[LINK] Lost in the Blue Mountains: triple-0 operator 'uncaring'

[David Lochrin]

On Friday 17 April 2009 09:18, Ivan Trundle wrote:
>> The other option would be to ring a family member or friend, 
>> who should know what route I planned to take -- and will be 
>> motivated to help.
> 
> Not always an option. There are places where the signal strength 
> is so poor that only 000 calls or SMS get through - and there are 
> places where SMS *might* get through, but is delayed for a 
> considerable time.

As a matter of interest I remember an incident a little while ago, possibly in the Snowy, where a search helicopter was fitted with a mobile cell station set up for the appropriate carrier; the rescuers then flew into the general area where the missing person was thought to be and simply 'phoned him.

Perhaps satellite GPS distress beacons commonly carried by those working in remote areas should be made more available to weekend bushwalkers, since mobile coverage is normally non-existent.

However there's no technological solution to bone-headed stupidity.

David