Horseback riders activate ACR TerraFix PLB

On July 3 a rescue involving two horseback riders on a nine-day trip in Kings Canyon National Park was initiated by a Personal Locator Beacon. One rider began to suffer respiratory distress and needed medical attention. They activated an ACR Electronics TerraFix™ 406 GPS PLB and, once again, the NAS China Lake SAR team was called in to execute another successful rescue.

Lt. Commander Kenneth Gilbert, who leads the NAWS China Lake SAR team, said their primary mission is to assist military aviators. However, if their resources are available, they will respond to civilian missions too. At 1.1 million acres, NAWS China Lake is the country’s largest naval station. Located in California’s Mojave Desert, it sits between the highest, Mt. Whitney, and the lowest points, Death Valley, in the continental U.S.

Lt. Commander Gilbert said PLBs greatly assist his SAR team, particularly in the case of the two ice climbers who were immobilized in rough terrain and snowy conditions. “Without the rescue beacon, it would have tripled our search time. The GPS and direction finder kept our search to within a quarter mile area,” he said. “Personally, I wouldn’t go hiking or go out on my own without a PLB. If you got hurt, you could go for days without being found.”