GME raises awareness on need for communication technologies when exploring the outdoors

To ensure safety while adventuring this holiday season, Australia’s leading outdoor, communication and safety brand, GME, is raising awareness on the vital communication technologies needed to be packed when exploring the unpredictable Australian landscape.

With extended price rises for international and luxury travel, Australians are keen to explore their own backyard through hiking, camping, 4WDing and boating. However, only 14% of the Australian landmass is covered by mobile phone reception so it’s important travellers understand how to stay safe and connected “in the Great Outdoors”.

The key message for Australians is the importance of carrying and properly using GME’s life-saving devices, such as a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for on land, or an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) for when out at sea. When out of range of mobile reception, activating the compact device will alert the rescue authorities of the user’s precise location and contact information so they can initiate a rescue response.

According to research from the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, an average of 2,000 Australians are rescued from seas, bushland, mountains, and deserts each year. In 2022, only 323 Aussies were rescued using life-saving technology devices that help rescue authorities respond to an emergency situation efficiently.

Australians seeking local adventures during these school holidays should be prepared with the necessary life-saving technology.

GME product and safety expert, Tony Crooke notes “At GME, we encourage Aussies to explore their own backyard, while also ensuring they have the right equipment with them when they do. That’s why we're excited to teach Aussies ‘what to pack to get back’ as we see firsthand how important it is to be prepared when venturing into the Great Outdoors. Our number one message for Aussies is to not trust your phone when exploring the Australian terrain. It’s vital to carry an emergency locator beacon and a UHF radio if you’re planning to hit the road or head out on the water this holiday break.”

Mother of EPIRB user, Mardi Noonan shares “before my son, Riley, went out on the boat with his friends off the Gold Coast near Bowen in QLD, he called us to tell us of his plans. My husband reminded him that the EPIRB was on board in case of an emergency - but we never would’ve thought he’d have to use it. When I got the call from rescue authorities that the GME EPIRB registered in our name had been activated, I went into survival mode. They were able to track his real-time location using the GPS in the EPIRB, so we did our best keeping busy, following instructions from rescue authorities until maritime rescue finally reached them. They let us know that the boat had broken down and they had begun to drift further out to sea, but they were all unharmed safe and well. I can’t bring myself to think of what could have happened if they didn’t have the EPIRB on board.”

For more information on GME go to www.gme.net.au/au/