PALM HARBOR, Fla., Jan. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to an event where two young boys were lost at sea off the east coast of Florida in July of 2015, MiraTrex, Inc. added a "Buddies" feature to its PRO CHARTS™ marine app to help prevent similar potentially tragic situations in the future. (For news coverage on the story: http://www.miratrex.com/fathers-boater-navigation-app-helps-rescue-son/.)
On December 22, 2015, Kevin Stipe, MiraTrex CEO Jay Stipe's son, was rescued using the new feature while duck hunting near Weeki Wachee, Florida. Around 6 that morning, Stipe awoke to a call from Kevin saying the small boat they were in had capsized and they were in the water needing help.
Kevin indicated they were three miles offshore in about 6 feet of water and a Coast Guard helicopter was in route. The water was cold and they were risking hypothermia.
After the call, Stipe accessed the "Buddies" feature in PRO CHARTS™ and was able to view the exact location of his son, which was one mile off shore, not three. Stipe contacted the local Coast Guard station to provide the updated latitude and longitude, to which they inquired, "How do you know the exact coordinates? I didn't think you could do that with Find iPhone." Stipe explained about PRO CHARTS™ and they responded, "Wow! That's a great app!"
Rescue crews arrived within an hour and all five men, though cold and wet, were taken to shore in good health.
"GPS equipment, flares, and a VHF radio are normally essential tools in an emergency, but if a boat sinks quickly or capsizes, they're useless. I'm not suggesting replacement of any existing boat safety equipment, but having the ability to call someone and/or easily share location coordinates could serve an extraordinary backup measure. There are a variety marine apps available for navigation, but PRO CHARTS™ takes it a step further with features designed to save lives," said Stipe.
One of the most known safety measures for any water outing is filing a boat plan; essentially letting someone know where you're planning to go before you head offshore and when you expect to return. As part of PRO CHARTS™, MiraTrex offers a simplified Float Plan feature. In as few as 10 seconds and a couple clicks, such a plan can be submitted via e-mail to anyone.
For more information on the technology MiraTrex offers, visit http://www.miratrex.com/.
For More Information
Contact: Jay Stipe 727-216-6470
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160126/326103
SOURCE MiraTrex, Inc.
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