PLB facilitates rescue work in the event of emergency - MMEA

By Mohd Firdaus Md Saisi

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 -- The use of personal locator beacons (PLB) by the maritime community and outdoor enthusiasts can expedite rescue work in the event of an emergency, especially in areas that do not have telecommunication network coverage.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Search and Rescue and Disaster Relief Division assistant director Lt (Maritime) Mohamad Hasni Lizarus said PLB used the latest satellite-based search and rescue system, Cospas-Sarsat that detects a 406 megahertz (MHz) distress alert with an accurate emergency location information dissemination system.

“PLB can shorten the time taken by the rescue team to find the victim because when it is activated, the coordinates of the location of the incident will be sent to the Malaysia Mission Control Centre (MyMCC).

“Before the nearby rescue team is deployed to the location, MyMCC will make a confirmation by contacting the PLB owner or next-of-kin registered in the PLB system to ensure it is not accidentally activated or a false alarm,” he told Bernama when met at Malaysia Maritime Week 2022, here.

He said PLB could also help to detect the location of ships in distress, especially in rough weather conditions at sea thus accelerating the search and rescue operation.

Mohamad Hasni said any individual can own a PLB which is sold between RM1,000 and RM1,700 per unit, adding that in terms of durability, the device battery can last up to five years depending on model.

“Those who want to buy PLB are advised to get the device using the Malaysian code 533 for easier detection and to facilitate rescue work,” he said.

He said the device must be registered on the bim.mmea.gov.my website, which among others requires PLB users to provide their personal information such as the telephone number and their next-of-kin for verification purposes in the event of an emergency.

-- BERNAMA