23/06/2025
🆘️🚑What if you need to call for rescue?🚁🆘️
A bit over a week ago in Sweden at the Global Bushcraft Symposium, I’ve listened to a few lectures. Also from guys that are working with the Swedish Search and Rescue. Really interesting considering the work I do, but it also got me thinking about an event last year in Norway where I had to call for help. We needed a helicopter, but it only came after waiting about 5,5 hours in rainy conditions. Even if you’re not doing so much adventures like me, if you are travelling in areas that are hard to reach by vehicles, this could be interesting to read and think about. One word that is the most important to me, and that is self-reliance. I will come back to that later.
So what if a helicopter comes, or maybe doesn’t come? Often people think that if you call for help, they will come for you within half an hour. But it doesn’t always work out like that. Especially not in the mountains or in the backcountry.
There are multiple things that you need to think about. First of all, communication. To reach for help, you need to communicate to the emergency services. You don’t have to be far from home to lose cellphone reception. Have (local) emergency numbers in your phone and carry a second way of communication if you suspect poor network coverage. Like a satellite phone or garmin inreach. And know how to work with them.
Second, you need to be able to share your position. Often if you call with your cellphone, the emergency services can locate where you are calling from. If you can’t call with a cellphone, but for example with a satellite phone, you need to be able to share your position by sharing you coordinates. A garmin inreach for example sends your location automatically, but you can’t have a decent conversations/dialogue with it. For example to quickly tell something about the description of the victim, his/her injury, situation of your group and your surroundings or possible landing site.
Third, you need something to make yourself visible. Wear bright colors, (or carry a special signalling panel for that purpose), use a flashlight or use a signalling mirror for example. Especially in poor whether or thick forrest, you are hard to spot.
But, they don’t always come. Not right away at least. Helicopter rescue is dangerous in itself, so sometimes they choose not to do that. For example if it’s too dangerous to fly. Like with harsh weather or poor visibility. The major reason we had to wait 5,5 hours last year.
So what was the most important thing to me I would come back to? Right: self-reliance. Know your body, know your skills and carry the proper (amount of) gear. Going fast and light is super cool, but you are in trouble when something happens or when the weather changes. Always carry some kind of (emergency) shelter, enough (extra) layers, a headtorch and have plenty of water and food. Be prepared and be able to sit through a difficult situation of you need to.
Stay safe a have a great summer!
