Auxiliarist Dave Johnson Pointing to the Weather and Current Information Board
 

Required  Personal Flotation Device (Life Jacket) Each person must have a Type I, II, III, or V Sound Producing Device (Whistle) All vessels must have a means of signaling (Sunset to Sunrise) Visual Distress Signals 3 Signal Type flares required at night (Sunset to Sunrise & Reduced Visibility - Fog) Navigation Lights Flashlight is permitted if <22’

Recommended Evaluate weather conditions Waterproof Charts First Aid Kit Drinking Water/Food Emergency Signaling Spare Paddle-Rescue gear Sunscreen/hat VHF Radio / Cell Phone File a float plan Travel with a friend

Flare Disposal
(In Rhode Island)

Drop flares off at the State Fire Marshal's Office located in the Cranston Street Armory in Providence.  They will simply ask you to sign a form listing the number of flares being discarded.  It is not necessary to package them in any particular manner (One suggestions is to put them in a plastic shopping bag).  You do not need to make an appointment but it might be a good idea to call ahead just to make sure someone is there.

The address and phone number are:

State Fire Marshal's Office
118 Parade Street
Providence, RI 02909

(401) 462-4200
 

BOATERS MUST NOT OPERATE 121.5/243 MHZ Class A, B and S EPIRBs

 

WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard Auxiliary has joined the United States Coast Guard to remind all boaters that as of January 1, 2007, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) were prohibited from use in both commercial and recreational watercraft. Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must have a digital 406 MHz model.

 

The January 1, 2007, date to stop using 121.5 MHz EPIRBs was in preparation for February 1, 2009, when satellite processing of distress signals from all 121.5/243 MHz beacons will terminate. Following this termination date, only the 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the International Cospas-Sarsat Satellite System which provides distress alert and location data for search and rescue operations around the world.

 

The regulation applies to all Class A, B, and S 121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs. It does not affect 121.5/243 MHz man overboard devices which are designed to work directly with a base alerting unit only and not with the satellite system.

 

This change, in large part, was brought about by the unreliability of the 121.5/243 MHz beacons in an emergency situation. Data reveals that with a 121.5 MHz beacon, only one alert out of every 50 is a genuine distress situation. This has a significant effect on expending the limited resources of search and rescue personnel and platforms. With 406 MHz beacons, false alerts have been reduced significantly, and, when properly registered, can usually be resolved with a telephone call to the beacon owner. Consequently, real alerts can receive the attention they deserve.

 

When a 406 MHz beacon signal is received, search and rescue personnel can retrieve information from a registration database. This includes the beacon owner's contact information, emergency contact information, and vessel/aircraft identifying characteristics. Having this information allows the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, or other rescue personnel, to respond appropriately.

 

In the U.S., users are required by law to directly register their beacon in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ or by calling 1-888-212-SAVE. Other users can register their beacon in their country's national beacon registration database or, if no national database is available, in the International Beacon Registration Database at https://www.406registration.com/.

 

The United States Coast Guard is the lead agency for coordinating national maritime search and rescue policy and is responsible for providing search and rescue services on, under and over assigned international waters and waters subject to United States jurisdiction.