The bad advice Voicemail Emergency Meme; And Some Good Tips

This meme makes the rounds on social media every few years for some weird reason; about putting your information in your voicemail if you are in an emergency.

First thing: your voicemail is NOT on your phone. It’s on your carrier’s server. Thus, if you can change it, then you can call for help.

Here’s the good advice:

From the Alpine Rescue Team in Evergreen Colorado:

1. Call 911 for help. Don’t waste your time calling a friend or changing your voicemail message.
2. If you’re afraid you don’t have enough power for a call or if you have too little signal, text 911 for help. Most 911 centers can receive a text. It takes much less signal to get a text through than a voice call and uses less battery power. Also, your phone automatically retries sending the message if it doesn’t go through immediately.
3. Stay put. Moving makes it harder for authorities to track you down. They’ll know your approximate location from the data received by the cell tower.
4. Maximize your battery life. Turn off everything you don’t need including apps, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Also, keep your phone warm. If it’s cold, there’s a bigger drain on the battery.

A side not. Most rescue services do not charge for what they do. They don’t want people to hesitate calling for help because they’re worried about paying for it. They’d rather you err on the side of caution.

I learn things the hard way. Some years ago I was out in the wilds of Utah, at Hole in Rock in Grand Escalante Staircase over a hundred miles from the nearest paved road. My clutch began going out. There was no cell phone service. I managed to get in third gear, never able to shift, and drive 120 miles to safety and where I could get it repaired.

So, I bought a Satellite Text Messenger. I keep it in my Jeep all the time. I willingly pay the small monthly fee to keep it active. There are still many places in this country where you’ve can’t get a cell signal. This can be a life saver. In fact, I keep it clipped to the headrest of the passenger seat; in case I get in an accident and am trapped, I can get to it.

I also use Road ID when I go biking or hiking during the day. I set it so that if I become stationery for more than five minutes during the activity, it notifies the people I’ve put on it that I’ve stopped moving. As an extra benefit, one time I wiped out mountain biking and my phone went flying into the brush. I couldn’t find it. Until after five minutes it started the alert and I could locate it by the sound.

I also have a presentation on what to do if you’re lost, but that’s for another day.

Stay safe!