In October of 2008, I loaned my friend Russ Morrison my ACR
Electronics' TerraFix 406 GPS Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to take
along on a hunting trip on Kodiak Island, Alaska. It was a decision that
saved his life he later told me. Russ, 54, and his son, Kevin, 29, are
both avid outdoorsmen well versed in survival skills. Kevin was a U.S.
Coast Guard (USCG) Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter crewman based on
Kodiak Island at the time.
On October 25th, the men had to put their safety skills to the test on
their first day out when frigid hurricane-force winds whipped up. Such
winds can arise without warning in the waters around Kodiak Island. They
were planning to camp and hunt from their 23-foot boat anchored in
Sheridan Bay. The island, known as “The Rock”, has few roads crossing
the remote, rugged terrain. Hunters frequently use boats or float planes
to access the island’s many coves.
The fierce winds would not let up and kept pounding the small craft into
the shallow bay bottom. Fearing for their safety in the boat, they
anchored and waded to shore and tied a stern line to rocks on the beach.
The sun was setting and temperatures were quickly dropping below 30
degrees. The winds and blowing snow made it impossible to start a fire.
Because they were completely wet, they faced a severe threat of
hypothermia even though they were wearing wool and raingear. They took
partial shelter under a life raft.
At 8 p.m., they concluded their circumstances were dire and they needed
rescue. Russ activated my TerraFix. Around 8:30 p.m. at home in
Soldotna, Alaska, I received a phone call from the USCG Station Juneau
saying they just received a satellite emergency distress signal from a
beacon registered to my name. I verified that my friends were carrying
my PLB on a backcountry hunt. The USCG contacted the Morrison family for
more specifics, and then launched a search.
Just after 10 p.m., the Morrisons heard a helicopter overhead. They
watched as a USCG Jayhawk attempted to maneuver for a landing. The
raging winds blew the chopper sideways up the bay. It came back around
and skillfully landed on the beach 200 yards from the survivors. The SAR
team greeted their fellow crewmember Kevin Morrison and his father, and
evacuated them to the USCG Station Kodiak, where they were met by their
wives. The skill and bravery of the chopper crew was amazing, Russ said.
Two days later, they returned to the bay and retrieved their boat. Russ
said he was glad I loaned him the beacon. “The Coast Guard was able to
exactly pinpoint our location even before we popped flares. Time is
pretty important when you’re in those kinds of conditions. I was real
impressed by the accuracy of the PLB,” he said. “It was nice and
compact, and easy to carry and turn on. I plan to get one for myself.”
I purchased the TerraFix™ PLB after seeing news stories about protracted
searches for climbers in Alaska who disappeared and later were found
dead. I researched PLBs and chose an ACR Electronics’ TerraFix™ because
I have owned an ACR strobe light for 25 years and knew the company made
quality products. Also, I did not want to pay an annual subscription fee
that is required by some other manufacturers of similar devices.
I think a PLB is the best insurance policy one can have. As outdoors
people, we have a responsibility too. Having a PLB gives the SAR teams
an edge in finding you. It really levels the playing field. It may be
the only way to get help in a life-threatening situation. In the case of
my friends it was a lifesaver because they were not expected to return
from their hunt for several days and without the PLB could not have
summoned help.