April 6 (4/06) was 406 Day – a national campaign run by NOAA to spread awareness of the importance of emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) that broadcast their emergency signals on the protected band, 406 MHz.
EPIRBS are used for boating safety, and personal locator beacons (PLBs) are also used on boats, as well as in a variety of remote outdoor activities. For aviation, emergency locator transmitter (ELT) beacons are used.
In 2018, the Eighth Coast Guard District responded to over 200 distress signals from beacons aboard aircraft and boats in the USA.
This capability forms part of the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme, an international co-operative programme that supports search and rescue worldwide through a satellite-aided communication system.
Beacons that are type-approved by Cospas-Sarsat function with their LEOSAR, GEOSAR, and now MEOSAR systems of satellites and the signals are relayed to the rescue infrastructure available to all States on a non-discriminatory basis.
Beacons that are in the Cospas-Sarsat System are purchased and used on a subscription-free basis.
It is important to register your beacon and keep these details up to date to enable the rescuers using the System to respond more efficiently to any alert.
406 Day encourages aviators, boaters and outdoor enthusiasts to update their beacon registration, check their battery expiration date, and self-test their beacons to make sure they are working perfectly.
It is also an opportunity to celebrate the 43,000+ lives saved worldwide since the mid-1980s by using emergency distress 406 MHz beacon signals and the Cospas-Sarsat System.
For evidence of the effectiveness of beacons check out SurvivorClub, which provides real-life testimonies shared by people of all ages and from all walks of life, who thanks to their beacon, have lived to tell the tale.
Read more here:
https://www.workboat.com/news/government/epirbs-awareness-day-april-6/
https://www.acrartex.com/stories
https://www.powerboat-world.com/news/216076/Benefits-of-EPIRBs-and-Personal-Locator-Beacons
http://406.org