ALERT Portable DIY Man Overboard Alarm System

Man Overboard – Are AIS SARTS the Best MOB Devices?

Man Overboard – Are AIS SARTS the Best MOB Devices? was an article written on March 2, 2012, by gCaptain’s John Konrad. It’s been over seven years since this article was written. As a manufacturer of Man Overboard MOB devices, we wanted to see how the MOB personal beacon market has changed in those seven years.

Has the Reason for a Man Overboard Incident Changed?

Reasons a Man Overboard incidents occur haven’t changed. The most obvious fact that has not changed in the past seven years is “If the man overboard is not found, he or she will not be recovered.”

Mr. Konrad writes about two different systems on the market to increase the chance of a man overboard recovery, AIS SART devices, and DSC systems. Generally led by aggressive marketing budgets by AIS SART device manufacturers, many maritime writers are unfamiliar with our MOB alerting solution that has been on the market for over 20 years. Emerald Marine Products has worked hard to educate mariners about the pros and cons of these systems. Twelve years ago, Mr. Konrad did not cover our product. Suffice it to say, our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is better than these two technologies because it provides the most important function of MOB recovery – speed in the notification of a man overboard.

Why is the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System Different from AIS SARTS Systems?

The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is an automatic water-activated beacon. Within seconds the boat the person fell off of is notified of a MOB. Those seconds are the difference between a successful rescue and a prolonged search and rescue. The devices Mr. Konrad outlines in the article are not automatic, and not capable of doing what it reports to do unless properly registered and understood. The actual time of MOB awareness with these devices could be in the minute range as opposed to seconds.

In the 2012 article, Mr. Konrad asked, “What is the future?” He then goes on to write…

“While some believe that DSC based SARTS are the answer, I’ve seen too many false alarms broadcast over the system in recent years. I like the AIS SARTS a lot but I think the ultimate solution will be a hybrid of the existing systems and I believe that AIS will soon replace the 121.5 homing signal still present in most 406 epirbs.”

Mr. Konrad’s prediction is correct that more 406 epirbs are on the market than 121.5 homing signals as the 121.5 Mhz frequency is no longer monitored for SAR. Just recently gCaptain reported that Sea Tow, a respected maritime rescue company, will no longer offer VHF Marine Radio checks. Again, we see technology that is being replaced or abandoned at an alarming rate. Our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System’s technology is simple to use and doesn’t require third party support to function.

Has Technology of ManOverboard Personal Beacons Changed in the Past Seven Years?

Mr. Konrad then writes…

“But what I like most is a simple waterproof radio so I can talk to nearby ships from the water. So the perfect system for me would be a bluetooth handheld VHF with integrated AIS that I can clip to my lifevest. Here are the features I’d have in my ideal unit I would like to clip to my lifejacket:

I’d like the unit to serve as a microphone to a base VHF (I have the RS-82 system abroad the gCaptain test boat) when in bluetooth range. When out of bluetooth range (like if I fell overboard) an alarm sounds on the base unit.
Water Activated, I’d like the following to go off when the unit is immersed
- Strobe light
- AIS tracking
Integrated GPS EPIRB
Two batteries
- One for the emergency functions & one for the rest”

Emerald Marine Products’ Refresh of Personal Beacon Technology

In 2017, Emerald Marine Products began the development of its new generation of the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System. We too looked at some of the technology that Mr. Konrad requested in 2012 but three very important reasons made our decision to stick with our 418MHz technology.

Number one was the ability to provide automatic alerting. The ability to alert a mariner within seconds, and not a minute, was imperative to a successful MOB rescue. Hundreds of companies that use our product agree.

Second, cost. We understood that to put in some of the technical components Mr. Konrad outlines in his article, it would drive the production costs up so high, even mariners willing to spend “the big bucks” on life-saving equipment would be turned off by the cost.

Finally, our third reason is we already had technology in our product that could extend the alerting of a MOB far beyond the boat itself. Our man overboard personal beacon is not dependent on third-party software, hardware, certification, or registration to operate properly.

ALERT Portable, DIY Man-Overboard Alarm System

ALERT Portable, DIY Man Overboard Alarm System ™, combines ALERT2 Receiver, two ALERT418 Transmitters, heavy-duty stand, antenna, cable, and 110volt power converter. Set-up within minutes. No programming needed. No third-party installation required. You are ready for any fall-overboard alert within seconds. In addition to the internal alerting, the unit can be wired to perform engine kill or other external alerting capabilities.

~~$1,475.00~~ $1,250.00

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The best chance of surviving a man overboard incident is rescuing from the boat itself. Isn’t it imperative that the alerting of a man overboard happens within seconds and the boat launches the rescue? In the event, the boat can’t launch the rescue, the captain or able-bodied crew member can get on the radio and broadcast coordinates of the MOB within seconds, again less time than any other technology would offer. The chances of both a visual of the MOB and a coordinated rescue can happen quickly with the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System.

ALERT Portable, DIY Alarm System, making it even easier to protect your crew

Recently we introduced the ALERT, Portable DIY Alarm System which allows you to walk on a vessel with our system, plug it into a 110-volt outlet, hand out the transmitters for the crew to attach to themselves, and the crew is protected. Within minutes. No need to register technology or teach how the technology works or send the items back for annual certification. Mentioned in National Fisherman.

It’s always gratifying to see members of the Maritime Industry write articles about Man Overboard awareness and the solutions that are in place to help a MOB from becoming a fatality. At Emerald Marine Products our total focus in Man Overboard Alerting. Next time you look into a MOB solution for your crew, look at our solution before you simply pick-up a box at the local marine supply store.

No Commitment Trial

Still don’t believe that the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is the easiest and quickest response MOB alerting product? Contact us to explore a trial usage of our man overboard alarm system.

OmniBeacon extends alerting capabilities

Extending the Alert of a Man-Overboard is Crucial

Seconds count and a Man-Overboard (MOB) Alarm will make the difference between a work stop order or a fatality. A MOB alarm goes off within seconds of a man-overboard, allowing the Captain and crew to get an immediate visual of the MOB. Extending Man Overboard alert is crucial. A rescue operation is launched in under a minute. A life is saved! The same goes for a temporary work operation near water where someone inadvertently falls in the water. When the MOB alarm sounds, employees are notified in seconds and able to identify and rescue that person.

Instant Man-Overboard Alarm with Unlimited Range Extension

The ability to relocate and extend the actual alarm is very important. Our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System, the quickest responding MOB alerting system on the market, has an 85-decibel internal alarm in the Receiver that is typically installed in the wheelhouse. But the MOB alarm doesn’t have to remain in the wheelhouse. Extending the range of a man-overboard alarm is a key component and a unique feature of our fall in the water alerting products.

Man-Overboard Alarm For Any Location Near Water

In the twenty-plus years Emerald Marine Products has been manufacturing fall overboard alerting and training products, we have seen the usage of our MOB devices go beyond the wheelhouse. Almost any place imaginable where employees are working on or near water, marine terminals, dredging operations, bridge construction, even water treatment plants have understood the need for a quick response to a person in the water. Sometimes the 85-decibel internal alarm on the ALERT Receiver is not enough to make personnel aware of a fall in the water situation. Thankfully, all ALERT Receivers have “dry contacts” on the back of the units which allows for the addition of extended alerting capabilities. With these contacts, you can attach a number of devices that operate by a “push of a button” or “click of a mouse.”

How To Extend a Man-Overboard Alarm System

Over the years, many of our customers have gotten quite creative on how to extend man-overboard alerting. These solutions range from an external strobe or bull horn to communicating with remote data centers via the internet. At marine terminals, the ALERT Receiver is typically installed in an office which is great, but attaching a strobe or bull-horn can instantly alert employees on the dock of a MOB situation. Some companies have very remote locations where only two or three employees are working. These companies have used cell-phone auto-dial devices to call safety response personnel within seconds of a man-overboard alarm. Recently we became aware of one company using the OmniBeacon that functions as a strobe and an auto-dialer unit to extend alerting of a man-overboard.

Emerald Marine Products is proud of our customers who take man-overboard awareness seriously enough to not only install our products. Furthermore, we are inspired by the creativity displayed inventing solutions at remote locations where launching a rescue might be hampered by a lack of personnel or equipment by extending the alert to centers where help can be activated.

Design the Man-Overboard Solution for your Situation

Extending Man Overboard alert is crucial. Emerald Marine Products’ ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System can improve the safety of your employees regardless of where they are working on or near water. If your company is challenged on how to monitor and be aware of any danger your employees face while working on-site, let Emerald Marine Products help you design a solution that can extend the alerting capabilities of a fall in the water situation. Contact us through this link or call us at 800-426-4201.

Cost of a Man-Overboard Alarm System

Cost of implementing a man-overboard alerting system may be a barrier to saving lives. Knowing if a man-overboard situation (MOB) has occurred on your premises is what keeps executives and safety personnel up at night. Fortunately, a solution for detecting a MOB has been around for 20 years. Sometimes referred to as MOB Beacons, Marine Survivor Locator Device, or Locator Beacons, it’s all about technology that will alert of a fall overboard. Making a decision to invest in a man-overboard beacon system should be imperative for a company with employees working on or near water. However, the cost and time to implement a MOB alerting system can seem daunting.

Emerald Marine Products has been protecting employees working on or near water for over twenty years so we have a clear understanding of the costs and time to implement a solution. We have a solution that is easy to implement and very cost-effective.

Understanding True Cost of Ownership of a Man-Overboard Alerting System

In regards to the cost of implementing a system, you want to not just look at the initial purchase price, but the total cost over the lifetime of a product for the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). We recently had the opportunity to put our mathematical skills to work to calculate the TCO of our ALERT Man-Overboard devices. Why is this important? There are competing products in the MOB Beacon/Locator Beacon marketplace, so it’s important to consider what MOB alarm systems will last longer and understand associated maintenance costs.

Important Purchase Factor: How Long Will the MOB Beacon System Last?

If you are involved in purchasing safety technology, one of your concerns is how long with MOB alerting technology last? Emerald Marine Products is proud of the fact that our man-overboard alerting devices have been serving the maritime industry for over twenty years. It is doubtful many of today’s Man Overboard Beacon vendors will be around that long. In our twenty-year span of business, we have seen other MOB Alerting products and technology go out of business

Bluetooth and AIS man-overboard products are very sexy and the rage for “the latest technology” but the truth is, Bluetooth and AIS man-overboard products can be very costly in the long run. Any technology that relies on Apps for use will require updates and continued technical support of its software. Bluetooth and AIS are reliant on other vendors’ products and this doubles or triples the concern for long-term longevity and support. Most systems are not “commercial-grade” and are not expandable.

ALERT MOB alarm products do not require any software to operate. The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System relies on the decades-old wireless transmission on the 418MHz frequency. No need for costly software or updates to keep the technology current. Bluetooth and AIS alerting systems may have an initial price less than our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System but the TCO may take on a different cost once the longevity of the system is considered.

Dependence on Other Technology to Support a MOB Alerting System

Many MOB Beacon App-based systems have a life expectancy of 2-3 years based on supporting software technology by the manufacturer or the operating system the apps need to function. Constant updating for bug fixes and security concerns are guaranteed. The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System requires no software updates to remain functional. So when looking at the CTO of the ALERT MOB system, you simply need to look at the initial purchase price and any costs associated with new batteries or replacing a worn pouch or outer shell.

TCO of the ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System

Last month, we received 40 ALERT2 Man-Overboard Alarm System Transmitters for a service check-up. This group of 40 allowed us to see how our man-overboard transmitters have fared over a span of time. We are happy to report that other than updating some worn pouches, outer shells, and batteries, the ALERT2 Transmitters were fully functioning. This proved that units in five-plus years of heavy maritime use may require a new pouch or batteries, but nothing more.

In reviewing this sample group of 40 units, and many other servicing checks over the years, we have confirmed our products last 7plus years. Based on a lifetime of 7 years (at a minimum) at an initial cost of $274 plus one set of new batteries, the total cost for one transmitter per day for 7 years is $0.05/day. Assuming one ALERT2 Receiver will be needed to support five ALERT2 Transmitters (numbers will vary so we took an average). We calculated that the average life of a receiver is $0.44/day. As you increase the number of employees, you decrease the TCO of man-overboard alarm protection.

Your Company Can Be Protected from a Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit of a Man-Overboard Fatality

We have all heard of the analogy, “for the cost of a coffee at Starbucks you can…” We hate to use that analogy, but when it fits it fits. Using these sample figures previously outlined, a crew of five can be protected for $0.69 per day over a five-year period, A fleet of 10 boats and 40 crew can be protected for $6.40/day over a five-year period. If the TCO doesn’t convince your financial department, think of the money spent on a lawsuit for an injury or fatality when a life-saving product exists and wasn’t used.

Now Easier Than Ever to Implement a Fall-Overboard Alerting Solution

Finally, with the simplicity of costs now comes, the simplicity of operation. With our newly released ALERT Portable, DIY Man-Overboard Alarm System you can have an ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System functional at a job site (vessel or dockside) within minutes. We are so confident in the life-saving capabilities of our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System, we will make it available for a no-risk 30-day evaluation to qualified companies. Further information about the financial, technical, or operational aspects of keeping your employees working on or near water safe, contact Emerald Marine Products at 800-426-4201 or email info@emeraldmarineproducts.com.

Marine Terminals Need Fall Overboard Alerting

Maybe your employees aren’t on boats. Yet they work dangerously close to water. The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System protects employees working near the water with alerting devices for fall overboard awareness. If your a dredging, marine construction, or terminal operations, alerting employees within seconds of a fall in the water situation is crucial. Water that could sweep them out of sight or, in cold weather, send them into shock and restrict their muscles within minutes. A video describing how the ALERT System saved a deckhand from a near-fatal barge accident is at youtube video.

Alerting Devices for Fall Overboard Awareness

Used by scores of Marine Terminals across the United States, The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System is fast becoming the defacto standard for reliable, affordable, and expandable alerting devices to alert of a fall in the water. Sometimes the “buddy system” of keeping track of a fellow employee is physically impossible to administer. In the current operating conditions imposed by the COVID-19 crisis, employees are also tasked with more social distancing and the wearing of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) that might hamper visual awareness of other employees near their surroundings.

Marine Terminals Pose Specific Issues for Fall in the Water Protection

The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System provides the technology to span over 1,000 feet of coverage. Let Emerald Marine Products guide you on what system will work best for your specific locations. Conversly, because some of the locations are remote, expanding the alerting functionality of a fall overboard situation is imperative! The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System has a mryiad of ways to expand alerting capabilities of alerting devices for fall overboard awareness. As a reult, our clients use external alarms, strobes, remote autodial, cell phone alerting trees, pre-broadcast to HF radios and even internet enabled alarms. Again, let Emerald Marine Products guide you through expanded alerting functionality.

Looking to Implement Fall in the Water Awareness

It’s easy to quickly implement fall in the water awareness. Here is a link of an article covering the aspects of protecting your employees working near water with awareness, training and retreival. To discuss a solution that works best for your company’s operations and budget contact Emerald Marine Products at 800-426-4201 or use our contact page.

Commercial Fisherman with ALERT2 MOB Device

Commercial Fisherman Need a Man-Overboard Alerting Device

Lore and TV Shows showcase the danger involved in making a living as a commercial fisherman. It’s that time of the year when commercial fishermen leave their loved ones to provide a decent working wage fishing.

Whether you’re a solo fisherman or part of a crew, your exposure to the dangers of the high seas. Long hours, rouge waves, misplaced objects, improperly placed stowage, are all opportunities to create a man-overboard situation. If you or a crew member falls overboard and no one knows about it, a fatality is sure to occur. A fatality that affects loved ones emotionally and finacially for generations.

The ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm System protects crews and solo fisherman who wear the lightweight and durable Transmitter. This device is automatically activated in the event of a fall-overboard, and its Spray-Tight Pouch will protect from false alarms when working in wet conditions. Should a simple mistake take a person over the side of a boat, the ALERT System will instantly notify the vessel. If you are a solo fisherman, the boat can be wired for engine-kill which could give you the opportunity to swim back to the boat.

We encourage you to take a look at our line of Man-Overboard Alerting Devices made with industrial-grade products for years of lasting protection. Your loved ones will be glad you took the time and made the investment to save your life.

Three Missing After Towing Vessels Collide

RC Creppel. File Photo: MarineTraffic.com / Craig Creppel

Please note that the purpose of this article is to educate the maritime industry of our products and the solution they can offer.

As a manufacturer of products specific to fall overboard alerting and retrieval, we monitor the news for fall overboard incidents. Just today we read once again about an incident where a fall overboard product may have helped save lives. Many times, when companies research our product, they are amazed it exists and see it as an affordable solution to head off the tragedy of a fall overboard incident. We don’t want to be the maritime industry’s best-kept secret; we want to be top of mind if protecting your employees from fall overboard situations that may concern you.

It was reported today that three persons are missing after two towing vessels collide on the Mississippi River. G Captain online report stated, “The U.S. Coast Guard says watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 5:37 a.m. (Sunday, January 26th) that the towing vessel RC Creppel and the towing vessel Cooperative Spirit had collided. Four crew members of the RC Creppel were initially reported missing. One person was recovered from the water by a Good Samaritan. The search for the other three is ongoing.
Local media reported that one person was rescued and taken to the hospital where they are in stable condition. The Cooperative Spirit was reportedly transiting upbound on the river when it entered a barge fleeting area and allied with barges before colliding with the towing vessel RC Creppel, the Coast Guard said in a statement. The cause of the collision is under investigation.”
For the full article, visit gCaptain.

When crew members wear a fall overboard alerting device, such as our ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm Transmitter, the automatic water-activated device begins to transmit within seconds that a fall overboard has occurred to the vessel’s ALERT Receiver installed on the boat they just fell off of.
Our products are not to be confused with Emergency Positioning Indicator Radio Beacon (EPIRBs) which are ideal when a person needs to abandon ship. ALERT2 and ALERT418 products work when the abandon ship was totally involuntary, such as a fall overboard induced from a myriad of reasons, a collision from another vessel is one of them.
In the case of the event outlined above the fall overboard alerting would have been just one of many calamities occurring at once. However, ALERT products continue to transmit up to 40 hours. The 418MHz frequency can be heard with a portable direction finder, providing an opportunity to find the FOB before the rescue turns into a recovery.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and survivors and their families of this latest maritime tragedy. Emerald Marine Products is dedicated to alerting, training and recovery of fall overboard situations. We hope that these types of tragedies can be averted in the future

Confusing terms of man-overboard alerting products.

Confusion About Man Overboard Alerting Devices?

MSLD, EPIRBs, Personal Locator Beacons, are all search terms that define a device to alert of a person unintentionally in the water. Regardless of the term, our product if the most proven and defined Fall Overboard Alerting Product on the market.

There are about a dozen products on the market that are identified as fall-overboard locator beacon products. Two commonly used terms now used to market these devices are “Maritime Survivor Locating Devices (MSLD)” and a more recently introduced term, “Personal Man Overboard Beacons”. They are generally placed in five different categories:

In our article that goes into detail about these different type of alerting devices, we hope to clear up some of the confusion. To read the article, click here.

OSCAR – Not just a Water Rescue Training Dummy

Thanks to the Schmale Lab at Virginia Tech sharing this video of our OSCAR – Water Rescue Training Dummy being used for their experiments.
Our portable oscar mannequin is primarily used for man overboard training or practicing swift water rescue techniques, but the Schmale Lab gave new meaning to our water rescue dummy as part of a highly intelligent program to monitor tracking agents in water to aid in research on hazardous spills and search and rescue.
We’re proud that our “Marine Man” as part of our overboard products, can be part of research at a nationally recognized research university!

ALERT418 Man-Overboard Alarm System Introduction Video Now Available

Curious about our two ALERT Man-Overboard Alarm Systems? This new video provides information about the ALERT2 and ALERT418 systems. Their similarities and the improvements made with the new ALERT418 system.