NTRC Newsletter April 2016

35 Vincentians benefit from NTRC’s 1st GMDSS Radio Training

Thirty-Five (35) Vincentians are now better equipped in using GMDSS enabled devices to communicate at sea in emergency and non-emergency cases at a GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) Radio training. The training, which is the first in a series of five sessions was held at the Fisheries conference room.

The training session was opened with a few brief remarks from Mr. Kyron Duncan, USF Administrator at the NTRC and Mrs. Jennifer Cruickshank-Howard, Chief Fisheries Officer at the Division of Fisheries. Mr. Duncan informed the audience that the GMDSS radios use an MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) number which can be obtained from the NTRC. This unique identifier allows the coastguard to immediately identify a vessel in the event that a distress call is issued. He added that the GMDSS radios are better suited to be used at sea compared to cellular phones because they have a wider operating radius of 40 miles compared to 20 miles for cellular phones.

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