LONG BEACH, Calif., Jan. 7, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- EMS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ELMG) announced today at the Emergency Response 2003 Exhibition & Conference, the contribution of its SARMaster(tm) search-and-rescue (SAR) information system in helping with the first rescue via a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). PLBs were made available to the 48 contiguous states in the United States on July 1, 2003.
At 10:45 a.m. EST, on November 14, 2003, personnel at the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), at Langley Air Force Base, Va., were notified of a distress call via the Search and Rescue Satellite Aid Tracking System (SARSAT), operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The distress alert was received at AFRCC via the SARMaster incident management system responsible for all search and rescue event management in the rescue centre. The AFRCC then notified the appropriate state emergency rescue agency in the area where the PLB was activated.
Carl J. Skalak, Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio, activated his PLB after being snowed in at his campsite in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. He faced frigid weather, four-foot snowdrifts and a frozen river on which he had paddled in. The Herkimer County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department worked with the U.S. Forest Service at Watson East Triangle to conduct the search.
Due to heavy snow, flight assistance was called in from the Fort Drum Air Ambulance Detachment, which launched a UH-1 Huey Helicopter and medical team to assist. Carl Skalak was airlifted to Fort Drum for medical evaluation before being released and is very thankful to his rescuers.
"A thank you doesn't even begin to cover my appreciation," Skalak said. "I can't say enough about the SAR folks who came after me and am profoundly thankful. Many terrific people worked together to make this mission a success."
According to Lt. Daniel Karlson, SARSAT operations support officer for NOAA, "The system worked like a gem." Mr. Skalak decided to activate his PLB after he realized he was facing a life-threatening situation because of his isolated conditions and the brutally frigid weather. "Because he had properly registered his PLB, we were able to immediately confirm his whereabouts and set the wheels in motion for his rescue" said Karlson.
"This event exercised the Cospas-Sarsat system from end-to-end where all components worked as designed. EMS is very pleased to be part of the solution and very pleased to have assisted in the safe rescue of Mr. Skalak," said Steve Edgett, Vice President, Emergency Management Products.
The EMS SARMaster information system is a product of the EMS SATCOM Division's Emergency Management Product Group. EMS has provided ground equipment and management systems for use with the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system since its launch in 1981. Since that time, the system has been credited with saving more than 15,000 lives by using spacecraft and ground facilities to detect and locate signals from distress beacons.
About EMS Technologies, Inc.
EMS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of technology solutions to wireless and satellite markets. The Company focuses on mobile information users, and increasingly on broadband applications. The Company is headquartered in Atlanta, employs approximately 1,700 people worldwide, and has manufacturing facilities in Atlanta, Montreal, Ottawa and Brazil.
The SATCOM Division of EMS Technologies, based in Ottawa, Canada, is part of EMS Technologies Canada, Ltd. The Division specializes in the design and development of satellite-based terminals and antennas for the aeronautical, land-mobile and maritime markets. The Emergency Management Products Group provides products and services to search and rescue agencies around the world. For more information, visit EMS on the World Wide Web at www.ems-t.com.
Note to Editors: See EMS SATCOM at the Emergency Response 2003 Exhibition and Conference in Long Beach, California in Booth 609 or visit the online pressroom at www.ems-t.com/emspressroom/satcom/er2003