Cautionary tale about walking alone in the wild

[C clearly]

Here is an interesting article from the BBC website that is a good safety reminder for people who venture into unpopulated areas.

Let me emphasize right away that there is not much applicability to the Camino Frances or other popular routes. However, all of us who have walked routes where other people might not be seen for days, have probably experienced a few moments when we thought "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't be here alone and without communication. I must walk very very carefully!"

The article highlights some sensible precautions that can be taken.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Not only interesting, but great photography and well-written. Much higher standard of journalism than most of what we get Down Under (we do have exceptions, but they are exactly that)
Thanks for sharing

 

[timr]

Thanks @C clearly. A nicely presented and interesting piece.

It is something I have thought of quite seriously at times. My choice is generally for the "roads less travelled" and while I enjoy company I am usually walking by myself.

A couple of specific times I have acknowledged at least to myself that if I fell and broke a leg I would find it very hard to make contact with anyone, without a mobile signal. Of course as time goes by, mobile signals continue to spread but they are not everywhere by any means. And in a weak moment, when falling, I suppose I could lose my phone (especially as it is likely in the kind of place where I am reliant on GPX guidance and have it in my hand) and see it hurtle down a mountainside.

Specifically on some stages of the Baztan route in French-Spanish Basque country there are some 'lonely places.'

And very definitely a few days while walking the Via Egnatia along the road towards Jerusalem. There are hair-raising places in the mountains in Albania, specifically between Mirakë and Dardhë (I mean hair-raising for an average hiker - maybe not for an experienced mountaineer) and then in North Macedonia especially between Ohrid and Resen.

I think it is good to at least recognise and admit this to oneself. Strictly speaking I have no dependants. If something very serious were to befall me it would be wrong to say "I never thought it could happen" but it would not in any practical way be the end of anyone else's world. I have discussed this before on the forum. And I have revealed that I usually have secreted away in my pack, separate from routine barras energeticas, cheap chocolate and nuts, some superior chocolate - to make a comforting last meal.

I have a new Apple Watch (other brands are available) and it is a bit 'anxious'. If I wear it in the shower it tells me I am endangering my hearing with too loud noises. And once or twice if I make an animated gesture with my hands it tells me that it suspects I have had a fall.

However, more seriously it does have fall and crash detection and can make an SOS call to a satellite if I am out of range of wifi or phone signal.

I guess I should devote an afternoon to finding out how to use it.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Or other similar devices?

I should add that none of this has ever caused me to lose any sleep.

 

[Kitsambler]

I guess I should devote an afternoon to finding out how to use it.

It's not hard, but not necessarily intuitive. This may help: https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/28/20936113/apple-watch-emergency-sos-fall-detection-set-up-how-to
When I started living alone, this feature gave me great peace of mind.

 

[RibbonRomanceAuthor]

Thanks @C clearly. A nicely presented and interesting piece.

It is something I have thought of quite seriously at times. My choice is generally for the "roads less travelled" and while I enjoy company I am usually walking by myself.

A couple of specific times I have acknowledged at least to myself that if I fell and broke a leg I would find it very hard to make contact with anyone, without a mobile signal. Of course as time goes by, mobile signals continue to spread but they are not everywhere by any means. And in a weak moment, when falling, I suppose I could lose my phone (especially as it is likely in the kind of place where I am reliant on GPX guidance and have it in my hand) and see it hurtle down a mountainside.

Specifically on some stages of the Baztan route in French-Spanish Basque country there are some 'lonely places.'

And very definitely a few days while walking the Via Egnatia along the road towards Jerusalem. There are hair-raising places in the mountains in Albania, specifically between Mirakë and Dardhë (I mean hair-raising for an average hiker - maybe not for an experienced mountaineer) and then in North Macedonia especially between Ohrid and Resen.

I think it is good to at least recognise and admit this to oneself. Strictly speaking I have no dependants. If something very serious were to befall me it would be wrong to say "I never thought it could happen" but it would not in any practical way be the end of anyone else's world. I have discussed this before on the forum. And I have revealed that I usually have secreted away in my pack, separate from routine barras energeticas, cheap chocolate and nuts, some superior chocolate - to make a comforting last meal.

I have a new Apple Watch (other brands are available) and it is a bit 'anxious'. If I wear it in the shower it tells me I am endangering my hearing with too loud noises. And once or twice if I make an animated gesture with my hands it tells me that it suspects I have had a fall.

However, more seriously it does have fall and crash detection and can make an SOS call to a satellite if I am out of range of wifi or phone signal.

I guess I should devote an afternoon to finding out how to use it.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Or other similar devices?

I should add that none of this has ever caused me to lose any sleep.

I have an apple watch with fall detection that I learned of before my intended 2020 Camino so I had a couple of years to get familiar with it before my actual 2022 Camino. Having it is always a comfort for my son, who lives several states away and for myself as a single person.
I have not had a serious incident, thank God, but I'm grateful that it asks me if I'm ok when I plop down on the ground to weed the garden as that tells me it is working.
There is often discussion of what SIM card or cell plan to use when in Europe. I elected to use the international plan with Verizon so that the fall detection feature on the watch continued to work in the way I was familiar with. I have no idea if making a change would have impacted that feature but it was too much technical stuff to figure it out so I stayed with Verizon.
I also carry a loud whistle. My poncho is a light green color but I'm not always wearing it so I'll consider adding a bright color to my trekking wardroble. While in Ireland, I wear a yellow vest when out on the road but didn't do that on the Camino.

 

[Joynz]

When I do remote hikes, I just carry a PLB - as do many experienced and all sensible back country hikers. It operates by satellite so no need for a phone signal. Definitely not needed on the French Camino!

 

[El Cascayal]

Has anyone had any experience with it? Or other similar devices?

I have a Fitbit with a mind of its own. My better half has an Apple with the Snoopy face on it which is hours of endless glee and I have been tempted to get one just to have a little companion for those lonely slightly dangerous roads that you mention that I think & don’t think about sometimes.

 

[tominrm]

I have been thinking about an Apple Watch but the thought of having to carry a charger and having to recharge every day on the road discouraged me buying one. I still use FitBit because it requires recharging every two to three weeks. How do Apple Watch wearers do on the Camino? Recharge every night along with your phone? No problems of doing it every night?

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Here is an interesting article from the BBC website that is a good safety reminder for people who venture into unpopulated areas.

Let me emphasize right away that there is not much applicability to the Camino Frances or other popular routes. However, all of us who have walked routes where other people might not be seen for days, have probably experienced a few moments when we thought "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't be here alone and without communication. I must walk very very carefully!"

The article highlights some sensible precautions that can be taken.

So easily done, witness the young lad, Jay Slater, who last set off to walk back to his resort hotel in Tenerife - no water and a dying phone battery and the 70 year old Briton who was lost and found dead in the western Pyrenees at the end of June.
It can happen.

Back in the late 1970s I lived near Thunder Bay in NE Ontario. There was a report of a man who had gone out picking berries in the forest with his wife one evening. She looked around and he was no longer in sight.

She sounded the car horn to no response and so, as it was getting dark, she tied a scarf to a bush to mark the spot and set off to alert the OPP. It was too dark to do anything but the next morning they sent up a helicopter and found him over a mile from the trail sitting by a small campfire he’d made.

When interviewed he said he’d seen some juicy looking berries and went off to collect them and then got disorientated and wandered deeper and deeper into the forest. He’d heard the car horn but couldn’t tell which direction it came from.

 

[RibbonRomanceAuthor]

I have been thinking about an Apple Watch but the thought of having to carry a charger and having to recharge every day on the road discouraged me buying one. I still use FitBit because it requires recharging every two to three weeks. How do Apple Watch wearers do on the Camino? Recharge every night along with your phone? No problems of doing it every night?

I had no problem at all recharging the watch and the phone. I stayed mostly in albergues, too.

 

[timr]

I have been thinking about an Apple Watch but the thought of having to carry a charger and having to recharge every day on the road discouraged me buying one. I still use FitBit because it requires recharging every two to three weeks. How do Apple Watch wearers do on the Camino? Recharge every night along with your phone? No problems of doing it every night?

To simply answer your question, I wore it for the first time on Camino Ignaciano last November. No problem. And it charges very quickly (under an hour). It has a "unique" charger on the watch end of the lead but the other end fits into a normal USB-C plug.

 

[David Tallan]

One of my key takeaways was to have some bright articles of clothing with you. The helicopters kept missing him, even when they knew where to search. Most of the clothes I walk with (or in) wouldn't qualify, but I do have a nice, light, bright orange rain jacket.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I've read that the one of the best pieces of survival equipment is a laminated photograph of your loved ones.

 

[lt56ny]

owever, all of us who have walked routes where other people might not be seen for days, have probably experienced a few moments when we thought "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't be here alone and without communication. I must walk very very carefully!"

I think we are lucky to be walking routes in Spain, France and Portugal. I have walked on some less traveled routes and I do not ever remember not having a signal. It does not mean I walked through areas with no reception as I do not look at my phone much when I walk. Usually just to see what time it is or to check my location on GPS if I may be confused.
I will walk the Aragones/Madrid/Coastal CP so I am sure i will have signal the vast majority of the time. I always get a prepaid Vodafone card.
THe other thing I do before I go is redownload AlertCop app and as soon as I get my Spanish SIm Card I am always asked if I want to keep my Mexican phone number or use the Spanish number assigned to the sim. I have learned to use the Spanish number. I twice kept my home number and could not register my number in AlertCops. Next year I will walk the Mozarabe and may be the year after Lana. Wondering how service was on these routes from those who have walked. (Come to think of it I did the VDLP and believe I once saw where I didn't have service, I do not remember where on the VDLP it was).

 

[CanadianBarb]

Being a Canadian who has hiked and climbed solo for many years mainly in the Canadian Rockies and had several close calls, this really touches me. After my first close call I then always let people know my plans or at least write my plans left in a note in my car as , in those early days, no one had cell phones nor could I afford one of those expensive satellite phones. However, on one occasion I had to change plans in the rain as a grizzly was stalking me so I went out a different valley back to the road for luckily less than a day away and was very very aware that I was now off-trail, in a different valley than my plan, hypothermic with a sprained ankle and it took me many hours to creep along ( reciting "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service which saved my life that time LOL) till I managed to get to a road and thankfully someone drove by, picked me up and drove me to town...It is sobering and important to consider all the risks for sure, and for me it is very nice on Camino walks to know that at least someone will eventually wander by, unlike most of my previous shenanigans, I know I have been lucky and have lost friends also.. it is always important to weigh the risks and benefits of a journey and also respect that there are many of us who knowingly love to explore, never wish to hurt anyone but still the wild calls and some of us still take those risks so I never fault anyone who does this with awareness.

For me what is terrible are the many people who I have met in the back country totally unprepared and simply expecting others to magically rescue them, oblivious at the potential risks. Many rescuers risk their lives to save others often in terrible conditions. This article is a good reminder of the importance being prepared when being alone in the wilds. I am happy he shared his story and happy he survived. He reasoned along the way as best he could and used his whistle and cuddled himself to preserve his body heat. Unpredictable things happen! For myself and many I know, we still choose to explore the wilderness knowing what we are facing, not wanting rescue, and also aware that we might die out there, with a real awareness and acceptance of the risks...

 

[Camineiro]

Life is risky everywhere. It will end with death - definitely!

 

[peregrina2000]

I have walked on some less traveled routes and I do not ever remember not having a signal

When @C clearly and I were on the Lana last year, there were several spots where she (Movistar) had service and I (Vodafone) did not. Ender tells me that Movistar has better overall coverage. In a true emergency, that won’t matter because when you dial 112, you will connect with any network that is available.

 

[dfox]

I had no problem at all recharging the watch and the phone. I stayed mostly in albergues, too.

I carry a power-bank which can simultaneously charge two devices. The power-bank gets charged, when necessary, at night.

 

[StineBee]

When I do remote hikes, I just carry a PLB - as do many experienced and all sensible back country hikers. It operates by satellite so no need for a phone signal. Definitely not needed on the French Camino!

Yes!

 

[KiwiMike]

I carry a personal locator beacon. It costs a few hundred dollars but guarantees that an international help system jumps into life if it is triggered. Bought one for my daughter when she walked the appellation trail and made everyone feel a lot happier. Five years later it is carried on all treks, even mild ones. Never needed but I wouldn't hike without it.

 

[Optimistic Traveler]

Thanks @C clearly. A nicely presented and interesting piece.

It is something I have thought of quite seriously at times. My choice is generally for the "roads less travelled" and while I enjoy company I am usually walking by myself.

A couple of specific times I have acknowledged at least to myself that if I fell and broke a leg I would find it very hard to make contact with anyone, without a mobile signal. Of course as time goes by, mobile signals continue to spread but they are not everywhere by any means. And in a weak moment, when falling, I suppose I could lose my phone (especially as it is likely in the kind of place where I am reliant on GPX guidance and have it in my hand) and see it hurtle down a mountainside.

Specifically on some stages of the Baztan route in French-Spanish Basque country there are some 'lonely places.'

And very definitely a few days while walking the Via Egnatia along the road towards Jerusalem. There are hair-raising places in the mountains in Albania, specifically between Mirakë and Dardhë (I mean hair-raising for an average hiker - maybe not for an experienced mountaineer) and then in North Macedonia especially between Ohrid and Resen.

I think it is good to at least recognise and admit this to oneself. Strictly speaking I have no dependants. If something very serious were to befall me it would be wrong to say "I never thought it could happen" but it would not in any practical way be the end of anyone else's world. I have discussed this before on the forum. And I have revealed that I usually have secreted away in my pack, separate from routine barras energeticas, cheap chocolate and nuts, some superior chocolate - to make a comforting last meal.

I have a new Apple Watch (other brands are available) and it is a bit 'anxious'. If I wear it in the shower it tells me I am endangering my hearing with too loud noises. And once or twice if I make an animated gesture with my hands it tells me that it suspects I have had a fall.

However, more seriously it does have fall and crash detection and can make an SOS call to a satellite if I am out of range of wifi or phone signal.

I guess I should devote an afternoon to finding out how to use it.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Or other similar devices?

I should add that none of this has ever caused me to lose any sleep.

I know someone who had a serious fall while wearing an Apple watch (walking in his neighborhood near home). The watch asked if he had a fall & if he needed help. He clicked "yes" for help. Ambulance arrived and had him at the emergency room before his wife (back at home) knew there was a problem! Newer versions of the watch will also inform your emergency contact of the situation after calling for medical help.

So while I can be a little irritated when my watch asks if I have fallen (due to that exhuberant arm swinging), I recognize that wearing one can be extremely valuable!


P.S. I love answering my phone on my Apple watch! No need to root around and search for the phone when it rings.
We also have experience making an emergency call to our son via Apple watch, when we had locked ourselves out of the house!

 

[Lindsay53]

I have found myself an potentially awkward situation only once. Some years ago I had planned an 8 day solo walk in the Blue Mountains of NSW. The first day was extremely hard going through thick scrub in the Nattai river valley. At dark I was still well short of my planned first night stopping place. In the morning I pressed on, however I had a rather nasty fall not long after setting out. Fortunately nothing appeared to be broken but I was very sore with a fair bit of skin scraped off, and I can tell you it gave me a bit of a scare. After some basic patching up I considered my situation. I had been planning this trip for a while, organised time off work and was really looking forward to it, but a realistic assessment showed that I had underestimated the thickness of the scrub and my rate of progress. I was carrying injuries that would only slow me further, and the bruising, stiffening up and more pain that was sure to manifest itself later on could well incapacitate me a long way from help should I press on. Also being less steady on my feet increased the risk of another fall.
On the other hand there was a fire trail a half day walk behind me, and I felt I should be able to make it that far at least. As it was I walked all the way back to the nearest town. By the time I was sat on the railway station waiting for the train I was really beginning to hurt, so I reckon I made the right choice. I also got myself a PLB not long after.

 

[Kitsambler]

I know someone who had a serious fall while wearing an Apple watch (walking in his neighborhood near home). The watch asked if he had a fall & if he needed help. He clicked "yes" for help.

... unlike a friend of mine, who clicked "no" and then lay on the sidewalk for hours, waiting to be discovered by a passer-by. Don't lie to your watch!

 

[KiwiMike]

I know someone who had a serious fall while wearing an Apple watch (walking in his neighborhood near home). The watch asked if he had a fall & if he needed help. He clicked "yes" for help. Ambulance arrived and had him at the emergency room before his wife (back at home) knew there was a problem! Newer versions of the watch will also inform your emergency contact of the situation after calling for medical help.

So while I can be a little irritated when my watch asks if I have fallen (due to that exhuberant arm swinging), I recognize that wearing one can be extremely valuable!


P.S. I love answering my phone on my Apple watch! No need to root around and search for the phone when it rings.
We also have experience making an emergency call to our son via Apple watch, when we had locked ourselves out of the house!

Great news and they are a great device. However if you are walking in isolated areas, you might not have cellphone connectivity. I'll opt for the PLB and shell out the few hundred dollars for it.

 

[VNwalking]

Sobering story.
As you say, @C clearly , many of us have been in places where no-one would happen upon us if something happened. The complications of that are magnified if we're walking spontaneously, not knowing exactly what our next stop will be - and perhaps walking 'off piste.'
It's not something I've really thought much about, besides taking some common-sense precautions, like having a phone and a decent map. But technology can fail, as happened to the person in the article. It could be any of us - becase the line between just fine and dangerous can be crossed in an eyeblink. No-one imagines that will happen. Until it does.

I carry a personal locator beacon. It costs a few hundred dollars but guarantees that an international help system jumps into life if it is triggered.

How heavy/big is it?

 

[DeansFamily]

I'm surprised how effective apple watches appear to be. We had an experienced swimmer pulled out in a very strong rip on the NSW/QLD border a couple of weeks ago, and he managed to alert emergency services, who sent a rescue helicopter to retrieve him. Seems a great idea to familiarise yourself with the safety features if you own one, as chance favours the prepared.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

How heavy/big is it?

I'm another that's used a PLB when back country hiking. When I was younger they were very expensive but our local tramping (hiking) clubs rented them, as did a local sports store.
Whilst I wouldn't bother with them on well frequented camino's, I've actually recently bought a satellite communicator (a modern equivalent) for the rest of my home to Santiago walk.

Following significant research I decided on the Garmin in-reach mini 2. Dimensions 5 X 10 X 2.6 cm, just 100g. (That's significantly lighter than many cell phones).

It's not just for emergency's, I can send daily free "check-in" messages etc, use it for navigation, weather forecasts etc.

Although I'm predominantly walking between towns occasionally even here in Germany I'm in areas with no cell phone service. Bearing in mind that I broke my ankle on Camino earlier this year had that been a spot with no service it would have been a tad awkward. Whilst a well trodden trail it's predominantly walked weekend's, I could easily have had to wait overnight if not longer - or drag myself 150 meters to a nearby road. Definitely doable with a busted ankle, broken hip/leg might be a different scenario.
And yes, I always carry a whistle - I used it to call/ guide the ambos in from the road. I was near a stream, no way they'd have heard me just shouting.

 

[Camo]

When @C clearly and I were on the Lana last year, there were several spots where she (Movistar) had service and I (Vodafone) did not. Ender tells me that Movistar has better overall coverage. In a true emergency, that won’t matter because when you dial 112, you will connect with any network that is available.

My experience is in Greece but I think it is the same all over Europe where as long as you buy a sim outside of the country it works for ALL carriers From Oz you can buy a 12 gb sim for $32 (based on o2 UK system) - can't be topped up but at that price just buy 2

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Incidentally I suspect most people know this but just in case you don't : when you call emergency services, your phone has two built in overrides.

The first: it will use any available base station, no matter whose network it is. Also, occasionally there is a signal which is too weak to be usable for normal calls, so it's ignored - until there is an emergency.
So even if your phone says it has no available service, try.

2nd/ it will override the automatic shut off for a low battery (which the phones maintain so that they don't lose memory) so short emergency calls can often be made even with a “flat” battery.

 

[domigee]

I used to sail solo and had all sorts of safety equipment, radio, flares etc
Walking? Never ever occurred to me.
Until I walked a month or so ago the Vézelay way. One path was extremely dangerous, mainly because of the torrential rains the previous weeks. Slippery, very steep, very narrow - only room for one foot - and precipice on the side! On my own, no connection whatsoever, in fact I wondered if I was on the right path, it was so incredible. (I was!)
So 3/4 of the way up there, I decided to climb down, I didn’t feel I could risk it. No-one would ever have found me, how fair is that on your family?
It cost me another 10km or so but I think I did the right thing.
Just think of the risks and are they worth taking?

 

[Jeff Crawley]

And yes, I always carry a whistle - I used it to call/ guide the ambos in from the road. I was near a stream, no way they'd have heard me just shouting.

Can't beat a good whistle - they never run out of battery power! I bought my daughters these

View attachment 175535
The Acme Tornado in yellow - nothing to do with Wile E. Coyote but it gives off a piercing blast and remember the International Distress Signal - 6 blasts of a whistle followed by a pause of 1 minute and then a repetition of 6 blasts. If your signals are heard, there should be an answering whistle - 3 blasts followed by a pause of 1 minute, repeated several times. Continue to signal until you have been located!

 

[dougfitz]

Incidentally I suspect most people know this but just in case you don't : when you call emergency services, your phone has two built in overrides.

The first: it will use any available base station, no matter whose network it is. Also, occasionally there is a signal which is too weak to be usable for normal calls, so it's ignored - until there is an emergency.
So even if your phone says it has no available service, try.

2nd/ it will override the automatic shut off for a low battery (which the phones maintain so that they don't lose memory) so short emergency calls can often be made even with a “flat” battery.

... and in Europe, on mobiles new enough to support Advanced Mobile Location, the phone will send your location to the call centre, even if you haven't enabled location services.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

... and in Europe, on mobiles new enough to support Advanced Mobile Location, the phone will sent your location to the call centre, even if you haven't enabled location services.

True I should have mentioned that. I'm not sure if all of Europe has yet introduced it but they're certainly working on it (EU mandated). However all of the countries that we predominantly walk Caminos in - France, Spain and Portugal - support the system.

But it's not just in Europe. New Zealand was one of the early countries to implement the system, the United States and Australia now utilise it too. Naturally the British - because it was created by the former head (edited to add :John Medland) of the 999 system in England.

I've just checked, apparently something like 30 countries worldwide have deployed it to date, and it is credited with saving many lives. Some of the stories are incredible, in years gone by they would have been considered miraculous.

Why is it important? Because if you are successful in contacting the emergency services they will automatically be sent an SMS with an approximate location. Apparently it's often incredibly accurate if you are outdoors (it can be within as little as five meters, generally it's within 30 meters . Unsure as to why but supposedly it's less accurate if you are indoors?)

Even if the call is lost the call center have a very good idea as to where to start looking....

Whilst an amazing service it is of course dependent on you being within cell phone range. Hence why in certain circumstances such as the OP, or some of the more remote camino's such as @domigee's Via Lemovicensis/Vézelay way , a satellite communicator like the Garmin is well worth considering.

 

[dougfitz]

Hence why in certain circumstances such as the OP, or some of the more remote camino's such as @domigee's Via Lemovicensis/Vézelay way , a PLB is well worth considering.

I would be cautious about this. It would be worth checking with the local registration authority whether PLB use is permitted in specific countries. It is not uniform across the CEPT. See here: https://cept.org/ecc/topics/maritime/personal-locator-beacons-plbs-usage-in-cept.

In the cases you suggest, France and the UK seem to only permit PLB use in maritime environments. That would not be helpful for those walking.

I checked this before taking my own PLB to Norway this year, and confirmed that using it there, should I have needed to, would not have been a problem.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I would be cautious about this. It would be worth checking with the local registration authority whether PLB use is permitted in specific countries. It is not uniform across the CEPT. See here: https://cept.org/ecc/topics/maritime/personal-locator-beacons-plbs-usage-in-ce nopt.

In the cases you suggest, France and the UK seem to only permit PLB use in maritime environments. That would not be helpful for those walking.

I checked this before taking my own PLB to Norway this year, and confirmed that using it there, should I have needed to, would not have been a problem.

Doug, you're absolutely correct - I was misusing the term (PLB) and I have updated my post accordingly.
Technically Garmin's are not PLB's, they're satellite communicators. (Although to be fair everybody seems to call them a personal locator beacon, and they certainly operate as a personal locator device in an emergency situation).

Whilst they perform very similar functions they operate differently. As I understand it a PLB uses the COSPAS/SARSAT satellite system, satellite communicators like Garmin use commercial systems. They also have a lot of additional functions that a PLB does not. The website you are quoting doesn't apply to these.

Garmin has a list of the countries in which it is prohibited for use (there's only 14 of them worldwide): the UK and France are not amongst them .The same Google search also shows the UK and EU certificates of conformity.

 

[David Tallan]

I will walk the Aragones/Madrid/Coastal CP

Last year I walked a Madrid/Salvador/Primitivo/Finisterre-Muxia Camino, so I an no stranger to Frankencaminos. But yours looks a combination it would be a challenge to stitch together.

 

[lt56ny]

Last year I walked a Madrid/Salvador/Primitivo/Finisterre-Muxia Camino, so I an no stranger to Frankencaminos. But yours looks a combination it would be a challenge to stitch together.

When I get to Puente la Reina I will hope on a bus to Pamplona then take a train to Madrid. Sahagun to Porto and then back on the camino again. I just look at the travel days as rest days and checking out the scenery some more.

 

[WGroleau]

However, more seriously it does have fall and crash detection and can make an SOS call to a satellite if I am out of range of wifi or phone signal.

This feature has significant limitations. It won’t work if you’re in forest, or in some parts of the world, and you have to pay for it (except the first two years after you activate the watch). Also, the iPhone your watch is paired with is what connects to the satellite, so it has to be exposed to the sky!

Connect to a satellite with your iPhone - Apple Support

With iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Pro, you can connect your iPhone to a satellite to text emergency services, request roadside assistance, and share your location with friends and family — all while you're off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

support.apple.com

 

[Zbigniew]

However, more seriously it does have fall and crash detection and can make an SOS call to a satellite if I am out of range of wifi or phone signal.

Apple watch can’t connect to a satellite. The smallest device capable of sending a SOS signal via satellite is Garmin InReach mini. I bought one, subscribed to Garmin rescue service and feel much safer now when walking in remote areas.

If you have iPhone 14 or 15: "Emergency SOS via satellite is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S." (source: Apple). But you need to connect your watch to the iPhone and manipulate the phone to acquire satellite signal. I prefer Garmin's "press the button and wait for rescuers".

 

[SFHoneybee]

Thanks @C clearly. A nicely presented and interesting piece.

It is something I have thought of quite seriously at times. My choice is generally for the "roads less travelled" and while I enjoy company I am usually walking by myself.

A couple of specific times I have acknowledged at least to myself that if I fell and broke a leg I would find it very hard to make contact with anyone, without a mobile signal. Of course as time goes by, mobile signals continue to spread but they are not everywhere by any means. And in a weak moment, when falling, I suppose I could lose my phone (especially as it is likely in the kind of place where I am reliant on GPX guidance and have it in my hand) and see it hurtle down a mountainside.

Specifically on some stages of the Baztan route in French-Spanish Basque country there are some 'lonely places.'

And very definitely a few days while walking the Via Egnatia along the road towards Jerusalem. There are hair-raising places in the mountains in Albania, specifically between Mirakë and Dardhë (I mean hair-raising for an average hiker - maybe not for an experienced mountaineer) and then in North Macedonia especially between Ohrid and Resen.

I think it is good to at least recognise and admit this to oneself. Strictly speaking I have no dependants. If something very serious were to befall me it would be wrong to say "I never thought it could happen" but it would not in any practical way be the end of anyone else's world. I have discussed this before on the forum. And I have revealed that I usually have secreted away in my pack, separate from routine barras energeticas, cheap chocolate and nuts, some superior chocolate - to make a comforting last meal.

I have a new Apple Watch (other brands are available) and it is a bit 'anxious'. If I wear it in the shower it tells me I am endangering my hearing with too loud noises. And once or twice if I make an animated gesture with my hands it tells me that it suspects I have had a fall.

However, more seriously it does have fall and crash detection and can make an SOS call to a satellite if I am out of range of wifi or phone signal.

I guess I should devote an afternoon to finding out how to use it.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Or other similar devices?

I should add that none of this has ever caused me to lose any sleep.

“last meal of chocolate… good planning”

 

[C clearly]

we won’t spend $40 euros on a SIM card that includes a phone number that can be used in case of an emergency.

I don't think this is quite true. My guess is that most of us who walk on less-travelled routes do get Spanish SIM cards. I certainly do. However, occasionally we find ourselves in terrain that can be a bit hazardous and also there are spots where there is no phone reception. Those occasional hazards are what we are talking about.

 

[CTLawGal]

I have been thinking about an Apple Watch but the thought of having to carry a charger and having to recharge every day on the road discouraged me buying one. I still use FitBit because it requires recharging every two to three weeks. How do Apple Watch wearers do on the Camino? Recharge every night along with your phone? No problems of doing it every night?

Shortly before leaving for my Camino last year, I bought an Apple Watch Ultra - longer battery life and quick charging. And also for some of its emergency features which fortunately I never had to use but my husband felt better knowing I would have. Before the Ultra, my regular watch might run low on battery power by the end of my longer training walks, particularly when I was in dead cell areas (it helps battery life to also carry your phone), and I didn't want to run out on the longer Camino stages. The Ultra was great, even on my longest day (25+ miles) I still had plenty of juice at the end; it charged quickly, usually fully charged while I was taking a shower, then charge my phone.

One unexpected benefit of using the watch is that I could use it for tap payments at all locations that accepted credit cards, I don't think there were any that didn't accept a tap pay. The benefit was that I could pay without having to dig for cash or open my pack, like paying with a phone but without having to take out my phone. It was also a good conversation starter since most of the times I used they had never seen it before.

 

[MikeyC]

For winter hiking in the UK we take a bothy bag for emergency shelter. We haven't used It in an emergency but it's useful to get out of the wind or rain for a rest stop.
We have also used It in a hailstorm and to wait out when the weather closed in and visibility was reduced.
I use the Kapar from Alpkit which comes in various sizes.

What Three Words is also a good app to know and communicate your precise location.

 

[henrythedog]

For winter hiking in the UK we take a bothy bag for emergency shelter. We haven't used It in an emergency but it's useful to get out of the wind or rain for a rest stop.
We have also used It in a hailstorm and to wait out when the weather closed in and visibility was reduced.
I use the Kapar from Alpkit which comes in various sizes.

What Three Words is also a good app to know and communicate your precise location.

If you phone for Mountain Rescue in the UK - which you can’t do direct, it’s via the 999 control centre who then contact the appropriate MR team - the first thing the team will do is message your mobile ‘phone which will respond to them with your location.

‘What three words’ is a great app to have (at least in the UK) as the 999 control room can accept that as your location.

Probably of interest to UK contributors only but one of the question editors on ‘Only Connect’ - Jack Whaley-Cohen was one of the inventors of ‘what three words’

 

[Flashman101]

Here is an interesting article from the BBC website that is a good safety reminder for people who venture into unpopulated areas.

Let me emphasize right away that there is not much applicability to the Camino Frances or other popular routes. However, all of us who have walked routes where other people might not be seen for days, have probably experienced a few moments when we thought "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't be here alone and without communication. I must walk very very carefully!"

The article highlights some sensible precautions that can be taken.

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

 

[Smash123]

“However, all of us who have walked routes where other people might not be seen for days, have probably experienced a few moments when we thought "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't be here alone and without communication. I must walk very very carefully!"

Once I was staying at a cottage with a group of people. Not being a great sleeper, I awoke at 5:30 and decided to go for a run along a trail. It was in the woods in winter and -28 degrees C. No one knew where I was, and I was dressed for running in the cold, not walking in the cold. I was about 20 min out and feeling fantastic, but my eyelashes kept freezing together. At one point I pulled off a glove to remove the ice and it suddenly occurred to me that were I to slip and break a leg or ankle, I would be dead before anyone even noticed I was out. I turned around and very cautiously trotted back to shelter and warmth. Even people with loads of wilderness and outdoor skills can make fatal errors.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

Garmin in-reach mini 2 is my personal pick following considerable research. €250. Subscription required, but can be taken on a month by month basis.
Other options exist - Spot gen 4 for example ,€150 - but are heavier and nowhere near as versatile. Again subscription required ( as far as I'm aware all options require a subscription)

 

[dougfitz]

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

Try an online review like this one to get a feel for what's on the market

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

The following article is reasonably detailed about a feature that the iPhone 14 and 15 series has. The article says service is free for two years but Apple hasn't decided what to do afterwards (at least at the time of publication). I'll copy the intro and then give you the link.

One of the most significant features found on the iPhone 14 and 15 series is the ability to contact emergency services in remote regions without cellular service. Emergency SOS via Satellite, which Apple announced in 2022, has been critical for helping people stranded reach emergency services without a phone signal.​

How to Use Your iPhone's Emergency SOS via Satellite to Contact 911

Even if you don't have cell service, the satellite feature can be used to reach emergency services in remote places.

www.cnet.com

 

[LenB]

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

 

[David61]

As the OP says, it is unlikely to happen on Camino but there is a very sobering story just recently in the news in the UK, Dr Michael Mosley was a famous dietitian, author and TV personality who was on holiday in Greece with his family, "On 5 June 2024, Mosley went missing on the Greek island of Symi while on holiday with his wife. He left St. Nikolas beach to walk to Symi Town, approximately two miles (three kilometres) away, where they were staying. His body was found on 9 June, on the rocky slope outside the wall of a private resort called Agia Marina. It appeared that he had taken the wrong path after leaving the town of Pedi" CCTV footage was later shown of him walking through towns/villages and showing signs of heat distress which suggests heat stroke/dehydration. Two miles and a wrong turn on a route he had walked before, a tragedy that could happen to anyone.

 

[domigee]

As the OP says, it is unlikely to happen on Camino but there is a very sobering story just recently in the news in the UK, Dr Michael Mosley was a famous dietitian, author and TV personality who was on holiday in Greece with his family, "On 5 June 2024, Mosley went missing on the Greek island of Symi while on holiday with his wife. He left St. Nikolas beach to walk to Symi Town, approximately two miles (three kilometres) away, where they were staying. His body was found on 9 June, on the rocky slope outside the wall of a private resort called Agia Marina. It appeared that he had taken the wrong path after leaving the town of Pedi" CCTV footage was later shown of him walking through towns/villages and showing signs of heat distress which suggests heat stroke/dehydration. Two miles and a wrong turn on a route he had walked before, a tragedy that could happen to anyone.

Yes, a tragedy that I must admit was on my mind this Summer.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Eight years ago a woman hiking the Appalachian Trail alone left the trail to relieve herself and couldn't find the trail again. Rather than staying put she sought high ground to send text messages. She left a journal for a month before dying.

Hiker who went missing on Appalachian trail survived 26 days before dying

A journal found with the remains of 66-year-old Geraldine Largay show that she tried in vain to send SOS messages but finally accepted she would die

amp.theguardian.com

 

[domigee]

Eight years ago a woman hiking the Appalachian Trail alone left the trail to relieve herself and couldn't find the trail again. Rather than staying put she sought high ground to send text messages. She left a journal for a month before dying.

Hiker who went missing on Appalachian trail survived 26 days before dying

A journal found with the remains of 66-year-old Geraldine Largay show that she tried in vain to send SOS messages but finally accepted she would die

amp.theguardian.com

Omg, what a tragic story

 

[Fred Gaudet]

I’ve walked over 10,000 miles in the USA solo without seeing anyone for days/weeks. I always carry a Garmin so I can send a “911” message if I need to be rescued. Luckily I haven’t even tho I’ve had an ankle fracture, giardia, sudden snow storms, etc. Even on some caminos, such as the Mozaraba, Olvidado, Invierno, Dos Faros and Via Tolosana I seldom saw others except in towns.

 

[TheBigT]

iPhone 14 and 15 come with built-in Emergency Satellite features: for more details, see here:

Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone - Apple Support (CA)

With iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Pro, you can use Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services when you're off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

support.apple.com

This is the reason I updated to an iPhone 14 Pro Max. ECG, Heart rate, blood oxygen, fall detection, Emergency SOS via cellular or satellite.

How much does Emergency SOS via Satellite cost? The service is free for two years. Beyond that, Apple hasn't shared how much it will cost or if there will actually ever be a charge to access the feature. In November 2023, Apple extended the service for free another year to iPhone 14 owners.Feb 22, 2024

 

[TheBigT]

Sorry for being repetitive, I didn't see that this had already been covered in a prior post.

 

[trecile]

When I get to Puente la Reina I will hope on a bus to Pamplona then take a train to Madrid.

You could easily walk from Tiebas to Pamplona.

 

[Gary039]

Thanks @C clearly. A nicely presented and interesting piece.

It is something I have thought of quite seriously at times. My choice is generally for the "roads less travelled" and while I enjoy company I am usually walking by myself.

A couple of specific times I have acknowledged at least to myself that if I fell and broke a leg I would find it very hard to make contact with anyone, without a mobile signal. Of course as time goes by, mobile signals continue to spread but they are not everywhere by any means. And in a weak moment, when falling, I suppose I could lose my phone (especially as it is likely in the kind of place where I am reliant on GPX guidance and have it in my hand) and see it hurtle down a mountainside.

Specifically on some stages of the Baztan route in French-Spanish Basque country there are some 'lonely places.'

And very definitely a few days while walking the Via Egnatia along the road towards Jerusalem. There are hair-raising places in the mountains in Albania, specifically between Mirakë and Dardhë (I mean hair-raising for an average hiker - maybe not for an experienced mountaineer) and then in North Macedonia especially between Ohrid and Resen.

I think it is good to at least recognise and admit this to oneself. Strictly speaking I have no dependants. If something very serious were to befall me it would be wrong to say "I never thought it could happen" but it would not in any practical way be the end of anyone else's world. I have discussed this before on the forum. And I have revealed that I usually have secreted away in my pack, separate from routine barras energeticas, cheap chocolate and nuts, some superior chocolate - to make a comforting last meal.

I have a new Apple Watch (other brands are available) and it is a bit 'anxious'. If I wear it in the shower it tells me I am endangering my hearing with too loud noises. And once or twice if I make an animated gesture with my hands it tells me that it suspects I have had a fall.

However, more seriously it does have fall and crash detection and can make an SOS call to a satellite if I am out of range of wifi or phone signal.

I guess I should devote an afternoon to finding out how to use it.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Or other similar devices?

I should add that none of this has ever caused me to lose any sleep.

Thank you for your comments. As a newbie I found them very helpful. I talk with my hands and arms waving all over the place. If I got an Apple watch I think it would be ringing emergency services all the time.

 

[JustOneGuy]

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

I see that someone already mentioned it, but let me tell you about my experience with GPS locators...

For work reasons since many years (2018) I often have to venture into very isolated areas with no phone coverage. But even here where I live now there are areas without coverage. For this reason, I have been carrying a GPS locator with me for years, both in my car and on foot. One also has to pay an annual contract, but it guarantees that in case of an accident there are several emergency buttons: one sends a message to one's contacts like "I have a problem and will be back home late, but don't worry, I think I can fix it," (e.g. a flat tyre) and another of the S.O.S. type, protected by a rubber cap. If pressed for a long time sends a message to a central unit and wherever you are-with some exceptions like North Korea or war zones-an emergency service is immediately alerted to search & rescue you. It uses low-altitude satellites so it does not need phone coverage. And unlike a watch or a phone, the battery lasts for weeks.

It is true that this device requires you to press a button (and it does not work well in closed rooms), which is impossible if you lost consciousness, but it is also true that you can program the device to report your location every 5 or 10 minutes to your partner or a friend. So this person can intervene if he/she has not heard from you in some time, using the last recorded location. Moreover, he can be set to alert someone in case there is no movement for a while.

I recommend it to everyone. I prefer not to put the name of the specific model that I use unless a moderator tell me it is acceptable, but GPS locator gives some results . And you can contact me privately if interested to know what I have been using for years. BTW, I only had to use the "mild alert" once (a flat tire at 5,200 m in the Atacama Desert) but I recommend it to everyone walking (or driving) in areas with bad phone coverage.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

I'm pretty certain I read about a satellite communicator that used a Bluetooth connection to a phone to actually handle it's input. This might save and size, weight and cost. Of course it has its drawbacks too.

 

[Bradypus]

I'm pretty certain I read about a satellite communicator that used a Bluetooth connection to a phone to actually handle it's input. This might save and size, weight and cost. Of course it has its drawbacks too.

There was a Motorola-branded gadget - the Defy Satellite Link - released last year which allows two-way text messaging by satellite when paired with a smartphone. Unfortunately the company actually producing the thing has gone bust and the company which took over is no longer selling it. Other companies are selling similar gadgets but at a significantly higher price.

 

[C clearly]

. I prefer not to put the name of the specific model that I use unless a moderator tell me it is acceptable,

Models names and brands are permitted as long as they do not appear to be advertising - i.e. you are writing about your experience with no commercial interest.

 

[JustOneGuy]

Models names and brands are permitted as long as they do not appear to be advertising - i.e. you are writing about your experience with no commercial interest.

thank you! Then, it's s SPOT Gen3, like the one in a picture from LenB above.

I attach a short manual I prepared for myself and my staff in the hope it can give you an idea of the various functionalities.

The Spot3 model is now outdated, and the current models have improved functionality (and work better AFAIK), including two-way messaging.

I highly recommend carrying one with you at all times. You will probably NEVER use it, but it will give you peace of mind, inform your friends and relatives about your position at all times (if you want to), and... the time you really need it, it could save your life.

 

[lt56ny]

You could easily walk from Tiebas to Pamplona.

I know. I have a "thing" about doing the whole camino. I may start a camino half way like I will on the CP coastal, but in my weird and warped mind it is ok because I have already walked the CP from Lisbon. Maybe I should get a camino shrink to help me work through my issues!!!!!

 

[El Cascayal]

Please clarify somethings for me:
If you are using the Alert Cops app in Spain would you recommend a separate location device as described above?
If I have family tracking me on “find my” on my apple phone, they would eventually know last whereabouts…?
Finally I also carry an Apple tag & realize you need other Apple tag users nearby that makes this irrelevant in the great outdoors.
Thanks for sharing your expertise, Aymarah

 

[Bradypus]

Please clarify somethings for me:
If you are using the Alert Cops app in Spain would you recommend a separate location device as described above?

I think that on the main Camino routes in Spain it would be an unnecessary expense. Mobile phone coverage in Spain is very good and spots without a signal of any sort are very rare in my experience. And while the less popular Caminos may see little pilgrim traffic especially in winter the chances are good that help will be on hand soon. I rented a personal locator beacon once for some off-road walking in the Australian outback when I knew that I would be out of mobile phone range but I would not do so on the Caminos in Spain.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Please clarify somethings for me:
If you are using the Alert Cops app in Spain would you recommend a separate location device as described above?
If I have family tracking me on “find my” on my apple phone, they would eventually know last whereabouts…?
Finally I also carry an Apple tag & realize you need other Apple tag users nearby that makes this irrelevant in the great outdoors.
Thanks for sharing your expertise, Aymarah

I'm predominantly with @Bradypus in this regard, in that for any of the mainstream caminos I would find it completely unnecessary.
And absolutely, loading the alertcops app is a great idea - I certainly do.

 

[peregrina2000]

And absolutely, loading the alertcops app is a great idea - I certainly do.

I decided that it was time to learn about AlertCops. This topic has come up many times in the past year or so. I have always had 112 as my go-to Emergency Services contact. I know I will be put in touch with a real person who is the closest to the location shown by my phone, and I am not generally enthralled with having to download another app. But I hear so many good things about the App that I decided it was time to emerge from behind the veil of ignorance.

I started doing some reading online and have a couple of questions and a comment.

My questions

— is this an AI chat or does it put you in contact with a person? (I saw this on the website —
Una vez que has enviado una alerta y se ha habilitado el chat, podrás seleccionar el idioma en el que quieres ser atendido en los botones situados en la parte superior derecha de la ventana del chat — translation - once you send the alert and Chat has been enabled, you can select the language you want to be used on the buttons located on the upper right of the chat window). That seems to me to be a disincentive for use in a real emergency, even if the chat will eventually put you in touch with a real person.

— What is the difference with 112? (My sense is that it would be better to use AlertCops when it is not a true emergency, but I wonder about a true emergency. I really don’t understand how the two overlap, interact, etc).

My comment - I see it is not used in either Catalunya or País Vasco - my guess is that this has something to do with politics and trust of the police, but am not really sure.

 

[Bradypus]

My comment - I see it is not used in either Catalunya or País Vasco - my guess is that this has something to do with politics and trust of the police, but am not really sure.

In both those regions the role of the Guardia Civil has been taken over by autonomous local police forces: in Catalunya the Mossos d'Esquadra and in the Pais Vasco it is the Ertzaintza.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I decided that it was time to learn about AlertCops. This topic has come up many times in the past year or so. I have always had 112 as my go-to Emergency Services contact. I know I will be put in touch with a real person who is the closest to the location shown by my phone, and I am not generally enthralled with having to download another app. But I hear so many good things about the App that I decided it was time to emerge from behind the veil of ignorance.

I started doing some reading online and have a couple of questions and a comment.

My questions

— is this an AI chat or does it put you in contact with a person? (I saw this on the website —
Una vez que has enviado una alerta y se ha habilitado el chat, podrás seleccionar el idioma en el que quieres ser atendido en los botones situados en la parte superior derecha de la ventana del chat — translation - once you send the alert and Chat has been enabled, you can select the language you want to be used on the buttons located on the upper right of the chat window). That seems to me to be a disincentive for use in a real emergency, even if the chat will eventually put you in touch with a real person.

— What is the difference with 112? (My sense is that it would be better to use AlertCops when it is not a true emergency, but I wonder about a true emergency. I really don’t understand how the two overlap, interact, etc).

My comment - I see it is not used in either Catalunya or País Vasco - my guess is that this has something to do with politics and trust of the police, but am not really sure.

Fortunately I have no firsthand experience so I don't know if it's a real person that immediately answers or not. I recall several posts from people that have, hopefully one of them will read the thread and answer. (Edited to add: @Mudcrone for instance).

I too have 112 loaded (under ambulance/ fire /police) in my phone, and would probably call them first in an emergency. However there are many non-urgent situations that happen - from accidents, theft, all the way through to flashers. Because of the ability to report in English/French/German etc, take and send photos and videos, I personally think that it's an excellent concept.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I started doing some reading online and have a couple of questions [about AlertCops]

I suspect that there are settings for the default language and you can just start using the app and get that. If somewhat else has access to your phone if you are disabled they could use their language instead of yours. That is how I would design it anyway.

AlertCops can be used to report many things to the police that aren't emergencies.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If you are in a country and don't know or can't remember what the emergency number is try 911 or 112. The telephone systems in many countries will connect you to their number if you use one of these two.

 

[desertwoman]

Here is an interesting article from the BBC website that is a good safety reminder for people who venture into unpopulated areas.

Let me emphasize right away that there is not much applicability to the Camino Frances or other popular routes. However, all of us who have walked routes where other people might not be seen for days, have probably experienced a few moments when we thought "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't be here alone and without communication. I must walk very very carefully!"

The article highlights some sensible precautions that can be taken.

Excellent journalism. I will buy a whistle today

 

[peregrina2000]

However there are many non-urgent situations that happen - from accidents, theft, all the way through to flashers.

AlertCops can be used to report many things to the police that aren't emergencies.

This has always been my sense, and these comments reinforce my thought that in a real emergency, 112 is the way to go. Alert Cops seems to be a good option when you don’t need an immediate emergency services presence.

I would only disagree on the thought that using AlertCops would be the way to go if someone were calling at the moment of a flashing incident and was hoping for an immediate emergency response.

I had never seen any mention of the fact that AlertCops isn’t available in either País Vasco or Catalunya, so there are chunks of some popular Caminos for which it isn’t even an option.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Excellent journalism. I will buy a whistle today

Check your pack's chest strap buckle. Sometimes one is hidden there.

 

[Zbigniew]

Does anyone know if there is a reasonably priced GPS out there that has an SOS button that will send location in emergency?

I use Garmin InReach Mini 2. Navigation function is limited: no maps, but you may upload your trail and it will show the way on a very small screen. But there is this SOS button - just press and wait for rescuers. Satellite, not cellular connection, of course.

 

[desertwoman]

Check your pack's chest strap buckle. Sometimes one is hidden there.

Thank you!

 

[KFH]

Thanks for the OP and thanks for all the responses. As someone who prefers walking alone and who often chooses Western US hikes which have few earthlings around-- I needed the reminder.

 

[WGroleau]

But you need to connect your watch to the iPhone and manipulate the phone to acquire satellite signal. I prefer Garmin's "press the button and wait for rescuers".

The Garmin device also needs to connect to the satellite, obviously. So it won’t work in forests, caves, buildings. (I’m not guessing; I used one for at least two years. I also noticed that when I used it to send a text message, it took more than fifteen minutes for my friend to receive it.

 

[MikeyC]

Sad to report another missing solo hiker this time in the Pyrenees. He texted family that he had fallen and was unable to move. No further communication was received and the search has now been discontinued.

Pyrenees search for retired doctor from St Albans called off

Rescuers in France have not been able to find retired St Albans doctor Tom Doherty.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JustOneGuy]

The Garmin device also needs to connect to the satellite, obviously. So it won’t work in forests, caves, buildings. (I’m not guessing; I used one for at least two years. I also noticed that when I used it to send a text message, it took more than fifteen minutes for my friend to receive it.

However, GPS locator beacons can be set to send your position periodically (every 5 to 60 minutes) to a server accessible by a list of people you specify. That way, if you are unable to press the emergency button, or if the device is out of range of low earth orbit satellites, once alerted because you disappeared for some time, an S&R team will be able to see your last position and usually find you quickly.

That's why I always take one with me when I go to remote places, especially alone. And keep it on all the time. Even if they cannot reach you in time, you can save your family and friends the stress of not knowing what happened to you, and save the S&R team the HIGH risks associated with searching you.

 

[dougfitz]

Even if they cannot reach you in time, you can save your family and friends the stress of not knowing what happened to you, and save the S&R team the HIGH risks associated with searching [for] you.

How does that work? If you or someone in your contact group raise an alert, what will then stop a search being initiated? Certainly there might be a time limit on searching for you based on an assessment of whether they are undertaking search and rescue or the incident has moved into recovery. If that point has been reached, it is possible all search activity will stop, and any remains will wait to be discovered in whatever state time and other natural processes have left them.

 

[JustOneGuy]

because they know the approximate area to search for you based on the last position received and the direction you were walking to.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

How does that work? If you or someone in your contact group raise an alert, what will then stop a search being initiated? Certainly there might be a time limit on searching for you based on an assessment of whether they are undertaking search and rescue or the incident has moved into recovery. If that point has been reached, it is possible all search activity will stop, and any remains will wait to be discovered in whatever state time and other natural processes have left them.

As @JustOneGuy says, it narrows the search parameters significantly. It's not that they will not search it's just that they have an extremely good idea as to where to start looking. More often than not the units are still working and so they will have multiple pings from one location - i.e, you.
A GPS ping is far more accurate than something from a cell phone (at least, in the countryside). Additionally, they also know from the data your approximate speed per hour. Most of us are not careless enough to let the battery die - although of course that happens.
Whilst they do not ignore any possibilities, SAR's start with the assumption that your GPS unit has suffered a catastrophic failure within the time frame between expected pings. Naturally they assess terrain (because as referenced above the units do not work well in areas with high tree cover, steep ravines etc).

It's all about adding extra data to help narrow the search parameters. As I'm sure you know SAR's combine the data they have received from speaking to other hikers along the way, hut log books, etc. Narrowing the search to a five kilometer range means that the search of that area would be far more intensive than something of 25km, let alone more (a week for example).
The beauty with many of the units is that you can send a simple preprogrammed POL message with minimal effort at the end of each day. Meaning you retain the essence of your walk whilst your loved ones have no stress.

 

[JustOneGuy]

Correct.

Just to give you an example, even without considering the SOV (Save Our Vehicle) and SOS buttons, (the last one activating SAR wherever you are under cover, most of landmasses and oceans), this is the map released for one of my previous trek in the mountain (actually, the trek is only the final part, the rest is driving):


Note the precision of the position, just on the right lane of the road.

Imagine, however, that I was not calling back home at 20:00 as promised... It would be natural for a SAR team to look at the last point and start from there.

As soon as I start the device and press the "Check In" button, all the people in my list receive the following message (some details are masked for privacy) and can access my position at any time:


Imagine now that you do not have this and all they know is that I went to that area: did I fell over the mountain while driving? Or got lost during the trek?

All considered, although the SPOT Gen 3 is quite old and not the best option today (but one of the cheapest, and the battery are fully repleaceble, can be submerged in water, etc.), I feel safer with it. And my wife too, knowing that I am often driving in potentially dangerous road or works in the field, alone.


Since many years I made it compulsory for my staff, also as a cheap "Fleet Management" device.

 

[dougfitz]

@Peterexpatkiwi and @JustOneGuy, thank you for your explanations. I accept that reducing the time to find a person's location is a benefit, but I don't see how that will alter the technical difficulty of conducting a rescue that comes from the the circumstances of any specific situation. Things like the nature of any injuries, difficulties accessing the incident site, the need for specialist equipment and techniques, etc do not seem to change. It seems to me that a rescue with high risks will still have the same high risks for the rescue teams involved even if the incident site is identified quicker because a PLB or locater has been triggered.

 

[David Tallan]

@Peterexpatkiwi and @JustOneGuy, thank you for your explanations. I accept that reducing the time to find a person's location is a benefit, but I don't see how that will alter the technical difficulty of conducting a rescue that comes from the the circumstances of any specific situation. Things like the nature of any injuries, difficulties accessing the incident site, the need for specialist equipment and techniques, etc do not seem to change. It seems to me that a rescue with high risks will still have the same high risks for the rescue teams involved even if the incident site is identified quicker because a PLB or locater has been triggered.

It seems to me that, if the area of search is identified, any risks associated searching other areas that they might have been looking at if they didn't have the precise location would be eliminated.

Let X be the risks associated with search and recovery where the person with the PLB or locater is.
Let Y be the risks associated with search in other areas that would be searched in the absence of a PLB or locater.

The risks of a search and recovery operation without a PLB or locater = X+Y = Z
Z > X (where Y > 0)

The math seems pretty straightforward that, while a search and rescue operation may still have substantial risks, they are likely to have less risks than one based on less information. The key would be, of course the "where Y > O". If all of the risk is in the rescue and there is zero risk in search, you would be correct.

 

[dougfitz]

It seems to me that, if the area of search is identified, any risks associated searching other areas that they might have been looking at if they didn't have the precise location would be eliminated.

Let X be the risks associated with search and recovery where the person with the PLB or locater is.
Let Y be the risks associated with search in other areas that would be searched in the absence of a PLB or locater.

The risks of a search and recovery operation without a PLB or locater = X+Y = Z
Z > X (where Y > 0)

The math seems pretty straightforward that, while a search and rescue operation may still have substantial risks, they are likely to have less risks than one based on less information. The key would be, of course the "where Y > O". If all of the risk is in the rescue and there is zero risk in search, you would be correct.

I was coming at this from a slightly different perspective. To follow your mathematical approach, I would suggest that the two phases of a search and rescue operation are, as the name suggests, first the search and then the rescue. In my post, I accepted that there was a benefit in the search phase in having a more precise indication of where the incident site is. Then one might suggest that if we label the risks during search as Xn, and X1 is the risk if the location is not known, and X2 the risks where location is known, then X2<X1.
What I am suggesting is that if Yn are the risks during the rescue (hopefully) or recovery phase, then broadly speaking, Y1=Y2. That is my point. I would be happy if someone who has real world experience with this were to suggest otherwise and explain why.

I did not suggest in my post that the totals would be the same. In my post I accepted that X1 + Y1 > X2 + Y2, as you have also suggested. I don't see that what we are both saying isn't the same thing.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@Peterexpatkiwi and @JustOneGuy, thank you for your explanations. I accept that reducing the time to find a person's location is a benefit, but I don't see how that will alter the technical difficulty of conducting a rescue that comes from the the circumstances of any specific situation. Things like the nature of any injuries, difficulties accessing the incident site, the need for specialist equipment and techniques, etc do not seem to change. It seems to me that a rescue with high risks will still have the same high risks for the rescue teams involved even if the incident site is identified quicker because a PLB or locater has been triggered.

Sorry Doug, I missed this.

Whilst you have a valid point in that the risks inherent in the rescue part of the operation would not be minimized I was not separating the two, and frankly I don't understand why you have. Neither @justone guy or I suggested that as far as I can see?
Search and rescue are to me integral - if you don't know where the 'patient' is you can't rescue them. The more precise you can make the area of the search the less time is spent looking and the less danger the participants of the search are exposed to. Regardless as to whether that is dangers inherent in the terrain, the weather, etc.
That is what I was referring to: nothing more, nothing less.

 

[dougfitz]

I was not separating the two, and frankly I don't understand why you have.

That is a good question. What I was thinking was that searches are often conducted with willing volunteers who are able to more quickly cover a search area, but who might not have the necessary technical skills to access a difficult to reach incident site, treat a badly injured person, and then prepare and execute the movement of the individual or individuals that are being rescued to a safe location. Certainly there may be searches where the teams used each have all the specialist training, tools and equipment they need to complete all phases of a search and rescue. I have no idea whether this is a common occurrence.

 

[dick bird]

If you are injured or lost in a remote area, your chances of survival are hugely increased if you are found quickly. It really is that simple.

 

[JustOneGuy]

Not only. Accidents happen, but eventually I do not want to leave my family in the uncertainties for weeks, or maybe forever. Plus the risks and additional cost for the SAR team.

The recent story of this poor guy (and of his family...) is the perfect example of what I mean.

 

[dougfitz]

Can someone tell us what the arrangements are for notifying national SAR coordination centres when a SPOT, inReach or Apple Watch sends an alert. Clearly these are not using the same satellites as PLBs and EPIRBs, but is the SOS message still going to the national SAR Coordinators?

 

[JustOneGuy]

As far as I remember (things may have changed in the recent years and I only partially checked the following information), the SPOTs GPS Locators make use of the Globalstar Satellites Network, of which the company is a subsidiary.

The alert is collected and relayed to a network of ground antennas. It's then forwarded through the internet to the country branch of "Focus Point International", that inform the local authorities about the position to initiate the SAR.

I do not know about Garmin and Apple.

 

[dougfitz]

As far as I remember (things may have changed in the recent years and I only partially checked the following information), the SPOTs GPS Locators make use of the Globalstar Satellites Network, of which the company is a subsidiary.

The alert is collected and relayed to a network of ground antennas. It's then forwarded through the internet to the country branch of "Focus Point International", that inform the local authorities about the position to initiate the SAR.

I do not know about Garmin and Apple.

Thank you. Reading their blurb, it appears that they can provide support to Apple and Android users as well, although it wasn't clear what the communications pathways were they used for this.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Garmin uses the global Iridium satellite network.
Basically, pressing the SOS button sends a message to Garmin, and they attempt to message you to find out the nature of your emergency. If you do not respond they immediately notify emergency services and give them your GPS coordinates. They also call your emergency contact to advise them of the situation and to see if they have any additional information. (They keep them updated throughout.)

If you are able to respond, they will message you in order to ascertain the appropriate level of response ( eg are you able to self evacuate, do they send in a team, a helicopter, boat, etc.)
You can actually get medical advice from their on call Team to enable you to self help. Apparently a considerable number of the calls they receive are actually on behalf of a third party.

Hopefully I will never have to put their service to the test....

 

[JustOneGuy]

Garmin uses the global Iridium satellite network.
Basically, pressing the SOS button sends a message to Garmin, and they attempt to message you to find out the nature of your emergency. If you do not respond they immediately notify emergency services and give them your GPS coordinates. They also call your emergency contact to advise them of the situation and to see if they have any additional information. (They keep them updated throughout.)

If you are able to respond, they will message you in order to ascertain the appropriate level of response ( eg are you able to self evacuate, do they send in a team, a helicopter, boat, etc.)
You can actually get medical advice from their on call Team to enable you to self help. Apparently a considerable number of the calls they receive are actually on behalf of a third party.

Hopefully I will never have to put their service to the test....

It's a much better service than SPOT. The main problem with SPOT is that you can't tell them if, for example, your emergency needs immediate attention, or if you can wait but you can't evacuate by yourself.

 

[WGroleau]

However, GPS locator beacons can be set to send your position periodically (every 5 to 60 minutes) to a server accessible by a list of people you specify

The Garmin/deLorme device does that.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

The Garmin/deLorme device does that.

That was @JustOneGuy’s point