FRANKLIN COUNTY — A popular text post has been circulating on social media in recent weeks, offering a ‘public service announcement’ for what to do if you become stranded with a broken-down vehicle or lost while hiking, and have a low battery or no cell signal on your phone.
The post suggests changing your voicemail message to reflect the fact that you are in trouble, what happened, where you are, and what steps you are taking to get help, such as walking towards the nearest town. This way, if someone calls you, they can gather this helpful information from your voicemail message, even if your phone dies or you have no signal.
While this sounds like a great idea in theory, there are several concerning elements to this suggestion. To start with, changing the voicemail recording requires a cell signal to properly change the message, meaning it won’t work if you can’t make a phone call. Secondly, using the voice feature on your phone to make phone calls or change a voicemail recording uses up more battery than sending a text message.
Sharon Kenney Pomeroy, President of the Maine Association for Search and Rescue, shared her thoughts about this idea. She said there is all kinds of technology available for remote communications in an emergency situation; for example, SPOT or InReach devices operate on a satellite connection rather than a cell network, allowing communication anywhere. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, investing in one of these devices may be a wise idea.
Even if you don’t have a satellite device, Pomeroy recommends texting friends or emergency contacts, or even texting 911, rather than trying to change a voicemail message. If your battery is low, sending a text message is a more efficient way to communicate a good deal of information without burning out the battery. In addition, texts can sometimes get through on a weak cell signal when a phone call cannot. Keep a text message to under 160 characters so it stays as an SMS rather than turning into a MMS, to increase the chances of it sending on a weak signal. If you have a smartphone you can even find your GPS coordinates on the Maps app, and can copy and paste those into a text message.
Safety on the trails begins before you leave the house. When you are heading into the great outdoors, you should notify a trusted contact so they know where you are going, what route you’re taking, what you are doing, and when you expect to be back. Letting someone know your plans provides a layer of safety in the event that something does happen. And most importantly, if you get lost while hiking, stay put.
Now, suppose your vehicle has broken down. It happens, and it seems like it always happens at the most inconvenient times or places. What do you do if you can’t get a phone call out for help? Unless you know where you are and know that you can reach a safe place to call for help, stay with your vehicle. It provides you with shelter and security, and makes it easier for someone to find you than if you go wandering around. Consider outfitting your car with emergency supplies such as flashlights, blankets, water, and shelf-stable food. FEMA and ready.gov have resources and checklists for an emergency kit to keep in a vehicle.
Dispatch Supervisor Levi Gould from the Franklin County Regional Communications Center shared some tips for successfully texting 911. If you get into trouble, call 911 immediately. A text to 911 is not ideal, because it doesn’t provide phone location information that is transmitted with a phone call. But, sometimes a text message can get through when a phone call cannot, and emergency dispatch centers in Maine can receive texts to 911. If you are unable to make a phone call, use your phone’s GPS to get your current coordinates. Copy and paste them or type them into a text message (don’t send a photo or screenshot), along with information about your emergency such as lost, injured, et cetera.
Gould also urged that you stay put once you’ve called for help; if you move around after calling for help, responders may have a difficult time finding you.
Be prepared, be aware, and don’t panic. If you need help, the best place to start is to simply call for help.
