Help at sea is a click away! Download 'SafeTRX' (by the National Sea Rescue Institute)

CapeTalk's Pippa Hudson, standing in for Lester Kiewit, speaks to Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).

Listen below: 

The NSRI has a mobile app called SafeTRX, which is aimed at monitoring a boat's journey and alerts emergency contacts, who are nominated by the user (family, friends, a partner), should they fail to return to shore on time.

This free cellphone application enables users to plot their intended course, store essential emergency numbers that can be used by the NSRI if they fail to return from their trip, give the NSRI their location at all times during their trip, and gives them the ability to call an emergency number with the push of a button.

RELATED: Couple uses NSRI SafeTrx app to contact emergency services after surf ski capsizes

Features include:

• An Emergency Call button, which allows you to quickly make a distress call from the application. The app sends an emergency location update to the Emergency Operations Centre and your emergency contacts if you have a cell phone connection.
  
  
• Track-only mode can be used to begin tracking at the touch of a button.
  
  
• Personalised Checklists aim to promote safety awareness by allowing you to create and review your own list of checklist items before departure.
  
  
• A new Mobile Logbook stores up to 20 trips on your phone, and can be replayed at any time within the app in video playback mode.

The app can be downloaded on the Google Play Store for Android users or on the App Store for iPhone users.

"There is technology that can prevent accidents... You download the app for free, you push a button, and we know you're in a life-threatening emergency, we come to that exact spot, and we rescue you."

- Craig Lambinon, National Sea Rescue Institute

"We are strongly appealing to the whole maritime community... basic, simple technology can make a difference in saving your life."

- Craig Lambinon, National Sea Rescue Institute

Scroll up to the audio player for more.