All mariners need to read the Coast Guard’s Safety Alert 8-09 and make sure you aren’t carrying around an EPIRB with a bogus or defective battery that may not function properly when you need it the most. 7th District inspectors have received three recent reports from EPIRB manufacturers asserting that, while servicing their own beacons, these bad batteries were discovered, with the previous servicing having been conducted by someone other than the manufacturer. Battery replacements should always be done in accordance with the EPIRB’s manual, which normally means by the original manufacturer. Given the tough economic times we’re in the pressure to cut corners wherever possible to save money is intense. But trusting your EPIRB inspection and battery replacement to Cap’n Crunch’s Marine Safety Co. may well blow up in your face. Look elsewhere for cost savings…..do you want to find yourself bobbing around in the ocean thinking help is on the way when it isn’t?
For your convenience we keep an archive of all pertinent USCG Safety Alerts, along with other interesting stuff including many accident reports, in our Safety section. Please check it from time to time.
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