A Girl Scout sustained a serious injury during a hike in a remote canyon in Southern California on June 22, 2023. The quick response of emergency services was made possible through a new direct-to-cell satellite service that allows users to contact 911 using their smartphones, even in areas lacking traditional cell coverage.
The incident occurred while a troop of seven teenage girls and their leaders were hiking in the rugged terrain of Los Padres National Forest, near Big Sur. While exploring the challenging environment of Pico Blanco, a 3,694-foot (1,126 meters) mountain, one girl fell and lost consciousness. Without the recently available satellite emergency messaging service, the outcome could have been dire.
Innovative Technology Facilitates Rescue
Since late 2022, owners of the latest iPhones have been able to send emergency texts to 911 via satellites orbiting the Earth. This advanced service, which automatically shares the caller’s precise location, became widely available earlier this year after T-Mobile launched its text-to-911 service in collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. This technology enables all smartphones less than four years old to access emergency services without the need for specialized antennas.
John Snapp, vice president of technology at Intrado, which developed the infrastructure for this service, explained the significance of the technology. “In the past, they would have to send somebody to hike out and find a spot with regular terrestrial signal and hope that they would find their way back and guide the rescue team there,” he said.
The Emergency Call Relay Center (ECRC), operated by Intrado, played a crucial role in handling the 911 text message sent by the Girl Scout leaders. According to Jason Davis, the ECRC Manager, pinpointing the location of callers in remote areas has traditionally been a challenge. “When people are lost in remote areas with no knowledge of their location and cellular coverage is too weak for standard communication, identifying a 911 caller becomes extraordinarily challenging,” Davis noted.
The Impact of Satellite Communication
The rugged landscape of the Los Padres National Forest often leaves visitors without any cellular coverage. Even though this park attracts millions of visitors annually, once individuals venture away from main roads, they quickly lose access to standard communication lines. In this case, satellite technology proved to be vital.
The ECRC team was able to identify the caller’s exact location immediately, allowing them to coordinate with local first responders without delay. Within minutes, the first helicopter was dispatched to retrieve the injured Girl Scout, and a second helicopter arrived about an hour later to bring the rest of the troop to safety.
Snapp highlighted that terrestrial cellular networks cover only about 80% of the U.S. territory. The remaining 20% includes areas like Los Padres National Forest, which were previously off-grid regarding cellular connectivity.
“Without satellite-enabled communication and precise location identification, this rescue could have stretched from hours into days, requiring extensive search teams and additional resources to locate the missing hikers,” Snapp explained.
The satellite emergency messaging service is also being integrated into the next-generation 911 (NG911) system across the United States. This system allows individuals in distress to send text messages rather than making voice calls, further modernizing emergency response.
The success of this rescue operation is a testament to the importance of innovative technology in enhancing public safety. Companies like Starlink, which aims to provide broadband connectivity to remote areas globally, have made significant strides in this field. Currently, Starlink operates around 8,000 satellites, with over 500 dedicated to enabling direct-to-cell text messaging.
As satellite operators like Vodafone and AT&T continue to explore partnerships to offer 4G and 5G connectivity through satellite, the landscape of emergency communication is changing. “The important thing is that these services now work completely seamlessly on the phone,” Snapp remarked. “The satellite is like just another cell tower, only in space, and the phone is constantly looking for a cell site to connect with.”
This new technology is expected to be a game changer, not only for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts but also for mariners operating in international waters, which are beyond the reach of cell towers. The advancement in satellite communication holds the promise of improving safety and response times for those venturing into remote areas.
