May 27, 2003 NEWS From BoatUS Boat Owners Association of The United States 880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304 BoatUS News Room at www.BoatUS.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com BoatUS FOUNDATION RENTAL EPIRB SAVES THREE OFF FLORIDA COAST A rented EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water’s EPIRB Rental Program helped save the lives of three sailors who were forced to abandon their sinking 30-foot sloop near Cape San Blas, FL on the evening of May 6. Just before midnight, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew from Aviation Training Center Mobile, LA, picked up Fernando and Vickie Daleccio and their friend Gary Crayne after they reported that their vessel, Southern Breeze, was taking on water after striking an unknown object around 9:30 pm. The sloop’s rudder had dislodged, leaving a gaping hole below the waterline that could not be closed. At 10:45 pm, as the vessel slid beneath the waves, the life-jacketed three abandoned ship, gathered around the rental EPIRB and held onto each other tightly in an effort to reduce hypothermia. Water intrusion quickly rendered the trio’s only other communications device, a handheld VHF, inoperative. The EPIRB’s activation led to a phone call by the Coast Guard to the BoatUS 24-hour Dispatch Center, which identified the Southern Breeze. Due to low visibility, Coast Guard rescuers had to use night-vision goggles to locate the sailors. Helicopter pilot Lt. Tom Meyer said, “The [boaters] use of safety equipment was a huge factor in us finding them.” The Daleccio’s go further. In a note to BoatUS along with the returned EPIRB, they commented, “This [EPIRB] might have been the item that’s solely responsible for saving our lives after we left our boat.” “The BoatUS Foundation makes these $900 life-saving devices available for $50 a week as a public service,” said Ruth Wood, president of the BoatUS Foundation. The program is funded by the voluntary contributions of 535,000 members of BoatUS For more information, call 888-663-7472 or visit http://www.BoatUS.com/foundation/epirb. The mission of the Foundation is to promote safe and environmentally sensitive boating, reduce accidents and fatalities, and increase stewardship of our water resources. The Foundation also operates the only accredited, free, online boating safety course, a free Kids Life Jacket Loaner Program, and awards grants to non-profit groups for boating safety and environmental projects.

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