The search for a missing walker in the Mount Roland area was briefly interrupted by the accidental activation of a personal locator beacon (PLB) at Black Bluff yesterday.
Inspector Adam Spencer said the false alarm, an “unfortunate mistake”, forced police to divert resources from Mount Roland search to the second track around 20km away.
“While it was positive the second walker was not in actual distress, a PLB activation indicates an emergency,” he said.
“We responded as if it were an emergency.”
“This removed vital resources from another search.”
Inspector Spencer said the incident serves as a reminder to outdoor enthusiasts to ensure they store and handle their PLBs correctly.
“Thankfully, we had the result we did in both situations, but it is a good reminder to ensure you are storing and handling your PLB correctly,” he said.
PLBs generally feature a protective cover over the activation button, which must be lifted before the button can be pressed.
