Anyone venturing into the wilderness should leave a detailed tour plan with a reliable contact who will contact emergency services if they have not returned on schedule. Here’s a great idea – a free service called ‘ShouldBeBack.com’.
Here’s how it works:
- Create a trip with an interactive map and provide information for your emergency contacts.
- ShouldBeBack.com sends a text to your phone at the time you’ve set that would indicate you are late returning from your trip.
- If you reply “back” to this text ShouldBeBack.com stops texting you about this trip..
- If you are in trouble or danger the reply “help” signals immediate text and email messages to your emergency contacts from ShouldBeBack.com.
- If you do not reply to the first text, a second text is sent to you.
- If you don’t reply to the second text message a third text and email is simultaneously sent to you and your emergency contacts to let them know you are late. The email contains information about your trip that your emergency contacts can use to alert the authorities that you are late.
ShouldBeBack.com does not contact emergency services directly so provide enough information so your contacts can tell where you were travelling and who to contact in an emergency. The service currently covers the U.S. only.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Cool service! I think I’ll try using it on our next outing.
Clarke
Would you be using this as an individual on the trail, or as a scout leader. As an individual I can see the point, but as a scout leader we have to follow policy.
In the UK we have something called the Home Contact system which is encompasses within something we call in touch.
Our POR (Policy, Organisation and Rules) document governs that we must put into place an In Touch procedure before taking part in a scouting activity.
As part of that you would nominate a person who is not related to any member of the party to be your home contact. That person would have a complete route plan including escape routes, a role call list of all party members and understand the procedure
E.g. Hike should end at 16:00 and the leader will call the home contact if no communication has been made by the leader after 30 mins (depending on activity) the home contact should try an contact the leader. If they are unable to contact the leader they should contact the Group Scout Leader (if not in the party) and the District Comissioner. If no communication has been made by 45mins after finish time emergency services ( mountain rescue etc) should be contacted and route plan should be presented to them. The UK HQ will also be contacted a this point.
This varies dependant on the activities, terrain, time of year etc.
Do the BSA have something similar?
Yours In Scouting
K
Check out http://www.jabberng.co.uk
“Do the BSA have something similar?” Not that I know of and certainly not “nominate a person who is not related to any member of the party to be your home contact”. Our home contact is almost always a parent or group of parents of Scouts. We file a trip plan with our Council but there is never any contact or followup during or after the trip.
My Troop generally has a group of “base Campers” that are somewhere in the area of our treks. They watch the vehicles, coordinate transporting vehicles back and forth, provide water at stops, and pick us up at the end.
I tried ShouldBeBack.com today — NOT WORKING!
After setting up my personal info and emergency contacts, I tried to set up a trip report for a solo hike I will be doing today. DOES NOT WORK.
All I got was an error message saying ‘undefined’ ….
I think this is a great idea — but so far at lease, not working.