An interesting glimpse into the future when a walker taking part
in the TGO Challenge was rescued in Scotland thanks to a GPS-based
SPoT emergency location device.
Niels VIntner, a Danish walker, was taken ill in the Glen Etive
area, reportedly with acute stomach pains. Vintner was carrying a new
emergency location device which allows walkers to be tracked via
satellites and when he became ill, he pressed an emergency button
which alerted a control room in Houston, Texas.
His location as passed on to Scottish police in Fort William who
were able to provide RAF Kinloss with his precise position enabling
him to be picked up by helicopter and air-lifted to hospital in Fort
William.
It's the first time that one of the new SPOT emergency
transmitters has been activated in the UK, but the device - imported
into the UK by Adventure Trading Post - is being used by a number of
solo walkers in the long distance TGO Challenge walking event.
You can actually see the location of Vintner and other walkers
using the device via a live map on the company's web site at
www.adventuretradingpost.co.uk.
OM's routes and technology editor Dave Mycroft is trialling one of
the £149.95 SPoTs right now and will be reporting back shortly
with a full review, but you can't argue with a real world success
story.
More information about SPoT at www.adventuretradingpost.co.uk
Lix Toll
