Some of our field personnel carry devices called "Spots", which gives off a signal via a satellite to designated destinations of a gps location. Anyone can purchase a Spot. The devices' gps buttons come with messages: i'm okay, I need non-emergency help, and I need emergency help.
This simple system is nice. Depending on how the message is received can obviously affect how quickly a response to a request for assistance is handled or the people monitoring the Spot track status of a field unit. Our field personnel spend hours, sometimes days, in very remote areas. Having this means of comunication is often the only method of tracking lcoation and progress of movement.
It worked very well the other day.
We were working our shift when a signal came through to request non-emergency assisatnce. Our first reaction was to try and contact the officer and his trainee on the radio. Neither of them answered. We then tried via their cell phones and achieved the same result: nothing. Due to the day and time, the three of us on duty starting making phone calls, trying to get units started out to their location.
Here's where it became tricky. The Spot device signal was sending the help message every five minutes with gps coordinates. We had a location, but it was in the middle of an area with no one on duty and a couple of hours from the closest available unit. Not knowing the situation, we decided to request help from two different agecies, one of our biologists and two of our officers.
At that point, we made the decision to let them all go and cancel those not needed once the first person arrived since the Spot signals stopped. We weren't sure if the situation had escalated, the batteries died, or some other problem had occurred. Playing it safe by allowing all units to proceed seemed best.
Although the request was sent as a 'non-emergency' request, it didn't make the waiting any less stressful. The longer it took, the worse our minds started playing games. Did someone get hurt? Was one of the two guys lost? Probably not - the likely scenario was a vehicle issue - but the waiting stretched on & on.
We'd did the notifications, just in case. The State Department of Emergency Management called us, offering the use of a helicopter. We declined, per the supervisor. Our Game Wardens are equipped to camp out and do carry first aid equipment with them, in case of emergencies.
Five hours later, the first unit made contact. Our guys were okay, just a vehicle problem. We cancelled one of the units who hadn't made it there yet - the rest did. With a heartfelt thanks to the assisting agencies, an eight and a half hour event closed out when our two units signed off duty.
Could this happen again? Sure, especially when our officers work in the back country aeas of our State. Calls for help can also happen on the bodies of water we patrol. We also handle contracted agencies who carry the devices; those LEO's work in national areas and do investigations in citiy and/or county jurisdictions as well.
What we have had to learn is how to use the GPS location as a location in our CAD system. Our aircraft use gps as well. There are days when we may have three birds up. Knowing how to enter gps, is important.
The biggest problem from the search call was trying to explain to other agencies where to go. Local sheriff law enforcement personnel may know where a local creek or mountain is at, but don't count on a highway patrol dispatch having that knowledge. The same goes for the gps data. Not every dispatch can use gps information. When giving gps, it makes a difference in what type of gps (hours/minutes or longitude/latittude).
We were fortunate. Everyone went at the end of the shift. What dispatcher isn't happy with that type of call?
Stay safe out there!