Kingfisher wrote on Mar 18^th, 2012 at 2:37pm:


From my former career in the US Forest Service, I learned that while behavior may not be made riskier with this technology, (I have no data on this), there is an increased EXPECTATION that if you're hurt, you can get on your sat phone and request a plane or chopter to get you out of the BWCA.  This expectation borders on the insane: a sprained ankle, a severe sunburn, poison ivy, a broken finger, etc, have all been reasons cited for requesting to be airlifted!  The Forest Service has had to work hard to lower this expectation caused by increased communication technology.  They try to point out the BWCA is a wilderness, and they won't airlift except for extreme emergencies.  Despite their efforts, I see this trend only increasing. 

prouboy

quote from MT
The thought never even occurred to me that I would need SPOT for anything other than sending "I'm OK" messages. Now I want to be able to call a floatplane if need be instead of SAR.  [/quote]

IMO we need to really grasp what MT has learned. Think too about our loved ones back home. The agony they will go through until SAR can give them a status report on why we called them in.

I carry the Sat phone so I am better able to handle my own problems. I have said many times that with a GPS and a Sat  phone they will at least know where to look for my body. In a worst case scenario it would make everyone's life easier.

My take on this is basically the same as it is on wearing PFD's.

I think that if your married, have children or anyone else that depend on you for financial or emotional support, then you have an obligation to do all you can to stay safe and lessen their worry.

Others like myself don't have this blessing/burden and in practical terms no-one is going to suffer financially or long term emotionally if I don't make it back. My family/friends know I like the outdoor thing and would miss me but understand I accept the risk.

I don't have a death wish or relish the idea of dying a gruesome death if stranded and can't get out on my own. But the idea of everyone having Spots/Sats and inevitably Cell Phone capabilities bothers me as that will eventually lead to what it has in day to day life, non stop texting/talking in public with the complete disregard for anyone else that maybe in earshot. Once the floodgates are opened by any kind of mandatory ruling, abuses will surely follow. Are we ready to except that?

Another good point is that some people will abuse the system like prouboy mentioned becasue they'll overreach their abilities figuring they can get rescued anytime they want.

Do we really want our First Responders additionally burdened with call from wilderness travelers that have decided the want out NOW just becasue they can get a call out and expect the authorities to respond?

Mandating devices seems a bit of a stretch, but it's probably coming. Somebody will end up mandating canoe mfgs put chips in their products for "liability" issues and the decision will be out of our hands.

Wally has it about right. His wife will move on, although she might have to sell some of his stuff until the insurance check clears. I'm sure the contents of his "jelly cabinet" would fetch a tidy sum, and the Evil Black Rifle too.

Quote:

A few well publicised instances of people having to mortgage their homes after they called SAR because something went bump in the night will fix most of these.  The rest can mortgage their homes to pay for their selfish stupidity.  We're selfish too, but at least we're not stupid about it.

SAR is one of those jobs described as hours of boredom with minutes of excitement.  They live for those minutes.  Even the stupid calls are good practice for them.

There are going to be nuisance calls.  So what?  How many people who actually need extraction, like MT did, should wait or die in pain?  Depending on the degree of your opposition to SPOT you're essentially wishing him the pain.  He & I don't get along on political items, but I'll always wish him tight lines and bug-free campsites.

I might have already related this (or maybe not) but it bears repeating. After I sent the SOS emergency call in the morning I waited about 3 hours while hobbling around on the sandbar and casting a few lures around.....(huge splashes during the night convinced me of walleye activity just outside my tent). I had managed to "pop" the joint back into place (ouch!) that night but it was swollen and sore.

Anyway, after 3 hours I decided to send a "send help" message to my wife's Email. Maybe have her call the park office etc. etc. Little did I know while I was casting my lure (I did catch a nice walleye and a pike) the SPOT was sending consecutive "send help" messages to my wife......one about every 10 minutes. I think she got 6 or 8 "send help" messages. This had the unfortunate effect of her thinking my situation was indeed dire. I also hadn't realized that SAR had already called her some 3 hours earlier, informing her that I tripped the beacon and they were inquiring about me and my physical condition.

When I finally got to talk to her the first thing she said was "the whole world is praying for you" . She had contacted people we knew in several states and of course the prayer chains in various churches started up. My poor wife.......she is a trooper though and was strong despite not knowing. I must admit a certain calm came over me about the whole situation.

The SAR guys said they had loaded up quickly after getting the call but smoke from the fires had delayed them. So, that is a lesson. If you use the "send help" function it will keep sending a message if you keep it on. (even if you are distracted by some nice walleyes)