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Spot’ M.O.B. With New 9-1-1 Button |
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Written by Alex Morton
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 When it comes to positioning, there are two sides to staying safe while
boating. The first is knowing where you are—and that’s pretty well
covered if you’ve got a working GPS and a chart.
 When it comes to positioning, there are two sides to staying safe while boating. The first is knowing where you are—and that’s pretty well covered if you’ve got a working GPS and a chart. The second, and equally as important, is the ability to instantly and easily inform others of your location, especially in an emergency situation. For most crew overboard safety devices, that’s been the missing part of the equation; cell phones are often out of workable range, radio signals sometimes don’t get through and, in an emergency situation, complications can arise. What boaters have needed for a long time is an affordable 9-1-1 button that instantly gives position and status and calls in the cavalry.
A recently introduced product, called Spot, provides exactly that—and a lot more. Spot is a handheld device that uses both the GPS satellite network to determine a boater’s location and Spot’s own network to instantly transmit that information to friends, family and, if necessary, an emergency rescue centre.
For non-emergency situations, when a boater simply wants to inform friends and family of her location, Spot can be used to send a message containing the vessel’s position to display on Google Maps.
Four distinct functions allow users to choose the type of message sent, and to whom. “Alert 9-1-1” automatically dispatches emergency responders to the exact location. Spot sends GPS coordinates to a GEOS emergency response centre every five minutes, allowing boaters to keep moving if necessary; emergency responders are then updated with the last known location. “Ask for Help” allows users to request help from friends and family in the local vicinity. “Check In” lets contacts know where you are and that you’re fine. “Track Progress” sends and saves your location and allows contacts to track your progress using Google Maps.
The product has already been instrumental in the rescue of a Canadian kayaker from Nanaimo who was attempting to circumnavigate Tasmania. When his kayak capsized in rough seas and he became stranded on an offshore reef, he used Spot to send his exact GPS coordinates and a 9-1-1 distress message to emergency responders, who rescued him within an hour.
The suggested price for the hardware device is $169.99; plus, there’s a subscription fee of $99 a year. For direct purchase or additional information, visit www.findmespot.com. —Alex Morton
North American Safe Boating Awareness Week: May 17–23
A study released in 2007 by the Canadian Red Cross states that 5,900 people died from drowning and water-related injuries—and 3,500+ more were hospitalized for near drownings—between 1991 and 2000. The majority of drowning victims were male, and most of these deaths and near deaths were preventable.
There are 150–200 recreational boating fatalities in Canada each year. For Canadians 15 years and older, alcohol was associated with 40% of drowning deaths. However, this could be as high as 65%, as the presence of alcohol was unknown in 25 percent of the cases.
Lack of adult supervision is a factor in most child drownings. Dr. Joan Shook, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, says that even children who seem to be fine after a near drowning incident may have subtle but permanent brain damage. The lesson? Prevention is the key!
A recent study in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism says that 60% of people who tried to swim to shore, or a dry refuge, survived. Only 30% of those who chose to stay with their boat survived. In the study, the average person swam for 47 minutes, or 800–1,500 metres, before incapacitation.
Learn more about “enhancing the safety of the recreational boating experience” at the National Safe Boating Council website, www.safeboatingcouncil.org. —Lana Holmes
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