To the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump dump.........



But he better think twice before disposing of his EPIRB the same way:


Press Release Date: 8 June 2006
Contact: Petty Officer Shawn Eggert
206-220-7237

FALSE ALARM NEARLY PUTS COAST GUARD IN THE DUMPS

SEATTLE - A Coast Guard rescue team recently responded to a distress
call sent from a very unlikely location; a garbage dump.

No people were in trouble, but rescuers didn't know that when they
first received the call from Port Townsend. However, it wasn't long
before they discovered the call was a false alarm.

A discarded Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacon, or EPIRB,
registered to the fishing vessel, Chris TE Joe Marie, was activated
while it was buried in a local landfill. The owner threw the unit away
believing its battery was dead.

EPIRBs are devices intended to save lives by transmitting a signal to
rescuers with the position of troubled boaters. When they are
improperly disposed of they can cost the Coast Guard valuable time and
taxpayers thousands of dollars in resource costs.

The International Maritime Organization and the Coast Guard recommend
that unwanted EPIRBS be disposed of by either removing the battery and
shipping the unit back to its manufacturer or rendering the unit
inoperable by demolishing it. The EPIRB should also be unregistered
with NOAA in any case when the unit has been disposed of or transferred
to a new owner.

The Coast Guard routinely refers cases involving the non-distress
activation of an EPIRB (either as a hoax, through gross negligence,
carelessness or improper storage and handling) to the Federal
Communications Commission. The FCC can prosecute cases based upon
evidence provided by the Coast Guard, and will issue warning letters or
notices of apparent liability or fines up to $10,000.

By following the rules for proper EPIRB disposal, boaters can save
themselves a lot of trouble and the Coast Guard an unnecessary trip to
the dump. For more information on EPIRBS, please contact NOAA at
1-888-212-7283.