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Emergency management
people are urging people to
store the word ICE in their
mobile phone address books,
then enter the number of the
person to contact in case of
emergency.. Click on the logo
for more information.
people are urging people to
store the word ICE in their
mobile phone address books,
then enter the number of the
person to contact in case of
emergency.. Click on the logo
for more information.
Click on the NOAA logo above for South Dakota
specific weather information.
specific weather information.
National
Center for
Missing and
Exploited
Children.
Center for
Missing and
Exploited
Children.
Be Ready South Dakota!
Open this website for
information on how you
can be ready for
disasters.
Open this website for
information on how you
can be ready for
disasters.
South Dakota Office of Emergency Management. Open
this website for South Dakota emergency information
and training opportunities.
this website for South Dakota emergency information
and training opportunities.
Brookings County, South
Dakota Community
Emergency Response Team
information.
Dakota Community
Emergency Response Team
information.
Traveling in South Dakota?
Access TravelSD Travel Planner
for information and maps.
Access TravelSD Travel Planner
for information and maps.
Serving Brookings and surrounding counties, assisting authorities
in Search and Rescue operations..."so that others may live...."
in Search and Rescue operations..."so that others may live...."
August, 2008
Should you set your Cell Phone to Location?
For cell phones to work they must have regular contact with cell towers, so when
turned on, they emit signals or "pings" to nearby cell towers every few minutes in
order to keep contact with the wireless network. Cell phone "pings" can narrow
down the search area to the coverage of a particular cell tower, which may
encompass many miles in a circle around the tower.
Most cell phone companies keep records of all phone calls from a cell phone
and also a limited number of recent location pings. Ping histories or phone
records can only be subpoenaed by law enforcement agencies.
Law Enforcement and Search Managers have used cell phone records to help
locate missing persons and narrow the search area for those who have had car
accidents or those lost in the wilderness.
If a cell phone user was to call 911, most cell phones manufactured in the last
few years have GPS capabilities and can use signals from the Global Positioning
System satellites to help estimate their location. When calling 911, the call is
routed to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) which is usually the local or
county police, fire department or rescue services. Most counties have the
"Enhanced 911" system where they can use GPS information transmitted by a
caller's cell phone to narrow down the search area.
If the cell phone user is hurt, sleeping, unconscious or otherwise unable to use
their cell phone, the cell phone must be turned on in order for it to continue
sending "pings" to the nearest cell tower. The "Location On" setting on your cell
phones may only enable your cell phone companies Navigation system. Only
calling 911 will enable searchers to locate missing people.
NOTE: All of this varies depending on the model of your cell phone, your
wireless provider, what equipment is available, where you are calling from and
atmospheric conditions.
IN SUMMARY: If you find yourself lost, even if you don't have a signal, power up
your phone periodically and leave it on for a few minutes in order for it to send
out pings to the nearest cell phone tower. The record of those pings will help
searchers narrow down the area of where to look for you.
Sandy
Reference: "I Ping the Body Electric" by Barbara Mikkelson
For cell phones to work they must have regular contact with cell towers, so when
turned on, they emit signals or "pings" to nearby cell towers every few minutes in
order to keep contact with the wireless network. Cell phone "pings" can narrow
down the search area to the coverage of a particular cell tower, which may
encompass many miles in a circle around the tower.
Most cell phone companies keep records of all phone calls from a cell phone
and also a limited number of recent location pings. Ping histories or phone
records can only be subpoenaed by law enforcement agencies.
Law Enforcement and Search Managers have used cell phone records to help
locate missing persons and narrow the search area for those who have had car
accidents or those lost in the wilderness.
If a cell phone user was to call 911, most cell phones manufactured in the last
few years have GPS capabilities and can use signals from the Global Positioning
System satellites to help estimate their location. When calling 911, the call is
routed to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) which is usually the local or
county police, fire department or rescue services. Most counties have the
"Enhanced 911" system where they can use GPS information transmitted by a
caller's cell phone to narrow down the search area.
If the cell phone user is hurt, sleeping, unconscious or otherwise unable to use
their cell phone, the cell phone must be turned on in order for it to continue
sending "pings" to the nearest cell tower. The "Location On" setting on your cell
phones may only enable your cell phone companies Navigation system. Only
calling 911 will enable searchers to locate missing people.
NOTE: All of this varies depending on the model of your cell phone, your
wireless provider, what equipment is available, where you are calling from and
atmospheric conditions.
IN SUMMARY: If you find yourself lost, even if you don't have a signal, power up
your phone periodically and leave it on for a few minutes in order for it to send
out pings to the nearest cell phone tower. The record of those pings will help
searchers narrow down the area of where to look for you.
Sandy
Reference: "I Ping the Body Electric" by Barbara Mikkelson
