Gald to see this incident posted and all the worthy comments. Hope your leg gets better soon! Thank you for sharing!
Considering the possible medical condition of the person while using a SPOT, one must consider it to be fool proof, i.e. push a button and help will come. For that it hits the nail pretty squarely. Given the remoteness, the response will no doubt take time depending on time of day (seems at night or late in the day things happen slower) and location (proximity to help), people involved, number of people involved (the more the more time it takes), etc. Imagine if this had happened in Baja or Copper Canyon, just as likely it might have taken double or more time.
IMO...your friends did right, leave someone with you and the rest go for help, a truck or whatever. It doubles things up but at least you know something is happening and help WILL be on the way one way or the other.
I would suggest (not meaning to presume anything) that the most medically trained/inclined stay with the patient and administer what they can, food, water, warmth, shelter, prevent shock if possible, comfort, companionship, etc. Brings home the point of having some basic medical training (St.John's First Aid, etc.) for all in this line of recreation.
Put yourself in the place of the guy who was stuck between two rocks and had to cut his limb off to get out. SPOT's 2 hour wait time would have been like an instant to him!
I too, would be interested in hearing how the rescue costs are covered. Two helios are very expensive. Some maybe covered by your medical insurance and the rest, according to their website, by the SPOT fee. There might even be a deductible but of what amount? As per SPOT
http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=1300...
Provides up to $100,000 USD of additional (to what?) search and rescue resources, including helicopter extraction around the world and reimbursement benefits (definition?) for any emergency service expenses incurred. For more information, including terms and conditions, visit http://www.geosalliance.com/sar
So I think you are covered well enough! However, please note...The cost of this insurance (and well worth it!) is just US$7.95 a YEAR for US and Canadian residents and
must be selected at the time of SPOT registration only; otherwise the full price of US$150 will be payable. In addtion to the basic annual fee...at $250/year still a steal when you consider what the costs could be.
As for the SPOT basic fee of about $100/yr...do most of you SPOT owners use and carry the SPOT with you all the time, even to from work in case of an emergency - say an accident, heart attack, stroke, etc? Usually a 911 cellphone will cover that just as quick and a bit more convenient. For the cost of the annual fee and no other time period coverage available, that would be my thought, why not carry it with you all the time as you have paid for a year especially if you have the insurance (you'd be a fool not to). The overlap might help you in case of considerable costs (ambulance/helios, etc.), but does the SPOT insurance cover you in town?
Perhaps SPOT might consider a monthly fee (say $10-$15) for those that leave it at home except for these types of remote recreation trips? I wouldn't mind paying this by the month with an additional insurance rider of $7.95/month. Otherwise I think the SPOT for most owners, just sits at home when not on one of those remote trips?
Would also be good if the SPOT could sit in a receptacle or plug into the 12V aux plug in your vehicle and charge. I know the 2 lithium batteries last for about a year but what if you forgot (as I am sure we will) and this was the end of the that year? Oops, that 2 hours is pretty quick now, eh? Do the SAR zoom into your continual beacon or the set of coords that were transmitted when you did the 911 button? If it is the beacon, the batteries running dry during that time is a possibility.
All in all it is a good piece of tech to have with you on remote trips and it serves its niche well. With some feedback from forums members/owners like these, it will get better. Surprised it didn't come out a lot sooner.
Lastly, GeoAlliance (
http://www.geosalliance.com/sar) does offer insurance packages to groups like family and corporate employers, perhaps they might consider our forum a group and give its members a group rate?
