Nowadays, there are many innovative tools and solutions that help organizations such as law enforcement and first responders optimize their operations.
Technological advancements of all kinds have helped us, as society and individuals, to optimize many processes in a variety of fields. From the smallest tasks to more critical operations, technology has greatly contributed and, in many cases, became an essential tool for the proper functioning of various organizations.
When it comes to Search and Rescue, the same applies. There are many innovative systems and devices that can help optimize this type of operations and make a big difference in life-or-death situations.
Call-outs to Search and Rescue teams can emerge for many reasons: someone who got injured, someone who got lost or even someone who’s trapped and can’t continue the route. Whatever the situation may be, in cases like these, finding the person in need as soon as possible is vital for the success of the mission. And having the latest technology can help with this, providing rescue teams with the tools to quickly locate the victim.
Lower Saxony’s State Police Chief Axel Brockmann is aware of this and said that in this type of situations where the first hours are critical, “not only every second counts, but having the right technology”. The Lower Saxony Police Helicopter Squadron has been using our technology Lifeseeker to find missing people using their mobile phone’s location.
When the whereabouts of the victim is unknown, conventional SAR operations rely on a group of professionals and/or volunteers who sweep the area where the missing person is believed to be. Such tasks can take many hours, even days. Moreover, since people have to walk the area, they are dependent on the weather conditions; and sometimes even have to risk their own well-being when searching on hard-to-access zones.
Most SAR organizations have helicopters to sweep the search area, but this still has some limitations. Having an aeronautical technology such as Lifeseeker can help them locate the person much faster while optimizing their resources. Our system searches for the mobile phone to locate the missing person, providing the accurate geolocation to the SAR team.
Also, Lifeseeker acts as a communication relay, allowing rescue teams to communicate with the person via phone call or text message. This communication capability is very helpful not only for Search and Rescue missions, but during disaster relief operations. Authorities can send text messages to the cell phones in the area with directions, warnings or public safety information.
When it comes to saving lives, any tool that might help is important. Search and Rescue teams should take a look at the technology available and make sure they have everything they need to be as successful as possible.
