With eleven persons successfully rescued since May 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Search and Rescue recently honored BoatU.S. for its Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) rental program. The program makes the $900 life-saving devices available at cost for $50 a week as a public service of the boating association’s Foundation for Boating Safety & Clean Water. A BoatU.S. EPIRB recently aided in the rescue of three persons 120 miles off Cape Hatteras, NC.

Capt. Steve Sawyer, Chief, USCG Office of Search and Rescue, said, “We’d like to express our grateful appreciation to BoatU.S. for its dedicated efforts in improving the safety and welfare of recreational boaters throughout the world. The Coast Guard Search and Rescue Program, in close coordination with the Boating Safety Program and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, continuously seeks improved methods to avert search and rescue cases through education and prevention–the BoatU.S. EPIRB Rental Program is one initiative that directly supports this goal.”

The BoatU.S. EPIRB program is funded by the voluntary contributions of 575,000 members of BoatU.S. Ruth Wood, president of the BoatU.S. Foundation, said, “When we started the pilot program six years ago with the U.S. Coast Guard, we knew of no other way for boaters to temporarily obtain an EPIRB for a short offshore passage. Since then, the program has rented hundreds of beacons through the generous support of BoatU.S. members who believe in the usefulness of these life saving devices.”
EPIRB stands for Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. When activated, a 406 MHz EPIRB broadcasts a unique, repeating SOS signal that can be detected from virtually any point on earth. When properly registered, the signal includes a description of the vessel and its location. This critical information is routed directly to rescue units on the ground, reducing search time dramatically. It is recommended that boaters venturing outside reliable VHF radio range, about 20 miles offshore, carry a 406 EPIRB on board.