POWELL COUNTY, Ky — Interesting backcountry rescue story out of Kentucky where a lost hiker was brought to safety by a search and rescue using a simple locator link sent to a smart phone.
On April, 6th, Wolfe County Search and Rescue received a relayed 911 call for a lost hiker in the Red River Gorge Area. The hiker had gotten off trail by hiking around some blowdown trees, ended up on a steep ridge line and had gotten cliffed out. Instead of dispatching a rescue team, WCSART sent a locator link directly to the female’s mobile device that identified her location off the Osborne Bend Trail.
“Once her location was identified, directions were provided remotely to get the hiker back on trail. She was then tracked as she made her way back out to the trailhead to ensure she remained on course. Her track is shown below on her way out. The locator link is a valuable tool and utilized when applicable. Keeping our team members out of the woods whenever possible reduces our risk and expedites the mission.” -Wolfe County Search and Rescue
The use of this simple technology turned what could have been hours spent on the ground by the search and rescue team into mere minutes of remote guidance, minimizing risk to first responders and precious resources. Basic backcountry safety measures are still incredibly important to all hikers but simply having a charged up phone or GPS device can prove vital in emergency situations.
