SIGNAL FLARE DROP - For the lost to light at 9:11 PM
Rescue 9:11 PM !!!:
I called and described this rescue idea to Gerry Tiffany of Hood River Sheriff's Departmant on Thurday, 12/14/06. I asked him to pass the idea on to search and rescue personnel for evaluation. I haven't heard back from Gerry. Please "run with this" if you think it is viable. Please give me some feedback/ideas to make it a viable rescue technique.
Summary:
The lost need a way to signal. Road flares lit by the lost, on high ground, at 9:11 PM would be effective. Deliver a visible road flare bundle/streamer to the lost.
Details:
Drop 2-packs of road flares(unlit), with 250 foot long, red, plastic DANGER tape "tails", on a grid of 1000' by 1000'. Approximate cost per square mile is $200 for flares and red "DANGER" tape.
Lost climbers/hikers may see the air drop in progress because the flares(unlit) will have red, plastic, 250 foot long, "DANGER" tape "tails" attached(zip-ties). The lost can make their way to one or more flare packs and prepare to signal from high ground at 9:11 PM, as indicated on an attached info tag.
All airborne pilots/passengers and ground based viewers will aid in the search by looking for a signal flare(s) at 9:11 PM.
Perhaps "red" DANGER tape "tails" are best for snowfields/snow valleys. The lost could easily see this color on snow.
Perhaps "yellow" CAUTION tape "tails" are best for dropping into green wooded canyons. In wooded areas, the lost would likely find one or more of the flare packs, as the yellow tape would be vertical in the foliage(visible from ground) and horizontal across tree tops(visible from ridge tops).
The flares must be securely attached to the 250 foot long plastic DANGER tape to remain intact upon impact. The 250 long tail will act as a "streamer" and slow the fall of the flare bundle. The 250 foot long tail should be "stuff-sack" packed into a zip-loc bag to allow untangled unfurling after dropping from the plane.
A flying billboard message could read, "FLARE DROP", as the "noisy Cessna" air drops the flares. A local billboard flyer would probably volunteer his plane and time. This would inform the lost of the FLARE DROP.
Second, third, etc. flare bundles found by the lost could be used for heat, melting water, starting fires, etc.
One concern I have is a lot of "red tails" throwing off search and rescue personnel as false signs of the lost. But, if I was lost without a way to signal, I'd prefer seeing an organized flare drop and drag myself the 500' maximum to get a pair of flares. The red plastic DANGER tape could be made into a "Y" or "X" for aerial sighting
Future hikers/climbers could retrieve/dispose of flare bundles and "tails" to alleviate litter problems.
Materials are readily available. Walmart and Schucks for flares and Home Depot and Lowes for the DANGER and CAUTION tape.
AIR DROP TODAY and RESCUE TONIGHT???
Please evaluate this idea and pass it on to Hood River Sheriff's Department or Search and Rescue or Portland Mountain Rescue if you think it would work.
LET'S FIND THE PAIR!!
Thank you,
Dale Berg
