Do helicopters ever find lost hikers in NH?

[bikehikeskifish]

Flashing is definitely more eye-catching than steady. I always put "Mr. Blinky" (the red light on the rear of my bicycle) on blink mode. It differentiates me from cars.

A simple flashing pattern is a good enough signal - does not need to be SOS per se.

My question was more along the lines of "is it effective?" Are they bright enough? Don't seem so to me, but maybe if it was really dark.

Tim

 

[MichaelJ]

Yes on flash mode. I've used it when walking snowmobile roads/trails in the dark at the start or end of a hike. Pointed the headlamp backwards on my head with it flashing so that any snowmobilers who came up from behind us would see us more easily.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Pointed the headlamp backwards on my head with it flashing so that any snowmobilers who came up from behind us would see us more easily.

That's like Mr. Blinkey on the back of my bike - and a good idea. I'm wondering if a helicopter would see it and thus is it effective, i.e., should I save the batteries and use them at a different time.

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

Yes on flash mode. I've used it when walking snowmobile roads/trails in the dark at the start or end of a hike. Pointed the headlamp backwards on my head with it flashing so that any snowmobilers who came up from behind us would see us more easily.

Make sure you put a red filter on it...
(No, don't actually put a red filter on it--it will reduce the light's visibility.)

A bit of bike reflective tape can do the same thing. If your headlamp's battery pack is on the back of your head, put a bit of stick-on reflector on the battery pack. It also helps those behind you keep track of you at night. One can also get reflective velcro straps which you can place on your arms or pack. (Also good for night road-walks.) Both are available at bike supply stores.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

That's like Mr. Blinkey on the back of my bike - and a good idea. I'm wondering if a helicopter would see it and thus is it effective, i.e., should I save the batteries and use them at a different time.

Trade-offs:
* The batteries will last longer in blinking mode, but I don't know if it is more visible in a mountain rescue situation. Blinking might distinguish a victim's light from other lights. (An SOS flash would clearly identify an emergency, unlike a regular flash.)
* One's batteries will last longer if one waits until he hears the helicopter before turning the light on, but one may not be able to hear the helicopter at a distance in the wind.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

Flashing is definitely more eye-catching than steady. I always put "Mr. Blinky" (the red light on the rear of my bicycle) on blink mode. It differentiates me from cars.

In an urban context, yes. However, in a wilderness rescue context, one only needs to distinguish light from dark.

I don't know if blinking would be more visible than steady in a wilderness rescue context. (High intensity flashes are used on nautical rescue beacons, but that may be to increase the battery lifetimes.)

Doug

 

[erugs]

I watched a blinking light descending the Grand Teton to the Lower Saddle on my night there a few years back. The blinking definitely caught my attention. But the guide standing beside me in the cool summer night was watching but seemed not to be concerned. Me, my heart was pounding with fear for the person in need! George, the Exum guide, must have known what I did not, that the light was not really "blinking" but that a nighttime climber was just moving his head back and forth as he was making his way down the route. (My memory is that the light was red, but I might be mistaken about that.) We watched as he arrived at camp, then passed on by, continuing on his way.

 

[DougPaul]

the light was not erally "blinking" but that a nighttime climber was just moving his head back and forth as he was making his way down the route.

You have to distinguish between the regular blinking of a light in blink mode and the effects of motion. Moving through trees can, of course, also create a blinking effect. An emergency light will likely stay in one position or move very slowly.

Doug

 

[erugs]

You have to distinguish between the regular blinking of a light in blink mode and the effects of motion. Moving through trees can, of course, also create a blinking effect. An emergency light will likely stay in one position or move very slowly.

Doug

True, but this blinking was steady, with the climber looking left, then right and he was stepping down. No trees at that elevation. Also, a person who didn't have a light with blink mode might be hand signalling, which would probably not be a steady rate, especially if they were in an emergency situation.

 

[mtnpa]

Anything (reasonable) that makes your footprint bigger, is better for you and the rescuers.

I saw a presentation by a helicopter pilot on Night Vision Goggles.
He claimed that with the goggles one can see a cigarette being lit nearly a mile away.

Fire=good

 

[RoySwkr]

Much of the time a helicopter is employed in New England for actual searching, not evacuating, there isn't going to be a charge because it's a military helicopter.
...
The case that has attracted all the attention here ran up a huge bill because an out-of-state private contractor had to be hired when another helicopter was not available.

I guess it's the "had to be hired" that I'm questioning. Surely if a helicopter is available for free, it should be used. But if it's expensive, given their poor record of finding anybody the state should practice toughlove and say no.

 

[RoySwkr]

but even if helicopters have a 30% POD they can cover very large swathes of area.

I would suggest that anyone who knows they are the subject of a search, assume that an aircraft may be in use. You already should not be moving because you know you are lost.

Sure a helicopter can cover more area, but since they have found less than 1% of lost hikers in NH even after their multiple passes their actual POD is more like .0001%. POD for an individual ground searcher is also low but they're a lot cheaper particularly if volunteer.

The advice to make yourself visible to aircraft is excellent, this may include tossing something bright over a tree branch when stopped or leaving arrows in open areas if you are moving. A while back there was a note on whether a lost hiker should stay put, go downhill to road, or go uphill for better cell coverage with no firm answer. Certainly in the recent case, the guy was found sooner by walking himself out and the expensive helicopter was of no use at all.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Sure a helicopter can cover more area, but since they have found less than 1% of lost hikers in NH even after their multiple passes their actual POD is more like .0001%. POD for an individual ground searcher is also low but they're a lot cheaper particularly if volunteer.

The advice to make yourself visible to aircraft is excellent, this may include tossing something bright over a tree branch when stopped or leaving arrows in open areas if you are moving. A while back there was a note on whether a lost hiker should stay put, go downhill to road, or go uphill for better cell coverage with no firm answer. Certainly in the recent case, the guy was found sooner by walking himself out and the expensive helicopter was of no use at all.

That may not be exactly correct.


We would need to know if in every instance the area that they had the helicopter search, the subject was there at that time. I do agree with you though that 30% is usually a high figure for Helicopters more typical of areas out west. It was just an example. The effort expended by the helicopter is what allows it to search areas multiple times regardless of how difficult the terrain is.

But, night searches with FLIR and NVD's and the use of a ground laser or very visible ground fires would make significant differences. One is good, two is better but three small ones are best, again, increasing your footprint. Day searches with the subject able to generate signal flashes or smudge signals will greatly increase the effectiveness of aircraft as well.

If the helicopter is being used to search alpine areas I would think that the POD could be around 30%. But the subject would need to actually be in that area.

NVD's are very effective in the infrared range. They even use IR sources to help illuminate areas when there is no ambient light. IR sources are very, very visible at very long distances. I have personally seen tanks illuminate their targets with IR searchlights at distances of well over a mile. At that was with second gen NVD’s. I have seen small IR sources like cigarettes at long distances also but I can’t say I have seen them a mile away. When I was in I was doing everything I could to stay hidden, not trying to be seen.

FLIR (forward looking infrared) came about because of the militaries need to generate no radiation at all on the battlefield and still be able to see at night. The Starlights (NVD’s) needed IR illuminators in total darkness as did the old IR systems that also used large IR illuminators. Not healthy on the battlefield.

Even the thermal imagers that Fire departments use can be used in a search role fairly effectively.

EDIT: I should also point out that it isn't always an intention to find something or someone. It is sometimes the intention to exclude an area (low POA) from needing to be searched by limited ground resources.


Just my thoughts.
Keith