PLBs Can Save Your Life

[Dan]

Mario knows what he's talking about. He was a rescue swimmer in the USCG for a long time and now makes quite a bit of their equipment as a contractor. And his blog is worth reading.
EPIRBs Do Not Save Lives

Good article. Thanks for posting.

Someone ask about PLB and this is his answer:
"I think many get too hung up on the slight differences between a CAT I or CAT II EPIRB and a PLB...which is...an EPIRB. They are just smaller, lower power versions that use the exact same tech and satellites as their larger cousins. They just can't self-deploy or self-arm. I own a few and think that not having them is a serious mistake. If you fall overboard, the EPIRB on the boat doesn't do you much good. Having a PLB (EPIRB) tied into your lifejacket is the best of ideas"

 

[Dan]

This diver has PLB, but forgot to take it with him when he was lost at sea & drifting for 17 hours before a SAR helicopter spotted him.

68-year-old scuba diver survives 17 hours lost at sea

"He did own a personal locator beacon, but had taken it out for cleaning and forgot to return it to its case the day of the dive, making his predicament even more dire.

"That was a tragedy because if that had gone off the helicopter would have come straight to me and they'd know exactly who I was and what was happening," Brierley said.

Fortunately, he did email a friend before setting to let them know to contact authorities if he didn't make it back by a certain time, but by the time searchers found him, he had had a hard ordeal.

"I swam from 2:30 in the morning until 12:00 when they picked me up," he says. "No food, no water, and I'd been awake since 4:30 that morning and I'm just absolutely amazed that I had the energy to do it.""

 

[-JD-]

Note: Originally from the PLBs Can Save Your Life thread, but this linked author has relevant information that includes (and crosses boundaries between) General SAR/Survival, Visual Search, and Radio Distress Devices so I am x-posting in these related threads as well:
- Search and Rescue - Lasers and Signaling Devices
- SAR network - an idea.
If you haven't been following the other discussions in the group, it might be worth your while to look at them for a more rounded take on the various aspects.

Mario knows what he's talking about. He was a rescue swimmer in the USCG for a long time and now makes quite a bit of their equipment as a contractor. And his blog is worth reading.
EPIRBs Do Not Save Lives

Thank you for posting this!!!!

His articles (main lists here: Articles, Blogs, and Rants & https://www.soundingsonline.com/voices/lifelines-safety-and-rescue-at-sea) are a great resource covering multiple aspects of Sea Survival & SAR.

I'm pulling out a few specific ones here that I found to be very relevant to the ongoing discussions ...
Radio Distress Devices:
- EPIRBs Do Not Save Lives (article originally linked by @rjack321)
- https://www.soundingsonline.com/voices/epirb-ais-satellite
- https://www.soundingsonline.com/ask-mario-videos/ask-mario-epirbs-vs-satellite-tracking-devices
Visibility:
- Over Here! Being Found is About Being Seen
Survivability:
- Giving Up: Why the Coast Guard Quits Looking
- https://www.soundingsonline.com/voices/cold-hard-facts

 

[Compressor]

Any advice on getting this kit from West Marine? Its not the latest version of the PLB so that's why I'm asking.
Thank you.

 

[Akimbo]

Any advice on getting this kit from West Marine? Its not the latest version of the PLB so that's why I'm asking.
Thank you.

You might check the depth rating on the ACR C-Strobe Rescue Light. Most (All?) of their lights are not rated for divers.

 

[Compressor]

Agree. I should have been more specific: Will take the PLB with me in a canister (TBD). Rest stays on shore. I like the kit because it can be used when boating as well. I think the ResQ400 has infrared which this unit does not have.

 

[Compressor]

Here's the answer I found on the web: "ACR’s 400PLB now has a smaller overall size and even more rugged design and body than its predecessor in the 2880 series of PLB’s. There is no subscription required, so you won’t have to worry whether you have coverage or not before heading out on your adventure. The built in GPS and Galileo GNSS receiver provides your precise location anywhere in the world. In addition to that, 5 watts of power assures you will be sending a strong signal."

 

[rjack321]

I have the acr reqlink+ it seems to work. The ocean signal rescueme is quite a bit smaller but doesn't float. So I guess it depends on the size of your canister.

I would leave the strobe at home to save space and weight for more important things. If (as a diver) you are lost after dark they are going to find you with the PLB if they are willing/able to fly at night or in whatever weather conditions exist. If they aren't flying then the strobe isn't helpful anyway. The strobe is more useful in a man overboard situation where the vessel you fell off of is not equipped to home in on the 121.5Mhz signal from the PLB and you might be far away from land or radio contact so you best chance of recovery is being found visually.

Besides, you carry a dive light right?

 

[Diver below 83]

This diver has PLB, but forgot to take it with him when he was lost at sea & drifting for 17 hours before a SAR helicopter spotted him.

68-year-old scuba diver survives 17 hours lost at sea

"He did own a personal locator beacon, but had taken it out for cleaning and forgot to return it to its case the day of the dive, making his predicament even more dire.

"That was a tragedy because if that had gone off the helicopter would have come straight to me and they'd know exactly who I was and what was happening," Brierley said.

Fortunately, he did email a friend before setting to let them know to contact authorities if he didn't make it back by a certain time, but by the time searchers found him, he had had a hard ordeal.

"I swam from 2:30 in the morning until 12:00 when they picked me up," he says. "No food, no water, and I'd been awake since 4:30 that morning and I'm just absolutely amazed that I had the energy to do it.""

Watching his scuba gear float away sucked. But I bet that was the last concern once onboard the helicopter

 

[Dan]

Watching his scuba gear float away sucked. But I bet that was the last concern once onboard the helicopter

I bet he won’t forget to carry his PLB from then on too.