More SPOT abuse...

[Jester2000]

I blame man vs. wild.

"Oh gosh! I've encountered some salty water! I'm in a true emergency situation and I'm in need of rescue!

...

Oh look! Rushing water! Let's jump in with our clothes on!"

Don't forget that after you've gotten out of the water you need to get naked and build a fire.

I suspect that, much like cell phones, SPOT devices encourage people to do things they should not be doing. Like leaving their houses.

[Doctari]

Two words: High Explosives!

1/4 lb of C4 in each of the pockets of the leader, then name the crater after him/her.
A friend once said: "All problems can be solved with enough C4, If the problem isn't solved, you didn't use enough C4!"

Yea, I got weird friends,,,, yet almost no "Normal" friends. I wonder why that is.

[Lemni Skate]

I get angry when I read about people being charged for rescues who never asked to be rescued, but these idiots called out for help. Charge them the cost plus a 500% fine and make them watch C-SPAN for a week.

These guys should be pummeled. If someone needs help, I'll help them any time I can, but when somebody goes out and causes themselves trouble like this...egads!

I don't carry anything but a little cell phone for checking in with the wife once every other day or so, and then it's a 2 minute call to tell her I'm alive and I cut it off. I would be so humiliated to call for help. I'd pretty much have to have a compound fracture or a rattlesnake bite. What a bunch of babies we've become.

[shoe]

They must have hit the 911 button 3 times. HItting the help button doesn't connect to the GEOS center. Of course that doesn't excuse stupid people. Just a little observation.

[Reid]

How easy is it too accidently push that button. If my cell phone were an emergency device I'd have incurred a few false alarms myself.

[Jayboflavin04]

What about say an "alert tracking" button. Say your having trouble but not an an actual "emergency" ie you may be lost, cant find water, sprained ankle ect. That the "powers that be" can be alert that you are still moving, but matters may become worse for you. I do agree with everyone here that this is silly and when entering the back country you should know your limitations, and be well prepared.

[Marta]

After the first "rescue" was refused SAR should have confiscated the SPOT. $25,000 x 4 (for four people) would buy it back.

[nitewalker]

Even I was a bit angry after reading one...

From today's NPS Morning Report-

"Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Hikers Evacuated After Three SPOT Activations In Three Days

On the evening of September 23rd, rangers began a search for hikers who repeatedly activated their rented SPOT satellite tracking device. The GEOS Emergency Response Center in Houston reported that someone in the group of four hikers – two men and their two teenaged sons – had pressed the “help” button on their SPOT unit. The coordinates for the signal placed the group in a remote section of the park, most likely on the challenging Royal Arch loop. Due to darkness and the remoteness of the location, rangers were unable to reach them via helicopter until the following morning. When found, they’d moved about a mile and a half to a water source. They declined rescue, as they’d activated the device due to their lack of water. Later that same evening, the same SPOT device was again activated, this time using the “911” button. Coordinates placed them less than a quarter mile from the spot where searchers had found them that morning. Once again, nightfall prevented a response by park helicopter, so an Arizona DPS helicopter whose crew utilized night vision goggles was brought in. They found that the members of the group were concerned about possible dehydration because the water they’d found tasted salty, but no actual emergency existed. The helicopter crew declined their request for a night evacuation, but provided them with water before departing. On the following morning, another SPOT “help” activation came in from the group. This time they were flown out by park helicopter. All four refused medical assessment or treatment. The group’s leader had reportedly hiked once at the Grand Canyon; the other adult had no Grand Canyon and very little backpacking experience. When asked what they would have done without the SPOT device, the leader stated, “We would have never attempted this hike.” The group leader was issued a citation for creating a hazardous condition (36 CFR 2.34(a)(4)). [Submitted by Brandon Torres, Canyon District Shift Supervisor]

this is what bothers me......".When asked what they would have done without the SPOT device, the leader stated, “We would have never attempted this hike.”. not good!!!

[MintakaCat]

The designers of the SPOT device forgot to account for one important element, human stupidly.

[Doctari]

Accidentally hitting the "Help" or "911" button is one thing. As a rescuer, my response to "Oh, we are so sorry, totally accidental!" would be, "OK, but Don't let it happen again!" But these clowns did it ON PURPOSE, Three times! Without due cause! Future Darwin award winners I'm sure, sadly, they will likely take some rescuers with them. Bill Engval was wrong, it shouldn't be a sign, but a tattoo on the forehead: "STUPID"

The SPOT I saw (a VERY early model) had raised areas around the buttons, but a firm push with part of a sleeping bag would have activated it. My friend had taped coins over the buttons to prevent this from happening. The coins were easily pulled off IF he needed it.

Funny thing: his family was tracking his progress, but didn't have an AT map to compare with, he got to that stretch around Standing Indian Mt, where the AT goes South for quite a few miles, The family "Went Ballistic!" When he got to Franklin & checked in there were "Tons" of messages telling him he was going the wrong way.

[Ratchet-SectionHiker]

I have last years model of the Spot. The buttons do take a firm push, and the 911 and Help buttons must be held in for a period of time (15-30 secs if I remember the manual correctly) My wife and I only use ours to keep the mother-in-law's happy, and my father likes tracking us on Google Maps. As far as the 'help' button going directly to a SAR office, since it was a rented unit they probably did not have any emergency contacts programmed into the unit so possibly as a default it may go to the GEOS office

[dla]

They must have hit the 911 button 3 times. HItting the help button doesn't connect to the GEOS center. Of course that doesn't excuse stupid people. Just a little observation.

You are correct. The media story is wrong. But the people are still stupid.

On my SPOT info page you can take a link to the False alarms with EPIRBs via the US Coast Guard. Stupid people are part of the cost of providing a signaling service such as SPOT. And SAR gets used to dealing with stupid people.

[handlebar]

How easy is it too accidently push that button. If my cell phone were an emergency device I'd have incurred a few false alarms myself.

I have one and it resided in the small waistpack that had my camera, swiss army knife, current maps, snacks, sun block and lip gloss. I packed it in such a way that none of those items could poke any of its buttons. It was always turned OFF unless I was sending an OK message. In addition to having to be turned on (press and hold the ON button briefly), the 911 button has to be pressed and held and it is slightly recessed. I don't see how it could happen accidentally. The newer version, besides being a little lighter, has a different design for the 911 button that prevents an accidental activation.

These people in the Grand Canyon were self-centered idiots with no regard for the risk the rescuers took. Those helicopters could have crashed responding to their "calling wolf". Perhaps, the SPOT folks should have a little quiz to see if prospective clients can tell the difference between an inconvenience and an emergency.

I carried the original version of the SPOT on my PCT hike in '08. Due to family commitments, I started way early, April 3, sobo from Walker Pass and knew I'd see almost no one on the trail for 3 weeks into Cajon Pass. I mainly got it for peace of mind and to avoid having to cut off my arm if a boulder fell on me like happened to that guy in Utah. I also bought the rescue insurance that the SPOT folks offer at a discount with the unit. I'm glad to say I've never had to use it in an emergency, but my wife and kids did enjoy keeping track of my progress when I sent my daily "I'm OK and here's where I am" message. Now I'm debating whether I'll be carrying it on the CDT next year. It's heavy (8oz.) and the darn thing will tell everyone else where you are, but it doesn't have an LED display to tell you where you are. It certainly misses the boat on the ultralight philosophy (no dual purpose here).

I had a market research questionnaire from SPOT that showed a version with an LED display, but the 2nd generation which came out a few months ago didn't include it.

[ShelterLeopard]

Accidentally hitting the "Help" or "911" button is one thing. As a rescuer, my response to "Oh, we are so sorry, totally accidental!" would be, "OK, but Don't let it happen again!" But these clowns did it ON PURPOSE, Three times! Without due cause! Future Darwin award winners I'm sure, sadly, they will likely take some rescuers with them. Bill Engval was wrong, it shouldn't be a sign, but a tattoo on the forehead: "STUPID"

The SPOT I saw (a VERY early model) had raised areas around the buttons, but a firm push with part of a sleeping bag would have activated it. My friend had taped coins over the buttons to prevent this from happening. The coins were easily pulled off IF he needed it.

Funny thing: his family was tracking his progress, but didn't have an AT map to compare with, he got to that stretch around Standing Indian Mt, where the AT goes South for quite a few miles, The family "Went Ballistic!" When he got to Franklin & checked in there were "Tons" of messages telling him he was going the wrong way.

Ha- that's really funny. I'm trying to imagin my family watching a little dot labeled me, going in circles... I've always been opposed to those tracking devices, but it would be really fun just to have some fun with it once in a while, if you did have one...

[ShelterLeopard]

"Imagine" not "imagin"

[tlbj6142]

I had a market research questionnaire from SPOT that showed a version with an LED display, but the 2nd generation which came out a few months ago didn't include it.

I've often wondered why it doesn't offer that as well. It doesn't need to store way-points, or have an arrow telling me where to go. Or support geocaching, just tell me where I am now using UTM coords would be great. Though, I guess, you'd have to specify datum? Or is UTM datum independent?

[Connie]

I agree with Marta.

I think they ought to have been fined, arrested or taken to the nearest ER as "protocol".

Uh, sorry if that was "inconvenient".


I know APRS (amateur radio) will track you, for anyone on APRS to see.

I think I recall that an iPhone GPS software app using Google maps will track you, for family.

The GPS Tracker app http://www.instamapper.com is one.

[Jonnycat]

If someone activates the emergency beacon without having a bona fide emergency, they should be rendered in such a shape as to qualify for an emergency.

[BlazeWalker]

They should fine the hell out of them...I mean thousands of dollars. Someone who really needed help could have died because these people are idiots! Morons!

[birdog]

Agreed! Some people need constant supervision and should never be left alone with themselves. Now, thanks to technology, the bathroom light will always be on. Education and or fines should be the deterrent.