Death Valley National Park (CA)
Seriously Injured Woman Rescued From Darwin Canyon

Rangers Steven Powell and Rachel Brady were on patrol in Darwin Canyon around 3:30 p.m. on the afternoon of April 13th when they heard a woman shouting for help. They quickly located the 58-year-old woman above Lower Darwin Falls and found that she was suffering an angulated compound fracture to her right ankle and a probable tibia fracture to her left leg. She also had no circulation sensation or motor function (CSM) in her right foot. At the falls, Darwin Canyon is 600 feet deep and 75 feet wide and has no radio communications. Brady made a mile-and-a-half hike to get to a point where he could make radio contact while Powell cared for the woman. Ranger Mike Nattrass assumed incident command and arranged for a California Highway Patrol helicopter with a hoist to fly to the site. Meanwhile, Powell was able to reestablish CSM’s in the woman’s right foot. A CHP helicopter with a crew of three arrived around 6:30 p.m., navigated into the 75-foot-wide section of the canyon, and lowered a flight paramedic to assist rangers in preparing the woman for the hoist. She was lifted out just before nightfall and flown to Southern Inyo Hospital for further treatment and evaluation. Park staff have commended the actions of the CHP crew, who displayed extraordinary flying skills in less than favorable conditions.

This story is definitely reason to change one's mind about cell phone coverage....

B

Another thing to remember: if you are hurt and need help, try 911 on your cellphone even if it shows no coverage. In 911 mode the phone will try to connect to any carrier it can.

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eeek
Another thing to remember: if you are hurt and need help, try 911 on your cellphone even if it shows no coverage. In 911 mode the phone will try to connect to any carrier it can.

good thing to know; I have usually just noticed the "no service", and tossed my phone in the car and hiked without it.

B

I have heard that even cells without authorized coverage or after contracts have expired will work in 911 mode. Any truth to that? If so, might be a good think to take that crappy old phone rather than the new G3.

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

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Frank Furter
I have heard that even cells without authorized coverage or after contracts have expired will work in 911 mode. Any truth to that? If so, might be a good think to take that crappy old phone rather than the new G3.

If the cell phone company de-activates the SIM card, you are lessening your chances of a completed call. Rather than tossing the dice as to whether your live or die 911 works because you chinsed on phone service, the better approach would be take your SIM out of your good phone, and perhaps use it in a lesser phone.

B

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Frank Furter
I have heard that even cells without authorized coverage or after contracts have expired will work in 911 mode. Any truth to that?

Yes!

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eeek

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Frank Furter
I have heard that even cells without authorized coverage or after contracts have expired will work in 911 mode. Any truth to that?

Yes!

(not trying to be argumentative, but....)

Is this a consistant status, or some kind of law, that the phones must be able to dial 911 even after expiration?

(I know, just 'cause I haven't heard of it doesn't make it not so)

B

It's federal law.

Found this:

"FCC requirements state that ALL cell phones, regardless of status of service (or even the lack of service) must be able to dial 911."

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eeek
Found this:

"FCC requirements state that ALL cell phones, regardless of status of service (or even the lack of service) must be able to dial 911."

Thank you

This has been covered before, but it is an important topic, so it's worth repeating.

It is a good idea to bring a cell phone, even when you do not expect cell coverage. Leave it turned off until needed to preserve the battery. Cell phones use more power when the base station is far away.

You can be surprised where you will get cell coverage, too. I have seen people using them at Elizabeth Lake, for example.

The sure way to get emergency help is with a satellite-based device. The SPOT is probably the best deal right now. It is available at REI and elsewhere. There is an annual subscription fee. This works anywhere you can get a clear view of the sky.

CB radio or amateur (ham) radio is another alternative. It's less reliable than a satellite device, but it can work for you.

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RobE
This has been covered before, but it is an important topic, so it's worth repeating.

It is a good idea to bring a cell phone, even when you do not expect cell coverage. Leave it turned off until needed to preserve the battery. Cell phones use more power when the base station is far away.

You can be surprised where you will get cell coverage, too. I have seen people using them at Elizabeth Lake, for example.

The sure way to get emergency help is with a satellite-based device. The SPOT is probably the best deal right now. It is available at REI and elsewhere. There is an annual subscription fee. This works anywhere you can get a clear view of the sky.

CB radio or amateur (ham) radio is another alternative. It's less reliable than a satellite device, but it can work for you.

thanks for this re-tread. Some of us arrived a little late to the party and missed a bunch of details. All good info for me.

B