A year ago this month, my hubby and I used the SOS for the first time. I had fallen on trail and wrenched my knee to the point it was swollen the size of a softball. I really could not walk on it more than a few steps before I had to stop. We were 6 miles into a wilderness area, no cell and no roads. They sent a rescue team on foot to us with a horse, which I rode out. it was amazing and NO CHARGE for it at all. When they got us back to the parking lot I had to fill out some paperwork and say thanks to everyone... nothing more. We went to the ER when we got home and it was an injury that needed an Ortho doc visit. And we also sent a nice donation the the Rescue Dept of that County for their great work. Well worth it.
Robin, did you pay for $39.95 insurance mentioned in this video? Said another way: Did you pay for any subscription except the Garmen monthly service fee? I'm glad your predicament resulted in a swift, well executed rescue, and I hope you have since recovered and back on the trails.
@@joshman130 we just have the Basic(Safety) plan that is monthly charge of $12 approx. plus the annual fee. It all depends how much you are in the backcountry as to which plan makes the most sense for you.
Back in the late 80's I was a Search and Rescue Coordinator with the US Coast Guard stationed in the Outer Banks of NC. There was a windsurfer who was missing and the USCG detached a helicopter and several boats to find him. They found him with the helicopter in a marsh. He was from Canada and I remember him saying "When I saw that helicopter lowering a man down to rescue me, I was wondering what that was going to cost me." My answer, "Nothing, we don't charge."
Just like pretty much any medical emergency here in the UK, our NHS doctors have been proud to say that line to tourists in need for many decades. The same as our coastguard equivalent, the RNLI, which actually is a charity and 100% funded by donors and manned by mainly volunteer crew, who selflessly put their lives on the line everyday. Much respect to the everyday heroes of the world.
I am confused. Other channels say you will most likely be charged, and Dixie noted that she was charged $60,000 for the helicopter rescue in Idaho, and that was most definitely a medical emergency. Unfortunately, the global rescue insurance plan suggested by Zoleo estimated my cost would be about $750 a year, which is ridiculous. I hate to throw away a perfectly good new Zoleo, but I need a plan with insurance, period.
Hey it’s The Hiking Guy! I’ve been following him ever since I started day hiking In So Cal. Thank you Dan for posting this video, such valuable info. I saw your video of the Grand Canyon and thought about buying the inreach mini. Didn’t end up getting it before my trip. Hermits Rest to Bright Angel via the Tonto (4days) just got back a couple days ago. More trips in the future so I will end up getting one for sure. Hope to run into you both out on the trails one day!
Dan I am sooooo glad to hear you say you have no sense of direction!! Same here and good to see Garmin is a good solution to that. Will be buying one for myself soon! Keep up the great video’s! ❤
I was spoiled as a child-- I grew up in a city with an all volunteer EMS, so ambulance rides/EMS response was free (as they should be). It wasn't until I moved away and actually needed to call EMS that I learned that most places charge. The fact that subscriptions are involved makes me not trust these things as mistakes get made. If I ever was in a place that I thought merited one of these, I would carry an EPIRB too. It's only a transmitter, so you get no feedback, but it's multinational and bulletproof and they won't cut your account.
Amazing mini dive into this topic Dave. Thanks. If I may.....The strange twist to my rescue stories, is that on both occasions, my cell phones had service in the most remote, desolate locations ever! The other bonus is that I was never charged for either rescue. But, before my cat-like luck runs out, I should probably get an actual rescue device!!!!
Hey Dan, unfortunately I have a bit of a record with search and rescue. Some areas most definitely do charge! For instance I know the Teton National park for a full search and rescue operation to get out an injured climber or skier is about the same cost as an ambulance. But one county away from Tetons in Idaho does not charge for search and rescue. I think it depended a lot on how the local government chooses to fund the service. I also know that mt hood Oregon definitely charged for search and rescue…
I bought a garmin inreach explorer +. What a waste of money. By the time it was determined to be defective, warranty was over. It would never update, and I paid for a subscription for too many years hoping it would finally work right. Sometimes it would send my text messages, more often it would not. But the GPS & map worked and it was all I had. Then I bought a good smart phone and got the same thing with an app. No more garmin.
That seems to be the biggest issue with these devices. You don't really know if it is defective or not until the time you need to test that SOS button.
Something to add about the iPhone sat sos, it rained so much yesterday on the AT, I couldn't even activate the wet screen, nor keep it dry long enough to activate it to simply use Farout. Using it as a sat communicator would involve more waiting around and even more frustration as rain-activated different parts of the screen by accident.
Great content as always Dan. This is definitely a conversation worth having. Too many misconceptions about thousand dollar helo/rescue bills and not enough people carrying them.
And it's only going to get worse where in a country where there are millions of people who forgot what their own eyes have seen (the signs mandated by law to be displayed at every ER stating how illegal it is for a hospital to turn you away if you don't have any money). The USA's medical system is broken, but the status quo can only be kept if enough people think it's more broken than it is, so that the wrong problems can be "solved". People still fly to the USA to get medical care. You basically don't pay a penny if you make under 12 grand and get full coverage (at least in WA state, think about that, that's single payer if you truly need it, but nobody pays attention). Etc etc etc.
I really think it depends on where you are in the world. In the UK there is no charge for mountain rescue or ambulances or anything like that. Obviously, there are consequences for making false claims or misleading rescuers to the severity of what has happened, but that may bring criminal charges against you.
Encouraging self-rescue should always be encouraged. This reduces the pressure and danger placed upon backcountry search and rescue teams. Push the button if someone is in a bad way (Dan is going down. Push the button!!). Do not push the button if someone is having a tummy ache. That is the part that was not covered in this video. Know the difference between a hard exit and a potential life threatening situation.
Peace of mind is why I carry it. I bike/ trail and road so if something should happen you can hit the SOS. Ie on the road. hit and run or MTB on a remote trail. Also great to send an important text if no cell service which is often. Keep it right on my body.
Somewhat off the subject but I was a river boatman late 60's early 70's in the Grand Canyon. A passenger got ill enough we felt she needed extraction. Our only comunication device was a signal mirror and sure enough we reached a passenger jet way off in the distance. A helicopter showed up, so ther you go.
I’ve been eyeing the 67i for a few weeks since it came out. The battery life is waaaaay better than the 66i. I’m just waiting until it gets a little closer to the time where I’ll need it. Still too much snow here. Don’t want to have to bring a bunch of winter gear right now. $600 is lofty too
Well, I bought it a couple days ago. It’s on the way. The 67i has a C charger instead of micro USB, has a ton of battery life, and multi band satellite instead of just the couple it had before. I’ll have to do a review on it when I take it into the Trinity alps soon.
I didn’t have this when I was hiking glacier national park, but I did have to get life flighted out of the park due to a sudden illness (probably giardia) and the helicopter is owned by a private company that does NOT charge for flights in the park. It was awesome! They flew me to the visitor center and then an ambulance took me to the closest hospital and the ambulance and hospital bill were a bit pricey. But sooo glad I didn’t have to pay for the helicopter.
I personally love the ACR personal locator beacons, there’s no subscription fee and they are very durable. I’d rather have it do one thing and do it well. GPS maps on my phone with backup paper maps and compass just in case. I try to not make everything in my pack a tech item
that thing looks cool but its only valid for 5 years and they make it overly complicated to test the battery on those things. Also Id be worried that I cant contact the rescuers. Like what if I get charged for a helo when i just needed to be picked up by a ambulance. One cool feature is that it apparently does some pulse modualtion when rescuers get near it (at least the coast guard) and this allows then to locate you much easier if you are on a boat. Id def choose this if you do both hiking and boating.
Thinking of you both as you go through this. Moxie was absolutely part of your family and journey. Take care of yourselves. Unfortunately we have lost several dogs in recent years and know the pain.
Take-away: Be prepared, have redundancy, know how your equipment works and how to work your equipment, don’t forget the basics. Tech is amazing, but you should never solely rely on things with batteries. Map/compass, flint and steel, and most importantly… knowledge.
It’s worth noting apple iphone 14 is not the only mobile SOS carried. Tmobile has partnered with starlink to give every carrier SOS capabilities in dead zones
Great conversation, i’ve had a mini 2 for sometime and the SAR 100 insurance but never had to use it.. Thank God very good knowledge to know. Thanks Dan
Don't forget Starlink partnership with T mobile, at some point our phones will replace all these devices. And I LOVE my Garmin, its a MUST in Montana! I will say, this is not always the case where you don't pay, I believe its state by state, some charge you for search and rescue services. And its why Garmin sells extra insurance to pay for things like HELOs. Im not so sure he is correct about not paying if they send services.
SAR are volunteers, they will not and do not charge anything. These are the guys and gals that'll hike/climb out to get you and bring you back to the trailhead. However, if a helicopter is needed, the first call is to Flight for Life which will bill your insurance $10,000 minimum. If it's a late night extraction, or on a 14er or other high peak, then here in Colorado, SAR can send a request to the military for a Blackhawk extraction. This is free as the military uses it as training and already has funds and time allocated for that. Both will take you to the nearest hospital, and then you just get charge more and more from there on :)
Thanks! It was a Zoom call in order to be able to communicate in real time. and then we had our own separate cameras, lighting and audio set up off to the side. We synced it all in post and edited it.
In the United Kingdom it will probably cost you £5000 if you hit the sos button. Unless you don’t work and you are on benefits it will be free of charge.
I would love to see more videos on this topic. For what I understand ( I might be wrong), fish and game in the whites (New Hampshire) always charges for the rescue, negligence or not, does anybody know more about that?
These devices encourage people to go beyond their skill level because they have a safety net. Theyre also just another tool that makes us even more dull in the woods. People would rather rely on something like this for navigation rather than map and compass. Also if you break your ankle a few miles into a trail and its a little uncomfy youre gonna hit that juicy sos button that youve been dying to hit since you bought it and expect a helicopter rather than building a couple crutches. I think theres alot of people who could ditch their gear and make it out of whatever situation theyre in but refuse to do that because youve spent more time shopping for gear than training for being in the wilderness. At that point people are paying for rescue of their equipment.
Hey Dan, when looking at your RU-vid Analytics, what percentage of views are from outside the USA? Just wondering, because it feels like you are always talking to a US-only audience.
Watching thoses conversations from France is weird. You could have to pay 50 000$ to get rescued. It's crazy. That can totally ruin your life to have that much debt. For example i had Kidney cancer last year. Thanks to the national healthcare that we all have (paid with the cotisations on our salaries) i paid 0€. 0 for 2 operations, 8 days of hospitals total, an ambulance ride, and all my scanners, blood test everything cost me 0. So am seeing this as a bigger problem that it is, or in the USA your system can really ruin your life if you have an unexpected accident, or a cancer etc?
There is one thing I am unclear about that you and Cris haven't talked about and I am confused about is the insurance which is offered by Global Rescue and GEOS/IERCC/Garmin. What I don't understand is when it would actually be useful or necessary. I was under the impression that without one of these insurance plans that I would be on the hook for giving the costs of a rescue. However Cris has mentioned this on his channel before that you only pay for negligence, and it seems like that is a scenario in which it wouldn't matter if you're insured or not. So when would someone want to consider purchasing the insurance from Global Rescue or GEOS if pressing the button for advice/help and a "Backcountry rescue" are not things which someone would get billed?
Those devices/services only forward or sometime coordinate with local emergency services. Whether SAR and/or medical services are free or not depends on the policy of the country/state you are in. Typically in most of Europe all of that would be free so no need for any extra insurance. On the other side in a country with nothing free you may want insurances to cover everything.... And the last point those videos always forget to mention is that as you are dependent on local emergency services, if you are in a remote region not covered by any of those services it's not Garmin or any other that will hire an Helicopter to save you.
Companies like Global Rescue and Ripcord Rescue (same founders) are not just rescue insurance, they are rescue SERVICES. They maintain their own rescue teams, or contract with other rescue services where available. For example, where I live in the Himalayas, if I get stuck on a mountain with a broken back, Global Rescue may send their own rescue team to get me, then arrange for all of my medical services, paying the bill as we go, then sit next to me on the plane all the way home. It's pretty sweet. GEOS is only an international emergency dispatch service. They don't rescue anyone, but they can hear your cry for help and hopefully find resources to come get you. I own an expedition company in the Himalayas. Many of my clients have Global Rescue or Ripcord Rescue policies. In an emergency, I skip the SOS button and contact them directly. They often have a much better battle plan for rescue given where we are. Or, they have their own dispatch resources to coordinate a handoff to local rescuers. Because both Global Rescue and Ripcord include actual insurance policies, all expenses incurred, including medical bills and transport services - are covered. It's like travel insurance with super hero powers. Cris may have simplified his response for this particular scenario, but who pays for a rescue depends 100% on the scenario, where the rescue takes place, and who performs the rescue.
You should definitely be using a device on the iridium network. They have almost 20 more satellites in orbit. That matters because of coverage. Satellites do not necessarily function how you see in the movies.
I think the issue of rescue cost and insurance is scarcely discussed, complicated and badly in need some exposition. The helicopter to ambulance to hospital example seems correct. But it doesn't always apply outside a Forrest Service rescue, i.e. other countries, some state parks, some private properties. come reservations, . . . Without the right rescue insurance *and* the right *network* health insurance, I think the specter of lifetime debt over a broken leg remains a possibility for some in certain instances. I am still attempting to figure all this out. It takes some effort.
Yes I still think the best thing to do is take travel insurance internationally with coverage for extreme sports. I researched and it should cover most things
Hi Dan, do you have any info if let say you saw a person on the trail needing emergency assistance / medical helicopter transport but has no Garmin or Satellite communicator and you use yours to contact help. The $50k question is will you be charge of the cost incurred for using your SOS account or subscription for doing this on behalf of someone?
The SOS feature initiates a signal that goes to the GEOS emergency dispatch center in Texas, who in turn notifies a rescue resource they deem appropriate for the location and situation. It is that service on the scene that will determine if a rescue warrants payment and who gets that bill. The device, and who it is registered to, is not really part of that billing assessment. This video is pretty incomplete and a tiny bit misleading as to who pays the bill if there is one. It's entirely predicated on the location, and who has access to that location for a rescue, and the nature of the rescue itself.
You may not be charged, but you probably should. There is a huge problem with people expecting heroic rescue efforts that can amount to millions of dollars in direct expenses, not to mention the cost of building and maintaining those system to make rescue even available in the first place.
So what's the deal if you are in a tuff situation and out of options but feel like a rescue isnt warranted and push the button for advice? Are you still going to get charged? Or is that only if they send out rescuers?
Hello all, @ 1:55 there is an image of the garmin and a clip kn the background (the black one that looks like a Caribbeaner) sorry if i misspelled. Does anyone know what that particular clip is called. I am pretty sure it has a different name and i have been looking for months but didnt know where to start.
One thing I find very worrisom and nobody talks about is if you don't pay the subscription for it they wont send help. They still get the alert that you pushed the SOS button but because you didn't pay them $100 they will leave you to die! They should still send help but then you have a much higher fee because you wheren't actively subcribbed.
I had to be medivac’d out, but there is no way out except by trail or plane. There is no road were I was living and working. I had already bought the insurance from Hawaii Life Flight. Otherwise it would be $30,000. All I had was the ambulance fee from airport to hospital. I had chest pain. I had to suffer all night as they had to wait until daylight.
Hi Nicky, no you do not have to pay more on your cell phone plan. You just have to purchase a plan through Garmin and pay per month. You can suspend the Garmin monthly plan if you think there's going to be a month or more where you won't need the communicator, and then reactivate with Garmin if you're planning a trip.
@@justnicky17 I am far from an expert on this topic, however I wouldn't think so, because remember that the communicators are accessing the overhead satellites instead of a cell tower. So there is a cost for them to use the sat service, and to provide the emergency people who communicate with you when you push the SOS button, even if you don't ultimately need a rescue. It's my understanding that the newest iPhone (14?) is currently offering SOS service for free, but will eventually be charging for it as well. So they are making their foray into this field, as mentioned in the early part of this video.
And one other thing, as a woman who hikes/backpacks solo, I am so so so happy I have added my Garmin inReach Mini to my kit. And I am not a paid endorser. I recently was tenting at a site with no cell service. Very happy to be able to send my husband a message or two to let him know I was ok.
@Ellen Griffin Thank you for your advice! I have Samsung and they have an SOS function as well where you tap the power button 3 or 4 times and it sends your location immediately to 4 people you've chosen as emergency contacts. I'll definitely look into the inreach mini 2. It's just a bit expensive. How much per month is their plan?
Please get rid of the DAMNED noisy "background" music crap that ends up taking over the foreground. I can't hear a frigging thing you are saying. Most youtubers have gotten smart and deleted the freaking music noise from their videos. Wake up!
Needs to throw it in FL Studio and add a limiter that makes the music a lot quieter when someone is talking. So the music isn't competing as much with the people talking.
this sales video seems dangerous because neither of you are speaking as representatives of garmin or the insurance companies. You give very little nuance as to what would be covered and what wouldnt. 'you pay for negligence' . you didnt give any examples of situations where people got charged and people who didnt. Someone is going to watch this and get billed $50k and say well these guys on youtube said..... This is in very bad taste in my opinion and it seems possible that someone will watch this, walk away with the wrong idea, and end up making a misguided decision all so you can make a buck on youtube.
I’m confused because Dixie got helicoptered out with garmin SOS and she got a bill for $59,000. The only reason she isn’t paying it is because she purchased rescue insurance from Garmin which was $29 a month. So why is he saying a blanket statement that they won’t charge you for a rescue? It seems that’s only true if you purchase the supplement insurance.
If you’re in the backcountry often get a satcom communicator and pay for insurance. For what it does It’s too inexpensive not to. Take advantage of modern technology and don’t be cheap. I used my Garmin to get a friend with a tummy ache off a 14er. It turned out to be a herniated esophagus. Don’t self diagnose. Doctors who treat themselves have a fool for a patient and they know more than you. If you’re thinking about pushing the button, push the button. Don’t be afraid to use it. Oddly enough, the same hike I used my Garmin to get a helo for my friend I ended up saving two other hypothermic hikers who got lost in a snow storm at night. I didn’t use the Garmin for them. I wrapped them together in my sleeping bag and made them drink multiple cups of heated water all through the night. When I found them they couldn’t answer questions. By morning they were able to walk themselves out. I didn’t use the Garmin for them because the weather and wind wouldn’t permit a helo to land where we were. I am not a RU-vidr but I do post my trip videos on RU-vid for my friends and family to easily see what I’m up to. I screenshot the actual conversation I had with rescue after I pushed the SOS button. If you’re interested it’s in my Mt Whitney video.
Definitely add more on the SAR 100 plan. I'm glad I found that years ago because I was confused about what happens AFTER you hit that SOS button. The Grand Canyon is free from in the canyon to a canyon based medical facility because it's a national park. Some SAR teams rescue for free if, for example, you get lost on trail and Garmin coordinates the rescue, it doesn't cost a penny since they are volunteers. But some of these flights cost tens of thousands of dollars and most insurances DO NOT cover them!! The SAR 100 coverage is well worth the peace of mind for the annual cost of 39.95. Great video BTW!
It is worth noting that Search and Rescue cover is very uncommon. Most travel insurance and rescue policies cover medevac from known position - never search. Search is purchased as a separate (expensive) product. Also be aware that Garmin SAR plans are only a transport service and do not cover medical expenses or normal travel insurance cases. Always study terms, conditions and the details on cover and exclusions.
I had a friend who died in an avalanche while he was snowmobiling. A long time ago now. It was way out in the high country and it took ems about 4 hours to get to his location via snowmobile. The closest hospital was well over an hours drive from the trailhead away. He was unburied from the avalanche relatively quickly and I always wondered what might have happened if they had pushed the button on Lifeflight instead of ground transport. The chance is slim but they may have been able to save him. That incident made up my mind to always request air ambulance in a place so remote for anything life threatening. I even carry air ambulance phone numbers on my cell phone just in case.
Additionally, don’t always assume the SOS feature will trigger a heli rescue versus a ground rescue. I was a 911 dispatcher in my previous life in a very rural area. The vast majority of our SAR rescues were with ground transport. Don’t be afraid to push for an air ambulance if it’s truly needed. You may have to request it specifically.
Good conversation! Would love to see more on this topic. A few points of clarification: 0:41 Whether you're using the Iridium Network (Garmin) or Globalstar (Spot/Apple) you're first being connected to a private service such as Garmin Response/IERCC (private) who will then connect you to the relevant dispatcher (public). I think it's important to know the difference, and who you're talking to. 5:25 "Negligence" is a bit tricky because that often comes down to personal judgment which is inherently subjective and often flawed. Being charged is rare. It's worth noting however that if someone deliberately misleads responders as to the severity of their injuries (say to get a helicopter ride) not only may there be financial consequences, but criminal charges are also a possibility. Think of it like calling 911 for a fake emergency because that's exactly what it is. 6:20 That all said, our job is to go when people call for help. Period. If you have a "tummy ache", regardless of whether it's bad gas or a GI bleed, there's no definitive way of knowing that outside of a hospital. If you feel your situation merits putting others at risk and tying up resources, then do it guilt free. Better safe than too late. Again, this is a personal judgment thing which is why it's so tricky. 7:17 Good distinction between "Backcountry Rescue" and "Frontcountry Transport". I know for a fact that Grand has an NPS chopper, but not every Park has those resources. If you'd been someplace else they may have transported you by ambulance to a helispot to meet a private transport such as Life Flight (or AirAmbu1 in Arizona). That's where insurance factors in. Depending on your coverage, health insurance might cover NONE, some, or maybe even all of the costs. That's something you might want to look up. You might have purchased additional "rescue insurance" such as Global Rescue or have that included with a membership from a group like the AAC. You'll have to go through a reimbursement process for that. Furthermore at least some air transports offer memberships if you know you'll be in a specific area or that's where you live. Unfortunately... it's complicated, and not talked about nearly enough. Rescues are all different. You might get a "talk out" where all that's needed is some encouragement and direction for self rescue. You might get a "walk out" where a team comes in on foot, ski, horseback, atv, etc to assist you. And then of course there's the "fly out" option. It's all a balancing act of risk to rescuers/rescuee, urgency, availability of resources, and of course... cost. Bit of an oversimplification, but hopefully any insane person actually reading this comment gets the point.
To your first point: It could be wise to store local resources as contacts on the device and app. Check if number is monitored for SMS. If you can reach out directly to your insurance company, a government entity, law enforcement, MOFA or medevac - you are one stop closer.
They're very forgiving on the negligence side of things. Like with 911, they'd rather people call & waste some time/effort when not sure than not call and die or turn it into a much bigger operation.
It might be a good idea for Garmin-or Dan take the lead with HikingGuy-and develop an SOS triage plan for followers. The key is to have a safe, good outcome for the person(s) needing rescue, the SAR responders, and even bystanders, while avoiding inappropriate or misuse of the system. Trauma, chest pains, debilitating dehydration, hypothermia, altitude sickness, and a moderate range of other defined issues are definitely instances where SOS makes sense. Being tired a mile from the parking lot and wanting a lift back is not an emergency. SAR exposes people to danger. Mitigating that danger through prudent and timely use is a noble goal. No one should hesitate to punch the SOS button when rescue is truly needed and a clear flow chart would help decision-making for most people. After all, even recovery missions can be dangerous while having much more control on conditions.
Garmin often mentions: //A good rule to go by is that when you feel uncertain of the outcome of your situation - that's the time to reach out for help.// But the situation can be unrelated to you or a third-party. One could use IERCC to report a forest fire, vehicle breakdown, an injured or dead animal, a security situation, natural disaster, get in touch with a nurse/doctor for advice or basically anything that is of value to you or others locally, if you have no direct coms. The SOS button is *not* a “Rescue needed, come and get me” button. Activating SOS only opens a communication line with a resource that can help/forward your case. It can be cancelled at any time.
@@merg2928 Thanks, we trained with them last May and they are handling triage when they receive an SOS. Still, it would be good for the public to have a clear understanding of the process before they use the SOS feature on a Garmin, iPhone, or an Android phone.
Been using the Garmin Inreach Explorer+ since I started solo hiking and backpacking in the California Sierra. Never had to push the button never came close, but it is a comfort that it's there and the family enjoys the text/email from all of my adventures. Don't leave home without it.
These restrictions are being revamped currently. This'll fall hand in hand with the "stupid motorist" law. If you ignore signs, you will be charged for your own rescue, and upto 3 years for involuntary manslaughter if first responders die getting to you.
There are so many people who will go well beyond their capabilities and preparations and then use the "help" button when they are simply tired. They feel Entitled to have everyone at their beck and call. People have tried to sue phone companies because they didn't have service and needed to call for help to change a flat tire. People who are completely unprepared SHOULD be charged for their own negligence.
Exactly. And then you have people who supposedly watched this video being like "see, profit over people". He literally said that it's usually free... The heck now?
Thank God for the NHS (National Health Service) in Northern Ireland. I broke my ankle on a mountain and although I made it down myself (on my bum) to a fairly safe and flat area I had to be airlifted off the mountain where I was dropped at a football field so an ambulance could bring me the rest of the way to hospital. As it's in the UK where we pay National Insurance as part of our wage deductions the cost to me was nothing. Nothing for the air support, nor the ambulance and nothing for the treatment at the time and the follow-ups included CT scans, X-Rays etc as I took blood clots later. I have to say I am utterly grateful for the system we have in the UK and Ireland. Great video as always. It's always an eye opener to the gear that's out there but also how different how health systems work.
It’s not free. That’s why you pay almost 50% of your income to taxes, while in America %98 of Americans pay less than 25%. Im not saying our system is necessarily better (because our health care system and insurance is an absolute mess) but it drives me nuts when Europeans say that their health care is free.
Stop lying i live in london n i can confirm that NHS is rubbish you probably end up going to a private clinic or if you are a foreigner you can do whatever u want better and cheaper than stupid uk nhs
We have a service we pay for thats call insurance, which pays for such services. You (a citizen of Ireland/UK) pay it through taxes. At the end of the day, nothing is free. Using Canada as an example: “Families with an average income of $65,522 will pay $6,627.” and “The top-earning Canadian families, on the other hand, with an average income of $281,988 will contribute $39,731.” I can tell you with full confidence, my family pays far less than either of this examples for very good insurance. Where people in the US sometimes/often suffer are middle class families who either opt to choose terrible insurance plans (often) or don’t have available to them good insurance. The poor get Medicaid/Medicare for free, which pays for the it, the wealthy can afford it.
I use a Personal Locator Beacon (a type of EPIRB or Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon), specifically one from Resqlink. They are much superior to the Garmin and other Sat communicator when it comes to rescue. You do not need a subscription (you register it with your government body), they work anywhere in the world, and are considerably more powerful (3-4x the transmitter power) and use a broader range of satellite networks. They also have strobes built in, an will guide rescue helicopters directly to your position from fairly far away. They work in places where you will not get signal on a Garmin, such as inside a ravine, or under heavy tree cover, they also work in the middle of the ocean (and generally will float too).
A good backup or supplement to an inReach device, but alone it is a Black-White/On-Off beacon with no way of qualifying your emergency. No way of communicating or getting any advice/help before someone shows up on-site.
I wouldn't say superior but different. With the Garmin I like the ability to talk with SAR and know their eta. Keeping loved ones in the loop is a huge plus for me. For most general case scenarios I pick Garmin.
hell yeah PLB's are the way to go unless you need to chat through text or whatever. Like you said, pay once for life, just replace battery every 7-10 years, has a higher wattage output and stronger signal that any of these non-PLB options, and it doesn't have to go through some bullshit subscription middle man redirect service, it's a direct emergency beacon.. seems ideal for actual emergencies. People just like screens and marketing. But to be real, just like in Dan's recent rescue, he had phone service and that was used for the rescue rather than the garmin. I typically have phone service above treeline in Colorado. I can always just call SAR if needed. The gap between phones and dedicated emergency devices is getting very small.
I disagree entirely. PLBs do not permit 2-way communications which is a huge handicap in an emergency situation. On water PLBs are well proven, for example by the US Coast Guard. On land, in the USA, those signals are received by the US Air Force. I can tell you from experience dispatch times are less than speedy. The process to confirm a PLB emergency alone take up valuable minutes or hours. And PLBs are definitely not a global solution. In much of the world, you pop a PLB and someone will hear your cry for help, but that doesn't mean someone is coming. These systems also rely heavily on ground level repeaters, which can also present a weak link in the communication chain. For a boat in US waters, you bet, a PLB is great. Everywhere else, no thanks.
Thanks Chris and Dan. As a newbie to this tech, I appreciate the content and many of the comments. I also found the content very confusing. A summary would be an effective way to draw issues together?
Love the Hiking Guy!! His videos and website have such DETAILED info on sooo many hikes. Like, turn-by-turn what to expect. Fun to see you guys together!!
When i got lost and call sos it took them 3 day to find me ather recovery I got slap for medical bill for sos but medical insurance cover 20,000 and I had to pay 10,000, as 30k for copper, atv, medical van, transport from medical facilities to special hospital and treatment plus stay as recovery
You know you can navigative with the App on the Garmin Mini right? Anyway any outdoors man should know to carry map and compass and know how to navigate.
Great information. Many of us including myself, have bought these devices but then never gave it much more thought. One step further is people should understand some of the technical strengths and limitations of the devices and the satellites they use. Iridium vs Globalstar etc. Always good to have a back up comms plan. Sometime satelite comms will not work do to geography, location or solar activity. And a radio might work. At a minimum I will have a cell phone, radio and inReach device. You dont have to be in the middle of now where. You could be a 15 min hike from town but if you just applied a tourniquet and cant move, you will need a rescue.
