NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
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Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#2I have one of these beacons and take it with me most times I'm going out alone into the wilderness. I don't want to be the guy who had to cut his own arm off after it got trapped by a falling boulder.
That being said, this is an interesting spin on the number. I've been hearing from friends on Search and Rescue crews that an increasing number of people are going out hiking being completely unprepared for any possible emergency, thinking that they'll just use their cell phone if anything goes wrong. I wonder if any of these beacon carriers fall closer into that camp than true serious conditions, though I suspect that simply carrying a beacon puts you in a higher preparedness bracket than the cell-phone only crew.
Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#3I have one of these beacons and take it with me most times I'm going out alone into the wilderness. I don't want to be the guy who had to cut his own arm off after it got trapped by a falling boulder. That being said, this is an interesting spin on the number. I've been hearing from friends on Search and Rescue crews that an increasing number of people are going out hiking being completely unprepared for any possible…
I'd love to see some actual statistics on this. This assumes that people knowingly do something dangerous and are choosing to ignore it because they think someone can just come and save them. I would argue that this is unlikely, unprepared people are unprepared in all aspects of it. Carrying a cellphone doens't mean they thought of it as some kind of security measurement. People just rarely go somewhere without it. They simply don't know any better.
Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#4I have one of these beacons and take it with me most times I'm going out alone into the wilderness. I don't want to be the guy who had to cut his own arm off after it got trapped by a falling boulder. That being said, this is an interesting spin on the number. I've been hearing from friends on Search and Rescue crews that an increasing number of people are going out hiking being completely unprepared for any possible…
This is really cool, I had no idea these exist and are somewhat affordable. For example: https://www.amazon.com/Resqlink-PLB-375-Personal-Locator-Buo...
I'm going to pick something like this up before my next Wyoming adventure.
Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#5I have one of these beacons and take it with me most times I'm going out alone into the wilderness. I don't want to be the guy who had to cut his own arm off after it got trapped by a falling boulder. That being said, this is an interesting spin on the number. I've been hearing from friends on Search and Rescue crews that an increasing number of people are going out hiking being completely unprepared for any possible…
I'd love to see some actual statistics on this. This assumes that people knowingly do something dangerous and are choosing to ignore it because they think someone can just come and save them. I would argue that this is unlikely, unprepared people are unprepared in all aspects of it. Carrying a cellphone doens't mean they thought of it as some kind of security measurement. People just rarely go somewhere without it. T…
It only takes one trip/slip/fall, one rock slide, one sprain, one break, one break, one deadfall, one snake, one asthma attack, one sting, or one rabid animal to turn an outdoor trip into a potential life or death situation.
99.99% of the times I've spend in the forest and desert has been "safe". It is the .01% and .001%s that get you.
Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#6I have one of these beacons and take it with me most times I'm going out alone into the wilderness. I don't want to be the guy who had to cut his own arm off after it got trapped by a falling boulder. That being said, this is an interesting spin on the number. I've been hearing from friends on Search and Rescue crews that an increasing number of people are going out hiking being completely unprepared for any possible…
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Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#7in 2016 I got one of the ACR PLB-375 "ResQLink+" locator beacons. I did a bunch of research at the time, and liked this because it was $250, and required no subscription. Looks like they are $300 now.
The alternatives have more features, like sending messages or two way messaging, and incoming messages, but also tend to require monthly subscription fees. Some of them now have subscriptions that you can "pause" when you aren't using it.
I bought the beacon for offroading, after one trip where my son was screwing around and fell and hit his head pretty hard on a rock. He was ok, but it made the ability to reach out much more real. Sometimes I can get cell phone signal on the trail, but usually not. The medical kit I carry and my medical abilities were not up to serious injury. My trauma kit stayed at home: my wife is a nurse. :-)
I like it, but in retrospect I wish I'd gotten a 2 way Iridium one, because my wife really worries when she can't get status updates. "Not getting a call from emergency services means we're ok" is not good enough. :-)
Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#8Incredible service.
Is there a payment required for rescue services? For instance, does the Coast Guard charge the six people rescued when the boat sank?
Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#9I have one of these beacons and take it with me most times I'm going out alone into the wilderness. I don't want to be the guy who had to cut his own arm off after it got trapped by a falling boulder. That being said, this is an interesting spin on the number. I've been hearing from friends on Search and Rescue crews that an increasing number of people are going out hiking being completely unprepared for any possible…
This is really cool, I had no idea these exist and are somewhat affordable. For example: https://www.amazon.com/Resqlink-PLB-375-Personal-Locator-Buo... I'm going to pick something like this up before my next Wyoming adventure.
I've had the ResQLink for 3.5 years, haven't had to use it for anything other than the test cycle, and have been happy with it. I wrote more details in a reply to the parent.
Re: NOAA Satellites Helped Save a Record 421 Lives in 2019
#10Incredible service. Is there a payment required for rescue services? For instance, does the Coast Guard charge the six people rescued when the boat sank?
The answer is that it depends on many things including state and locality, type of rescue needed, and what you are doing and what permits or licenses you are doing it under.
In Colorado there are rescue activities covered by having hunting licenses, Off Highway Vehicle permits, and a "Search and Rescue" card, which create a fund that covers costs of some types of search and rescue activities. https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dola/node/98966