MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW: The importance of EPIRBs
Transport Safety will give away one a day at Melbourne ShowWith over 900 reported recreational vessel disablements across the state in 2012-13 to date, Transport Safety Victoria (TSV) has stressed the importance of EPIRBs to recreational boaters, so much so that they will give away a marine distress beacon every day of the upcoming Melbourne Boat Show.
TSV spokesperson, Paul Corkill, said that emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) have become an important safety device, enabling boaters to raise the alarm in distress and assist rescue authorities.
"An EPIRB is a compulsory device for offshore boaters, said TSV spokesperson, Paul Corkill. "They are also an invaluable tool for boaters closer to the shore, particularly in our popular bays and inlets."
"Search and rescue agencies report that locating missing vessels on Port Phillip Bay have been known to take as long as 20 hours.
"An EPIRB can narrow that search to within as little as 120 metres, dramatically speeding up search times and increasing chances of survival," Mr Corkill said.
Visitors to TSV’s stand at the Melbourne Boat Show will go into the draw to win a beacon valued at over $300 by subscribing to TSV’s mailing list.
They will also have an opportunity to pick up a wealth of information about topics such as fire safety, anchoring, crossings bars and safety equipment. TSV’s team of experts will be on hand to answer any boating safety questions.
The Melbourne Boat Show will be held June 14-17 at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
