New ‘Saved by the Beacon’ Resources from the National Safe Boating Council Share Importance of Locator Beacons
Resources Enhance Boating Safety Survival Education and Awareness
Manassas, VA (August 29, 2016) – Imagine you’re away from the coast, you don’t even see land anymore. Even worse, imagine that your boat is now taking on water and you don’t have cell phone reception. The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) has released resources through its Saved by the Beacon campaign for recreational boating safety professionals to educate
recreational boaters about the importance of 406 MHz beacons and how to use them correctly in the case of a boating emergency.
“Our hope is to educate the boating public on the importance of having a life saving device, such as an EPIRB or a PLB, because it really can mean the difference between life and death,” said Rachel Johnson, executive director of the NSBC. “These devices are critical to boating safety as they allow search and rescue teams to quickly locate the person in distress through the use of satellites.”
Resources include a book, print, and video public service announcements that highlight the importance of owning and registering a 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) for their boat or a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for their person. The resources are available at www.SavedbytheBeacon.com.
In the video PSAs, Scott Smiles, John Silverwood, and David Hope bravely share testimonials of how they and their loved ones were “Saved by the Beacon.” Each of these men, as well as those around them, faced tragic outcomes, but thanks to the use of their emergency locator beacon, they were safely rescued from their harrowing experiences. “We are honored to share the incredible survivor stories of those who were ‘Saved by the
Beacon,’” continued Johnson.
The NSBC would also like to remind everyone to register his or her emergency locator beacons with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/beacon.html.
The NSBC collaborated with NSBC-member organizations ACR Electronics, Alaska Office of Boating Safety, and Orion Safety Products in the creation of the campaign resources, and would like to acknowledge the various authors who contributed to the Saved by the Beacon book as well as Scott Smiles, John Silverwood, and David Hope for sharing their survivor stories. All of
the resources are available at www.SavedbytheBeacon.com.
About the National Safe Boating Council
The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) is the foremost coalition for the advancement and promotion of safer boating through education, outreach, and training. The NSBC accomplishes this mission by promoting outreach and research initiatives that support boating education and safety awareness; improving the professional development of boating safety educators through training; and developing and recognizing outstanding boating safety programs. To learn more about the NSBC and its programs, visit www.SafeBoatingCouncil.org.
About Saved by the Beacon
Saved by the Beacon is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. For more information, please visit www.savedbythebeacon.com.