SPOT Celebrates 1,000 Rescues in Canada

Be mindful out there people.

where is the data that shows how many were actually necessary?

Good question Lori.

Here are the 2014 SARSAT Rescues (not SPOT) –

I did a quick tally of the “Hiker” icons (ignored bouys and planes).

Most sounded legit, but the Alaska snow machine count sounded mostly mechanical.
I never thought about remote cabins in Alaska needing help, but it makes sense.
There are a few “ran out of water”, and a few were”lost”.

You can go to This Link for Details

[Edit: and thanks to David T., Manfred and sons don’t appear in the stats.]

1/600 of the people but half the rescues!

Go Alaska!

Where's all the rescues out of Nome, Arctic Village, Fairbanks, Bethel? Why the grouping in NW Alaska?

I suspect it's primarily a matter of attitude. A SPOT rescue becomes more acceptable when people you know take advantage of it. Probably for free. Perhaps it has become part of the planning, an acceptable backup plan if your snowmachine or boat motor conks out.

I hear the way to get a fast evac off the North Slope is to tell Barrow the victim is local. Not many mayors of 3000 person towns have Lear jets, but Barrow does.

"Celebrates" seems a bit odd word to use unless all these incidents ended happily. It'd be nice to know the average time it took to reach the rescued from the time the SOS button was pushed, and how many ended well.

I wonder if chemical dependency has anything to do with it?

Probably not that much data to go on … yet.

It could be that I'm being cynical with this but, the original post strikes me as being nothing more than a planted post by a for profit business to get free advertising and, should be taken down for being as such. And with the fact the original poster hasn't followed up with any facts or data to support at minimum a conversation about any of this, adds to my cynical view.

check on someone's profile page before flinging out accusations. He's got 65 pages of posts, going back six years.

And I see "Terry Sparks" has been MIA for a year.

It's the "sea gull" approach …

… fly over, shit on someone, and fly away.

Quite frankly Greg, I went out of my way to show it was my opinion only (twice)and did so in a diplomatic way, On the other hand, your response to me is rather crude and uncalled for. I understand we all make comments that we wish we could take back on internet boards so, I'm going to leave it at that.

Terry

Well then, let me add …

IMHO

I thought SPOT was Dick and Jane's dog. I guess I was wrong.

So, I wonder how many of these rescued people had multiple incidents. That would be interesting. Since SPOT uses taxpayer supported infrastructure, they should let use know who is pushing the button… you know, the Freedom of Information Act.

If there is public access to the identity of the button pushers, can some check to see if the Death Valley Kickstarter dude pushed a SPOT button? That might explain why people lost money on that venture.

Happy 1st everyone.

;)

"… Since SPOT uses taxpayer supported infrastructure …"

I believe SPOT is all private money.
(It is a SEND – private Satellite Emergency Notification Device)

Cospas-Sarsat is the government operation. The PLB and EPLB guys.

"Death Valley Kickstarter dude pushed a SPOT button?"

Dates? Links? Names?

[Edit: a SARSAT rescue in Red Rocks in 2014. Nothing in 2013, or 2012]

Your diplomacy needs work

Spot is a private entity. One reason why I went with a PLB. Dave C. here had a Spot that accidentally activated the S.O.S. to no avail.

"I believe SPOT is all private money"

Um… I think they contact 911 emergency responders, that would be paid by taxpayers. If they did not contact 911 providers for the button pushers, probably no one would buy it? Ah, but that is splitting hairs of course.

Oh, Ken T knows who the dude is. That would be Chase somebody?

And of course, don't take anything I post seriously. Especially on March the 32nd.

Oh, Ken T knows who the dude is. That would be Chase somebody? Good memory Nick. I searched nice way to fund a vacation

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=72201

"I think they contact 911 emergency responders, that would be paid by taxpayers"

Here in Colorado the county Sheriff does get involved, but S&R is volunteer. The military choppers write it off as "training".

But I agree, even aside from the Command and Control, anytime someone calls for help there are tax dollars being spent.

I'm not being argumentative. Actually I think studying all the calls would be of value.

Nick,
Me neither.

I wish the SPOT data set were public. It was enlightening to read the SARSAT summaries. The same would be true of SPOT.

But … They are likely to publish "failures".

Someone needs to start a S&R Situation Report site to collect all the SARSAT and SEND requests for help.

I learned a long time ago that if you can't measure it you can't fix it.

So I was thinking, if I get a dog to go backpacking with me and name him Spot, I would be safe :)