BajaNomad

Missing in Baja who do you call?

okiegumbo - 4-18-2019 at 06:35 AM

Family or friends fail to return home when expected who do you call? How long do you wait to push the panic button?

4x4abc - 4-18-2019 at 06:51 AM

that is why I gave up my sat phone - personal contacts are just too unreliable
Spot and inReach have pros at the desk 24/7

Hypothetical situation with Garmin in Reach

Howard - 4-18-2019 at 07:16 AM

I am out in my boat, say 5-30 miles off shore in Baja, say Loreto or Lopez Mateos and I have engine trouble that I cannot fix. No one is responding to my radio calls on channel 11 for help or any other #s. I know where I am due to my GPS.

I activate my Garmin by either hitting the SOS or Email, what does Garmin do at that point? Who do they contact first and then what is the chain of events for my rescue/tow?

Has anyone actually had this experience? I can see what the order of help would be if I was in the USA but would like to know the sequence of things that happen in Baja or anywhere else ion the world for that matter.

Inquiring minds need to know!

SAR Contacts

bajaguy - 4-18-2019 at 07:51 AM

The Navy is the SAR responsible agency for Mexico

In Baja, there are 3 SAR bases - Ensenada, San Felipe and Cabo San Lucas

The Navy will coordinate with the closest available assets to the incident such as:

Air Force
Army
Federal Police
State Police
Local authorities (police/fire/civil protection)

Ensenada area Contact: 066 or 911 or 011-52-646-172-4000 (if calling from the US)

Cabo area contact: (624) 105-1110 VHF Marine Band Radio: channel 16 general information: (624) 143-3397

San Felipe: 52 686 577 1590

PaulW - 4-18-2019 at 07:59 AM

Yup unless you have a satellite link a radio would be worthless. Radios are for local communication, not long distance. The persons going on long solo voyages use satellite phone or Sat radio for communication. Spot has limitations. inreach has less limitations.
If you hit SOS it bypasses Garmin or SPOT and goes to the the international S&R responders. Check you manual for details.
If you send an email then your best buddy may respond. Best to send the email to more than one person.

David K - 4-18-2019 at 10:48 AM

We know from past experiences here on Nomad that my Nomad friends first send out an emailed message from their inReach if they need help. Because inReach has 2-way communication, details are able to be shared in addition to confirmation that someone got your message.

Pappy Jon was broken down in Matomi Wash, he contacted me, I posted on Nomad, and PaulW came to his rescue.

The original Spot device only sends out its location and has pre-selected messages like 'need assistance' or the SOS.

Mike Younghusband and his burro Don Kay became stuck in a gully at the base of Mesa San Carlos with no way out, it seemed. I posted the maps of where his signal was and Baja Gringo (Ron) began his efforts to get to him. The fishermen at Puerto Santa Catarina eventually got them out, I think... but that part of the story was being saved for the book he was to write!

In the end, the inReach was a clear winner because it offered 2-way communication in addition to pre-selected messages and the map location/ tracking features. Spot has since come out with a 2-way communication model. The inReach uses the Iridium satellites and they cover the world much better.

My amigos with Spot have vanished in parts of Baja on their trips. TW was going to Abreojos from San Ignacio and his signal was not coming through for a while one trip.

For my many research trips and to create a GPS map of locations, Baja Bound got an inReach device for me to have. It was fantastic for me to know that if I needed anything, I could contact my friends here on Nomad as well as text with my wife. StuckSucks was one of my friends and if I was on a dead end road, he would message me. It was great fun and peace-of-mind to know I wasn't really alone when traveling solo.

The inReach works with your cell phone using the EarthMate ap so everybody in your phone directory of contacts (who you have text messaging or email) you can text or email with through the inReach satellite system.

Baja Linda and 'rob' at Playas Pacificas (Rancho La Aguja) invited me to visit during my Baja Bound mapping trips and were able to see where I was and direct to their gate. Linda had me show them the device and my phone when I arrived:



See the ocean view from their patio in the reflection?
www.playaspacificas.com

DawnPatrol - 4-18-2019 at 11:01 AM

I have an Iridium Extreme Sat Phone, where the emergency alert button ties directly in with GEOS Search & Rescue.
I just updated my phones firmware the other day, and the Iridiums now are pre-programmed to contact GEOS SAR (you have to then be a registered SAR member with GEOS).

If you are not a GEOS SAR member, you can program the phone for different Phone or Text message recipients.

I then tested the emergency alert with them (you have to get pre-approval) and it was basically an instantaneous response.
They verified how many satellites were reporting my phone signal and told me exactly where I was calling from.

If I ever have a dire emergency that's my first call for the ultimate response. Check GEOS out. They also have $1MM Family Medical EVAC available.

For lower levels of help I have the sat phone programmed in with various agencies, friends that are in the loop , and various people up and down Baja.

Alan from San Diego

AKgringo - 4-18-2019 at 11:44 AM

I believe that the OP was asking about how, and when to take action if someone you know is overdue and out of communication during a trip to Baja!

I am having the same thoughts right now since my long time friends (with over 40 years of Baja travels) are almost two weeks overdue. But then again, I have extended trips myself a few times!

Edit; My overdue friends showed up today!

[Edited on 4-19-2019 by AKgringo]

Alm - 4-18-2019 at 11:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
I believe that the OP was asking about how, and when to take action if someone you know is overdue and out of communication during a trip to Baja!

Yes. The question was not about sending a distress call FROM Baja. Amazing, isn't it...

Don Pisto - 4-18-2019 at 12:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by okiegumbo  
Family or friends fail to return home when expected who do you call? How long do you wait to push the panic button?


I think I'd start with a "anybody seen?" post on an appropriate facebook page.

bobrehfuss - 4-18-2019 at 01:57 PM

As far as who to call some of that info has been covered in this conversation and lots in other conversations.

As far as when to call I suppose it depends on what your relation to the missing party is. If your supposed to be keeping track of someone and they fail to contact you then at a predesignated point in time you should notify everyone that you can through every avenue you can I suppose.

In my solo travels at sea or in Baja I make specific arrangements with someone where I’m going (more or less), how long I’ll be gone, when I will contact them and how long to wait before contacting the appropriate people to come looking for me.

I hope your friends are safe and they have a great story to tell when they return.

Missing in Baja who do you call? Part 2

okiegumbo - 4-18-2019 at 02:36 PM

Lets's try this again. Missing person(s) have failed to return on time. You know they are off-roading in Baja. They have no means of communications. You have a vague itinerary. Who do you call? What organization or agency do you call? Phone numbers?

Family of missing persons has no internet experience nor do they speak Spanish.

Please save the lost stories for another time.

advrider - 4-18-2019 at 08:14 PM

I've thought about this many time! I think it would depend on what area they were in. I have made some Mexico contacts on here that I would use for sure. I would need someone to translate and have several friends that could take care of that task. Antonio at Baja cactus would be a good resource, a long with local law enforcement and military.
Others please chime in, this is just me thinking out loud! I would love to have a good solid plan in place.

PaulW - 4-19-2019 at 05:12 AM

It is done correctly all the time with variable results.
In the states call the local sheriff where your lost party is thought to be.
In Mexico - same except get in touch with the local police chief where your lost party is thought to be.
If that does not work then use media such as facebook and newspapers. This usually will encourage the police or sheriff to act.
Quote: Originally posted by okiegumbo  
Lets's try this again. Missing person(s) have failed to return on time. You know they are off-roading in Baja. They have no means of communications. You have a vague itinerary. Who do you call? What organization or agency do you call? Phone numbers?

Family of missing persons has no internet experience nor do they speak Spanish.

Please save the lost stories for another time.