My experience using my SPOT Messenger's 911 emergency button

Harald Hansen

Explorer
Thanks for sharing the stories!

But: When did lat/long become "GPS coordinates"? It's an ancient system, and just as useful if you've just got a paper map or access to Google Maps or something. Might labelling your position reference "GPS coordinates" unneccesarily confuse a person with no GPS receiver?
 

1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
wow what a story and glad you are more ok than not...yeah the leg sucks but you are on the right side of the grass at least :)
I love my SPOT and while I know it isn't a PLB it does so much more....
And being a Trauma/Intensive Care RN who gets people from the field I gotta say that your 2 hr window is great!
The thing is it was the Sherriffs fault for the 2 hrs not SPOT's...
My wife is my prime contact and she knows that 911 means serious medical emerg, she knows to tell SAR or whoever that I am a ICU RN, Wilderness First Responder and if I hit 911 I mean 911 and nothing less.

Thanks for the real world story and glad you are here to tell it.
 

Schattenjager

Expedition Leader
Information is KEY

I use my SPOT for uber serious stuff - I did not subscribe to the tracking system because to me, it is a life saving bit in a larger kit.

When I go out alone, I ALWAYS update my spot messages to reflect the destination and my expectations. I have the same contacts for the OK feature as I do for the HELP and 911, so before I go, I send an OK message to everyone letting them know
1) my plans
2) names of anyone coming along
3) equipment summary -
4) ETA home
5) confirmation that I am on the SPOT system

Before hitting the road, I change the OK message back to an 'OK' status.

My theory is that my friends know what I am up to and where I will be. Since I do not send 'look at me!' SPOT tracking messages, they know that if I send something before I am home then it bears attention.

Discussing SPOT and why we have it with friends keeps us all prepared to respond appropriately and quickly - as if there is no 911 help coming. Sharing allergies, blood type, etc. can make friends showing up to help better equipped to render uber helpful aid.

Most importantly, having competent friends that are like minded and well prepared makes the SPOT all the more comforting.
 

mrlocksmith

Adventurer
I have a Spot too, I wonder if one could put a URL to a personal web page that would tell your contact list & GOES the nature of your trip, supplies, medical conditions, google maps to the area etc. Then upload the page for the duration of your trip. If it is only up for a while I doubt a search engine would index it.

When a 911 or Help comes up all the info about your trip will be there at a click of a button.


Thoughts........


Mark
 

LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
When you set up your SPOT they provides you with a text box to provide "anything else we should know about you in the event of emergency". To share allergies, blood type or any special other medical info.
 

xcmountain80

Expedition Leader
buck moberlym what kind of boots were you wearing? I'm purchasing some riding gear and are interested in seeing what type of boots you were using.

Aaron
 

buck moberly

New member
xcmountain80 said:
buck moberlym what kind of boots were you wearing? I'm purchasing some riding gear and are interested in seeing what type of boots you were using.

Aaron

I had on Alpinestars Tech 4's . If I ride again I will buy a pair of Sidi Crossfire's or Gaerne SG-10 or 12's.
 

CanuckMariner/Nomad

Love having fun 😊 in the 🌞 by the ⛵ and the ⏳
Gald to see this incident posted and all the worthy comments. Hope your leg gets better soon! Thank you for sharing!

Considering the possible medical condition of the person while using a SPOT, one must consider it to be fool proof, i.e. push a button and help will come. For that it hits the nail pretty squarely. Given the remoteness, the response will no doubt take time depending on time of day (seems at night or late in the day things happen slower) and location (proximity to help), people involved, number of people involved (the more the more time it takes), etc. Imagine if this had happened in Baja or Copper Canyon, just as likely it might have taken double or more time.

IMO...your friends did right, leave someone with you and the rest go for help, a truck or whatever. It doubles things up but at least you know something is happening and help WILL be on the way one way or the other.

I would suggest (not meaning to presume anything) that the most medically trained/inclined stay with the patient and administer what they can, food, water, warmth, shelter, prevent shock if possible, comfort, companionship, etc. Brings home the point of having some basic medical training (St.John's First Aid, etc.) for all in this line of recreation.

Put yourself in the place of the guy who was stuck between two rocks and had to cut his limb off to get out. SPOT's 2 hour wait time would have been like an instant to him!

I too, would be interested in hearing how the rescue costs are covered. Two helios are very expensive. Some maybe covered by your medical insurance and the rest, according to their website, by the SPOT fee. There might even be a deductible but of what amount? As per SPOT http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=1300...

Provides up to $100,000 USD of additional (to what?) search and rescue resources, including helicopter extraction around the world and reimbursement benefits (definition?) for any emergency service expenses incurred. For more information, including terms and conditions, visit http://www.geosalliance.com/sar

So I think you are covered well enough! However, please note...The cost of this insurance (and well worth it!) is just US$7.95 a YEAR for US and Canadian residents and must be selected at the time of SPOT registration only; otherwise the full price of US$150 will be payable. In addtion to the basic annual fee...at $250/year still a steal when you consider what the costs could be.

As for the SPOT basic fee of about $100/yr...do most of you SPOT owners use and carry the SPOT with you all the time, even to from work in case of an emergency - say an accident, heart attack, stroke, etc? Usually a 911 cellphone will cover that just as quick and a bit more convenient. For the cost of the annual fee and no other time period coverage available, that would be my thought, why not carry it with you all the time as you have paid for a year especially if you have the insurance (you'd be a fool not to). The overlap might help you in case of considerable costs (ambulance/helios, etc.), but does the SPOT insurance cover you in town?

Perhaps SPOT might consider a monthly fee (say $10-$15) for those that leave it at home except for these types of remote recreation trips? I wouldn't mind paying this by the month with an additional insurance rider of $7.95/month. Otherwise I think the SPOT for most owners, just sits at home when not on one of those remote trips?

Would also be good if the SPOT could sit in a receptacle or plug into the 12V aux plug in your vehicle and charge. I know the 2 lithium batteries last for about a year but what if you forgot (as I am sure we will) and this was the end of the that year? Oops, that 2 hours is pretty quick now, eh? Do the SAR zoom into your continual beacon or the set of coords that were transmitted when you did the 911 button? If it is the beacon, the batteries running dry during that time is a possibility.

All in all it is a good piece of tech to have with you on remote trips and it serves its niche well. With some feedback from forums members/owners like these, it will get better. Surprised it didn't come out a lot sooner.

Lastly, GeoAlliance (http://www.geosalliance.com/sar) does offer insurance packages to groups like family and corporate employers, perhaps they might consider our forum a group and give its members a group rate?
 
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nwoods

Expedition Leader
Thanks very much for posting your experiences on this.

Gotta agree with folks about the people in rescue positions not knowing how to read a map. Lat & Long are posted on the edges of the page at least!
 

VBRoamer

New member
Great thread -- followup question

It could well be the case more often than not that the contacted agency can't use GPS info.

In the event the agency you contact doesn't understand "GPS" coordinates or lat/long, what's Plan B -- how can you still communicate your location? Try zooming out on your GPS and hope some names show up? Have paper maps that you can coordinate with the GPS coordinates and pull a description off that? Something else?

Hope you get better soon!
 

buck moberly

New member
VBRoamer said:
It could well be the case more often than not that the contacted agency can't use GPS info.

In the event the agency you contact doesn't understand "GPS" coordinates or lat/long, what's Plan B -- how can you still communicate your location? Try zooming out on your GPS and hope some names show up? Have paper maps that you can coordinate with the GPS coordinates and pull a description off that? Something else?

Hope you get better soon!

My wife did find a few road and place names near were I was. The trails nearest were aftershock, jack hammer, bender alley, great terrain for an ambulance. I was on the east side of them on difficult motorcycle single track. Over all I think the system worked great.
 

kellymoe

Expedition Leader
SPOT and sometimes a cell phone are the only devices I carry into the back country, oh and sometimes my HAM radio. I do not have a GPS and dont plan on getting one, as Nathan said it is a good idea to know how to read a topo map. In fact, I wouldnt advise someone getting a GPS until they are well versed in how to read a map, too many people rely on GPS. Nobody should rely on mechanical means to save themselves and this includes your vehicle.
 

Cabrito

I come in Peace
Nice to hear that you will be okay. I hope you have a speedy recovery. 2hrs seems like a decent response time to me.

-m
 

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