A GME MT410G Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) has been used in the successful rescue of a bushwalker in the Blue Mountains.
The beacon was activated early in the afternoon on Wednesday the 13th of February when a member of the Southerland Bush Walking Club fell during a Grade 4 Walk along the Lindeman Track.
The fallen walker had sustained an injury to their ankle, leaving them unable to complete the walk or return to safety. The area where the accident occurred had limited mobile phone reception, so the leader of the group activated the MT410G PLB.
The beacon’s signal was received by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Canberra, who promptly contacted the group leader who was within phone reception. The JRCC instructed the group leader to call Triple Zero emergency contact line with details of their location, who then contacted the Katoomba Police Blue Mountains Rescue division. The Police arrived shortly after and arranged for the injured walker to be airlifted to Katoomba Hospital for immediate medical attention.
The quick thinking of the group leader helped to ensure the timely rescue of the injured walker who is making a steady recovery and is looking forward to getting back out on the trails.
This serves as a reminder that a GME PLB can be a lifesaving piece of equipment for those who are spending time in remote areas.