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Summit County Rescue Group, seen here during the rescue of a hiker off Mount Royal in August, 2007, is implementing a new website where backcountry users can check in saying where and when they will be out and contact info should they not return on time.
SUMMIT COUNTY — A couple of new high-tech options could help search-and-rescue teams locate missing backcountry travelers, but technology is only part of the equation, according to local experts.
One new tool involves logging into a website called www.safecheckin.com and posting a detailed itinerary. Failing to log back in at the end of a trip triggers automatic alerts, according to the site’s intro page.
And some outdoor stores have also been touting a new location device called a SPOT, which is tied into GPS technology.
But neither system is foolproof and in some cases just contribute to a false sense of security, said long-time search-and-rescue group member Dan Burnett.
“Here’s the thing: Certainly something like this could be of value, but it will cause just as many problems as it solves,” Burnett said. “If you’re going to go off in the woods, be responsible. Be ready to take care of yourself.”
High-tech is OK, but following basic safety precautions and using common sense is even better, according to Burnett, who described recovering the bodies of dead hunters with 20-year-old emergency matches in their pockets.
Simply having the ability to start a fire in an emergency situation is just as valuable as buying the latest $150 gadget, he said.
The problem with technology is that it gives people the idea that, if they get in trouble, all they have to do is wait for help.
Burnett wryly described those expectations: “People think a better-than-average-looking person is going to rappel out of a helicopter to save them. They’re not expecting a 50-year-old real-estate broker ... People are being sold these fallacies of what they can rely on.”
Cell phones fall into that category as well, he said, at the same time acknowledging that they have, at times, speeded up rescue operations.
According to the Safe Check In website, the first attempt to reach an overdue backcountry traveler is via cell phone, followed by calls to primary contacts listed at by the subscriber.
Search-and-rescue officials in California offered testimonials on the website.
“For years, we’ve been trying to talk to people about filing trip plans and itineraries,” said Walt Jones, Nevada County Sheriff’s search-and-rescue coordinator. “This website will be a fantastic thing and will help all around.”
Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com.
One new tool involves logging into a website called www.safecheckin.com and posting a detailed itinerary. Failing to log back in at the end of a trip triggers automatic alerts, according to the site’s intro page.
And some outdoor stores have also been touting a new location device called a SPOT, which is tied into GPS technology.
But neither system is foolproof and in some cases just contribute to a false sense of security, said long-time search-and-rescue group member Dan Burnett.
“Here’s the thing: Certainly something like this could be of value, but it will cause just as many problems as it solves,” Burnett said. “If you’re going to go off in the woods, be responsible. Be ready to take care of yourself.”
High-tech is OK, but following basic safety precautions and using common sense is even better, according to Burnett, who described recovering the bodies of dead hunters with 20-year-old emergency matches in their pockets.
Simply having the ability to start a fire in an emergency situation is just as valuable as buying the latest $150 gadget, he said.
The problem with technology is that it gives people the idea that, if they get in trouble, all they have to do is wait for help.
Burnett wryly described those expectations: “People think a better-than-average-looking person is going to rappel out of a helicopter to save them. They’re not expecting a 50-year-old real-estate broker ... People are being sold these fallacies of what they can rely on.”
Cell phones fall into that category as well, he said, at the same time acknowledging that they have, at times, speeded up rescue operations.
According to the Safe Check In website, the first attempt to reach an overdue backcountry traveler is via cell phone, followed by calls to primary contacts listed at by the subscriber.
Search-and-rescue officials in California offered testimonials on the website.
“For years, we’ve been trying to talk to people about filing trip plans and itineraries,” said Walt Jones, Nevada County Sheriff’s search-and-rescue coordinator. “This website will be a fantastic thing and will help all around.”
Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com.
