SPOT Rescue Alert: Stranded Man Rescued from Mountains of Norway with the Push of a Button

SPOT Rescue Alert: Stranded Man Rescued from Mountains of Norway with the Push of a Button

SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger Used to Alert Rescue Authorities of His Remote Location During Winter Storm

DUBLIN, IR. --  (June 1, 2009) –  A Norwegian man was caught in blizzard conditions on March 31 during a 5 day solo ski sailing attempt across Hardangervidda, the largest high mountain plateau in Northern Europe.  Despite studying the advanced forecast and being prepared with the proper equipment, an unexpected late winter storm suddenly caused blinding, white-out conditions high winds and heavy snow snowfall.

On the second day of the storm, after heavy wet snow and high winds destroyed his tent, Mr. Haukenes, an avid outdoor enthusiast, was unable to navigate his way off of the mountain despite having a GPS navigational device. Due to exposure and the inability to stay dry, Mr. Haukenes knew he was at risk of hypothermia.

“Because I was going to spend multiple days in the backcountry removed for any mobile satellite coverage, I brought my SPOT Messenger along to send I’m Okay messages to my girlfriend daily so she knew that I was safe,”  said Mr. Haukenes.  “I was starting to experience hypothermia from days of being in the snow storm and the inability to stay dry as the snow was very wet and heavy. The white-out conditions made for zero visibility and the wet and heavy snow accumulations made it impossible for me to find my way down the mountain. My only option was to signal for help using my SPOT Messenger.”

SPOT enables users, based on varying levels of need, to send messages to friends, family, co-workers or emergency responders, and to visually track the location of the SPOT Satellite Messenger on the web:

• SOS notifies an emergency response call centre of your GPS location
• Ask for Help sends a request for help to friends and family
• Check-In lets contacts know where you are and that you are OK
• Track Progress sends and saves your location and allows contacts to track your progress using Google Maps™

Mr. Haukenes pressed the Help button on his SPOT device, to notify his girlfriend of his location and need for assistance.  A few hours later as the weather conditions were getting worse he pressed the 9-1-1 button sending his distress signal directly to the GEOS International Response Center.

GEOS received the signal and immediately contacted the JRCC Mountain Specialists Rescue Unit. They were already assembling a rescue search team based on the location coordinates they received from Mr. Haukenes’ girlfriend who received the Help message on her mobile phone.

According to rescue officials, the GPS coordinate relayed from GEOS of Mr. Haukenes’ location was to be attributed to a fast and successful rescue by snowmobile. The authorities found Mr. Haukenes cold and tired and assisted him down the mountain. He has since made a full recovery.

“SPOT enabled me to notify for help during a critical moment of survival,” adds Mr. Haukenes. “Being able to provide the authorities with my GPS location was critical. Even if they discovered I was missing, days later, it could have taken them days to find me. Instead, I was back recovering safely within a couple of hours.

”Combining reliable commercial satellite messaging and GPS location technologies, the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger is an affordable personal safety device, designed to provide users with a vital line of communication to friends, family, co-workers and emergency services, even when used beyond the reach of cellular mobile telephones. SPOT has won numerous industry innovation awards and has assisted in the rescue of over 200 individuals around the world since first available in December 2007.

For more information regarding the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger please visit http://www.findmespot.eu/