A free-loan EPIRB service for Blue Mountains bushwalkers was launched by the NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment, Carmel Tebbutt , at a special ceremony in Lane Cove National Park on Friday, 3rd October.

The 23 state-of-the-art digital EPIRBs, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (or PLBs - Personal Locator Beacons) were donated to the Police Rescue Service by Benbro Electronics and police procedures have been updated, to include the free-loan service.

Benbro Director, John Bennett, a keen bushwalker and adventurer, came up with the idea because he was concerned at the number of people becoming lost in the wilderness, with hundreds of search and rescue operations every year, costing millions of dollars and putting other lives at risk. "Last year, there were two tragic deaths," Mr Bennett said. "Both might have been avoided if the rescue services had been alerted earlier and had known, more accurately, where to look. An emergency beacon would have not only raised the alarm quickly but it would also have pinpointed their position to within shouting distance."

The digital pocket EPIRBs, manufactured by GME, operate on the 406 MHz frequency which is monitored by the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system, worldwide. Each unit carries a unique identity code which, when activated, identifies the unit and its exact latitude and longitude. These units are all registered to the Police Rescue Service, at Springwood so that, within minutes, the Australian monitoring service can alert them to the emergency.

To borrow an EPIRB, free-of-charge, a bushwalker simply needs to register their walk at either the National Parks and Wildlife Centre at Blackheath, during office hours or, after hours, at the Katoomba or Springwood 24-hour Police Stations. This should provide an incentive for bushwalkers to tell authorities of their intentions.

In launching the EPIRBs, the Deputy Premier of NSW, Carmel Tebbutt said, "This is about saving lives and making bushwalking a safer pastime in Australia's busiest National Park." But she warned that the EPIRBs should not be seen as a substitute for adequate planning. "PLBs should be for emergencies only. Careful planning is the best key to preventing an emergency situation."

The EPIRBs (PLBs) became available, for loan, from 18th October. Note that the existing 121.5 MHz service is scheduled to be shut down in February, 2009.

Media Source: Eric Walters 02 9948 6278  0412 641 830   ewalters@optusnet.com.au