Las Animas County Search and Rescue

Are you reading this post on your cell phone? More than likely, you are. The invention and availability of cell phones has changed the world and human psychology. We may forget our kids at the store, but we never go anywhere without our cell phones. The effect that cell phones have had on our psychology has even been seen in the world of SAR. Before we carried super computers in our pockets, people tended to travel downhill when they were lost because it was the path of least resistance. Now that everyone depends on their phone so much the trend has changed, and lost subjects tend to travel uphill to look for a cell signal.

But, as we know all too well in our modern world with all of our electronic gadgets, batteries always die when we need them the most ... such as when we're lost in the woods and need to call for help. So here's a tip if you find yourself lost and with a quickly dying cell phone battery: Change your voicemail message to include as much information about your situation as possible. Coordinates (if possible), description of the area, medical issues, a point of contact ... anything you can think of that will help rescuers locate you. Of course, you will have to have service to make the change, but if someone calls your number after your battery is dead, that important information will still be available.

It's also a good idea to make sure that a trusted point of contact has access to your "Find My Phone" function. If they do, we may be able to find you before you even know you're lost.