receive a free replacement beacon as part of the company’s Survivor Club program.