San Francisco, CA
San Francisco firefighters credit mobile technology in Fort Funston rescue
Cellphone helps San Francisco firefighters rescue girl
Firefighters in San Francisco are crediting cellular expertise for a rescue. It is a piece of expertise all of us stroll round with on daily basis, and now first responders are utilizing cellular expertise to make them individuals who need assistance.
SAN FRANCISCO – Firefighters in San Francisco are crediting cellular expertise for a rescue. It is a piece of expertise that most individuals stroll round with on daily basis, and now first responders are utilizing it to make them individuals who need assistance.
Fort Funston in San Francisco is a wonderful place to hike, however after darkish, it could possibly get disorienting. That is apparently what occurred to a girl Wednesday evening.
San Francisco fireplace crews mentioned the lady referred to as a non-emergency quantity saying she was misplaced. Dispatchers have been ready to make use of a system referred to as Fast SOS, which pinged her telephone, and led rescuers proper to her location.
She was discovered chilly, however in any other case OK.
Battalion Chief Glenn Kircher says it seems all the things labored precisely the way in which it ought to have.
“That is the place expertise works in our favor, and it labored completely,” mentioned Kircher.
The system solely works if a caller contacts dispatchers both by 911 or a non-emergency name.
“It does not matter if it is an iPhone, and Android, any mobile phone will principally choose up the ping,” mentioned Kircher.
That pinged location is then relayed to rescuers who’re making an attempt to get to the sufferer, even displaying up on rescuers’ telephones and highlighting a route.
“So long as it will get a sign and you may make a name out we will discover you.” mentioned Kircher.
Hikers at Fort Funston say the expertise is a welcome final resort.
“I might see how somebody might get misplaced or not discover their manner out simply, and to know that you would perhaps get pinged to be discovered that will make me really feel higher,” mentioned Liz Moore. “Particularly if I used to be out right here on my own.”
The system solely works when the caller agrees to permit their telephone to be pinged, and even then it doesn’t actively monitor the telephone.
As an alternative, it pings the telephone’s location at the moment, and if somebody is misplaced, they’re instructed to remain at that actual location for rescuers to search out them.
“One-hundred % that is what we’d like you to do for probably the most half. And belief, as soon as we ping you we’re coming, you will hear the sirens, you will hear us shifting round,” mentioned Battalion Chief Kircher. “Once more, the principle a part of all that is it’s a must to keep in that location.”
With heat climate, the weekend, and Labor Day proper across the nook, rescuers say anybody mountaineering ought to observe a number of common sense easy ideas.
Initially: Stick with the paths, San Francisco rescuers say greater than 90% of their rescues are for individuals who go away the paths and paths. Cease alongside the way in which to search for landmarks so you’ll be able to describe the place you’re if you’ll want to, and at last preserve your telephone helpful to name for assist while you want it.