PLB/PRB missions find idiots

[CommGeek]

Gotcha...  I agree with Joe....we would have a million PLB calls becouse grandpa fell out of his chair...

[JayT]

Gotcha...  I agree with Joe....we would have a million PLB calls becouse grandpa fell out of his chair...

For a while, my company was getting a lot of calls for the "fallen and I can't get up" units direct from there operator. The bosses finally put a stop to it because it was such a burden for our units.

We were getting calls for
1. I need a trip to my dialysis clinic.
2. I need to refil my percription, can you drive me to CVS?
3. There's a hornets nest outside of my door!
4. I feel three days ago and my friend said I might be having a stroke.

[sarmed1]

My fire department has a general rule that after something like 5 false activations a month for fire alarms (usually commercial) they will start billing the company for manpower and resources.

mk

[sardak]

The mystery beacon and its owner that were the original topic of this thread were located in Boulder, Colorado last week. After almost a month of silence, the beacon signals reappeared in the original target area. This time, though, the signal stayed on long enough to be located by the local SAR team. The case is under investigation, so my sources couldn't/wouldn't say anything more than the beacon was taken into custody as evidence while the owner was not.

Interestingly, the beacon was located over 20 miles from the most recent three Sarsat hits, which were in a cluster. The SAR team was enroute to the area of the hits when they detected the signal. A good example of why you don't want to just go to the Sarsat location before starting to DF.

Mike

[wuzafuzz]

^^^^
Busted!   :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I guess someone took the "Keep Boulder Weird" bumper stickers too much to heart! 

[sardak]

The official media release about locating the owner and beacon was released today.  From the Denver Post:
Rescue group finds ignorant beacon owner who triggered false alarms http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14501974

From the press release http://www.rockymountainrescue.org/CCSO_1-mar-2010_Press_Release.pdf
Last year he received the PLB as a birthday present from an out‐of‐state relative who knew he skied a lot. The message from his relative was that this was an avalanche beacon and that they wanted him to be safe. Having not read the information in the box or on the back of the device, he would turn‐on the beacon every time he began to take a run in the backcountry.

He had no idea that every time he turned it on it he was broadcasting a distress signal to international satellites that send the signal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

No charges will be filed and the PLB device has been returned to its owner. A sheriff's officer watched the PLB owner register this PLB.

Mike

[Eclipse]

He had no idea that every time he turned it on it he was broadcasting a distress signal to international satellites that send the signal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

We've had two of these missions in the last month to the same area downstate - unregistered PLB.  When we get there the signal is gone.
They haven't determined yet if its someone doing it on purpose or an uneducated user.

Registration should be required at time of purchase, same with new ELTs.

[Spaceman3750]

He had no idea that every time he turned it on it he was broadcasting a distress signal to international satellites that send the signal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

We've had two of these missions in the last month to the same area downstate - unregistered PLB.  When we get there the signal is gone.
They haven't determined yet if its someone doing it on purpose or an uneducated user.

Registration should be required at time of purchase, same with new ELTs.

I've been watching the REDCAPs go out on that one, was just wondering what happened with it. I am interested to know what happens with it.

[Eclipse]

No joy and no recall since last week.