If you are taking Christmas off the beaten track, in the back country or at sea this year, the Rescue Co-ordination Centre will be ready should it be necessary to set off the Epirb, the emergency position indicating radio beacon.

The Wellington based Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) continues working fully staffed 24/7 over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The RCCNZ co-ordinates land, sea and air rescues.

'If you are heading out on the water, on land or in the air always do three things: leave your trip details with a responsible person, check the weather before leaving, make sure you have appropriate emergency communications equipment,” says RCCNZ manager, Mike Hill.

Trampers, hunters, climbers and people working in isolated areas are increasingly choosing to carry distress beacons. As a result, the percentage of beacons activated in the back country is growing rapidly.

The centre co-ordinates search and rescue services nationally for all aviation and off-shore marine incidents within New Zealand's 30 million square kilometre search and rescue region, and any land-based searches involving distress beacons.

This can involve mobilisation of a wide number of New Zealand and international search and rescue resources. It provides the maritime radio service, including monitoring channel 16, the international VHF channel for maritime emergency distress calls, and monitors all distress beacons.

The centre deals with about 850 incidents a year, with distress beacons involved in about 75 per cent of them, says Mike.

Emergency communication equipment includes distress beacons, VHF radio, a cell phone in a waterproof bag, and flares. For more information go to maritime NZ click on 'communications equipment”.