I copied the following from the NPS Morning Report. A number of members have expressed an interest in the PLB technology in the past. This is a good example of it working.
"Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Hikers Rescued Via PLB Call
A personal locator beacon (PLB) signal was detected in Surprise Valley, a remote location on the north side of the park, by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida on the evening of July 2nd. The park received a call about the signal at 6:26 p.m., and park staff responded by helicopter. A hiking party of four people, who had set off the beacon, was found in the area. One person was suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion and was transported out of the canyon via helicopter. The patient was later transported from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff via ambulance. The other three members of the hiking party remained in the canyon and were given ice and water by park staff. This was the first use of a PLB in the park and the first legitimate use of this technology anywhere in the state of Arizona. When manually activated, a PLB sends out a distress signal, which is detected by satellite and transmitted to the AFRCC, which can then determine the approximate location of the signal. As search and rescue personnel head toward and get physically closer to the signal, they can determine a more specific location. Ken Phillips, the park’s chief of emergency services, thinks that SAR groups will see more of PLB technology, which is now widely available. The use of satellite (SAT) phones, which have the advantage of offering two-way communication, is also on the rise. Although PLBs and other technology, such as SAT phones, can be helpful to people who are in trouble, this technology should never replace planning ahead and being prepared, especially when accessing remote areas, such as Grand Canyon’s backcountry. At Grand Canyon, the Hike Smart educational campaign encourages visitors to follow certain precautions when hiking into the canyon, especially during the hot summer months. These precautions include drinking and eating often, not hiking during the heat of the day, and when possible, staying wet and cool. For more information about hiking at the Grand Canyon and Hike Smart, go to
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm."
Another story:
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2003/nov03/noaa03-138.html
