Emergency Signaling, Extraction & Self-Rescue

Extraction Begins Before the Emergency

Trip plans, communication layers and rescue information reduce delay.

Plan the Rescue Path

Make the emergency discoverable before it exists. A good extraction plan tells another person where to look, when to worry, how to contact help and what equipment or medical limitations may shape the response.

1 PRE-TRIP PRIORITIES 2 COMMUNICATION HIERARCHY

Leave a trip plan with route, camp area, dates, equipment, vehicle Primary: two-way satellite messenger or other reliable remote information and a firm overdue trigger. communication with a clear operating procedure. Research emergency numbers, ranger or land-manager contacts and Emergency: registered personal locator beacon for grave and imminent communication coverage. distress when appropriate. Choose a satellite messenger or 406 MHz personal locator beacon Local: phone or radio where coverage and licensing permit; never appropriate to the trip; understand the device before departure. assume service. Register eligible beacons and keep owner, emergency contact and Passive: trip plan, vehicle note, route record and expected-return vessel or trip information current. trigger. Carry critical medical, shelter and signaling gear on the person when Close-range: whistle, light, mirror, high-contrast panel and repeated separation from the main kit is plausible. visual or audible signals.

Field Rule

A rescue device is not a plan. The plan is the trip information, trigger time, device practice, battery discipline, shelter and decisions that keep the signal alive.

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Build A Signal Stack

Electronic, visual, audible and site signals reinforce one another.

Redundancy Without Clutter

Use the strongest signal for the environment. Signals fail for different reasons: canopy, terrain, battery, weather, noise, distance or poor visibility. Layer independent methods and preserve them for the moment they matter.

The Signal Stack

1 2 3 4

ELECTRONIC VISUAL AUDIBLE SITE PLB / satellite messenger contrast, mirror, light whistle, voice, repeated pattern open sky, visible panel, safe access

Use multiple independent signals. One failed layer should not erase the rescue plan.

METHOD BEST CONDITIONS STRENGTH LIMIT

406 MHz PLB Open sky, severe emergency, registered device. Dedicated global distress system; long-life Typically one-way; no casual messaging; must be registered emergency battery. and tested as directed.

Satellite messenger Open sky with charged device and service. Two-way status, location and emergency Subscription, battery, terrain and network limitations. communication.

Whistle / voice Close rescuers, quiet periods, timber or low Light, durable and energy-efficient. Shorter range; wind and terrain mask sound. visibility.

Mirror / light / panel Daylight or darkness with line of sight. Strong contrast and directionality. Needs visibility, correct aiming and a searching observer.

Fire / smoke Legal, safe fuel conditions and no wildfire Visible and can provide warmth. Can create wildfire, smoke or burn risk; never automatic. restriction.

EDUCATIONAL FIELD REFERENCE. VERIFY CURRENT LAWS, CONDITIONS, MEDICAL GUIDANCE AND LAND-MANAGER RULES. 3

Beacon Activation Workflow

Protect the signal and make the site easier to find.

Build A Repeatable Sequence

Activate deliberately, then sustain the rescue Follow the device manufacturer and rescue authority instructions. Do not delay an emergency signal merely to create a perfect campsite or exact diagnosis.

Confirm the Emergency

Use the emergency function for grave or imminent danger, or according to the device and local authority guidance. BEACON DISCIPLINE

Register the beacon and update contact information. Use only the manufacturer-approved test function.

MOVE ONLY TO IMPROVE SAFETY OR SKY VIEW Know battery expiry and storage requirements. 2 Carry the device where it remains reachable If it can be done without harmful delay, leave deep cover or a canyon wall and reduce after a fall, capsize or pack loss. immediate hazards. Cancel false alerts immediately through the appropriate authority.

Deploy and Activate

Position the antenna and device exactly as instructed. Keep it upright, unobstructed and powered.

Leave the Device Operating

Do not repeatedly switch it off or relocate without cause. Preserve line of sight to the sky.

Shelter, Treat and Document

Protect the person, note time and location, conserve energy and prepare information for rescuers.

Guide the Final Approach

Use visible panels, lights, whistle or mirror. Keep people clear of rotor, boat and vehicle hazards.

EDUCATIONAL FIELD REFERENCE. VERIFY CURRENT LAWS, CONDITIONS, MEDICAL GUIDANCE AND LAND-MANAGER RULES. 4

Stay, Move OR Prepare the Site

Movement changes both risk and the search problem.

Adapt Before Conditions Force IT

Choose the option with the best rescue outcome The safest-looking choice in the next five minutes may create a worse outcome over the next five hours. Consider medical condition, weather, terrain, signal quality and what rescuers know.

1 STAY WHEN 2 MOVE WHEN

The current site is safe enough to shelter and signal. Remaining exposes the person to flood, fire, avalanche, surf, falling A beacon position or trip plan gives rescuers a reliable search point. trees or another immediate hazard. Injury, darkness, weather or terrain makes travel dangerous. A short, certain route reaches clearly safer shelter or a much better signal site. Movement would enlarge the search area or reduce sky visibility. The trip plan requires self-evacuation and the route, patient and conditions support it. The move can be communicated or reliably documented.

3 PREPARE THE EXTRACTION SITE 4 PREPARE INFORMATION

Create the largest safe, visible approach area available without Number of people, injuries, symptoms and changes. damaging protected resources. Location description, elevation, terrain, weather and access hazards. Secure loose objects; mark wires, branches, smoke and hazards. Treatments, medications, allergies and relevant medical history. Place high-contrast signals clear of rotor wash, flame and moving water. Time of incident, signal activation, movement and water or food status. Designate one person to communicate and one to control gear when in a group.

Movement Rule

Do not move merely because waiting feels passive. Move because the new location is clearly safer, the route is controlled, and the change improves rather than confuses the rescue.

EDUCATIONAL FIELD REFERENCE. VERIFY CURRENT LAWS, CONDITIONS, MEDICAL GUIDANCE AND LAND-MANAGER RULES. 5

Self-rescue & Extraction Failure Modes

Do not let urgency erase control.

Diagnose the System

Protect the patient, signal and search picture Improvised movement can worsen injury and separate the group from the strongest signal. Use trained methods, minimize unnecessary handling and update rescuers when conditions change.

FAILURE SIGNAL LIKELY CAUSE BEST CORRECTION

No confirmation or message response One-way device, obstructed sky, terrain or service Leave emergency device operating as instructed; improve sky view limitation. only if safe; add visual and audible signals.

Battery is falling quickly Cold, screen use, repeated messages or poor storage. Warm spare power, dim screen, use scheduled communication and preserve emergency function.

Rescuers pass without seeing the site Poor contrast, canopy, noise, smoke direction or unsafe Increase contrast and repeated signals; move loose hazards and signal approach. from a visible safe point.

Patient worsens while waiting Exposure, bleeding, dehydration, illness or delayed care. Prioritize first aid, shelter and reassessment; update rescuers through available communication.

Self-evacuation is slower than planned Terrain, injury, load or weather exceeded capability. Stop before exhaustion; shelter, signal and provide updated location if possible.

Group members give conflicting signals No communication lead or site control. Assign one signal lead, one patient lead and one approach-safety role.

Casualty Movement

Move an injured person only to escape a greater immediate hazard or when trained evacuation is necessary. Protect the spine and injured limb according to current first-aid training; avoid improvised carries that risk a second casualty.

EDUCATIONAL FIELD REFERENCE. VERIFY CURRENT LAWS, CONDITIONS, MEDICAL GUIDANCE AND LAND-MANAGER RULES. 6

Field Card, Red Flags & Sources

A rescue operating standard from trip plan to final approach.

Carry the Standard

Be seen, heard and found Leave a trip plan, carry practiced communication, activate early when warranted, and protect the signal site.

FIELD CHECKLIST STOP / REASSESS

The person cannot travel safely or is getting worse. Leave route, camp, vehicle, dates, contacts and an overdue trigger with a responsible Weather, darkness or terrain makes self-evacuation person. uncertain. Register eligible 406 MHz beacons and keep information current. Movement will reduce signal quality or confuse the Practice device testing, activation and message procedures before the trip. search area. The extraction site has falling-tree, fire, flood, rotor or Carry the emergency device where it remains accessible after a fall or pack loss. surf hazards. Use multiple independent signals: electronic, visual, audible and site contrast. Battery management is threatening the emergency Activate according to the device and emergency authority guidance. function. You are delaying a warranted distress signal to avoid Keep the antenna unobstructed and device operating as instructed. embarrassment. Shelter the person, document condition and prepare rescue information. Move only for a clearly safer site or controlled self-evacuation. Secure loose hazards and guide rescuers from a safe visible point.

Authoritative Starting Points

NPS Trip Planning Guide www.nps.gov/subjects/healthandsafety/trip- planning-guide.htm

Trip plans, emergency plans and communication preparation. NPS Hike Smart www.nps.gov/articles/hiking-safety.htm

Do not rely on cell service; consider emergency communication. NOAA SARSAT Beacon Registration www.sarsat.noaa.gov/register-your-beacon/

U.S. 406 MHz beacon registration and information updates. NPS Ten Essentials www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials.htm

Illumination, first aid, repair, shelter and emergency equipment.

Verify Before Field Use

Rules, access, weather, emergency procedures and land-use practices change. Confirm local requirements, current forecasts, device registration, medical guidance and land-manager instructions before deployment.

EDUCATIONAL FIELD REFERENCE. VERIFY CURRENT LAWS, CONDITIONS, MEDICAL GUIDANCE AND LAND-MANAGER RULES. 7