EPIRB- What does it stand for?
An Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is a device that alerts search and rescue services (SAR) in case of an emergency at sea. It is a tracking equipment that transmits a signal on a specified band to locate a lifeboat, life raft, ship, or people in distress.
An EPIRB is sometimes called a GPIRB, which means an EPIRB with a GPS receiver to find your precise location faster.
What is EPIRB used for?
EPIRB is a distress beacon that, once activated, alerts a global search and rescue network to send help to your location as quickly as possible.
EPIRBs are installed on ships after being registered with the national search and rescue forces for that boat. The registration allows confirmation of false alerts and faster rescue operations.
An EPIRB is a SECONDARY means of DISTRESS alerting, which means that it comes later in the hierarchy of alerting SAR authorities in case of distress.