InReach SOS by mistake!!

[87TT]

You don't have to move the slide. Just press and hold the SOS button. I carry mine facing the side on my Bino harness with a velcro strap through a loop on the harness.

 

[akcabin]

I had my phone set it off. I was out freighting supplies for our cabin with a snogo. No cell service. I was headed home and got into phone service and my phone went off. It was a message from the ak state troopers. Asking if I was OK. Called them back and told them Thank You for being heros

 

[AKDoc]

You don't have to move the slide. Just press and hold the SOS button..

That's interesting...I didn't think it worked that way. Have others also noticed this?

I've carried and texted with my inReach Explorer for probably eight years. Fortunately have never had to use the SOS feature...nor an accidental activation. Mine has the slide feature adjacent to the SOS button, and I always thought that the slide locked the SOS button from being accidentally pushed and activated. That is, you must first move the slide to the other position and then push the SOS button. Otherwise, why have the slide locking feature?

BTW...I truly value my inReach Explorer.

 

[johnw]

Yeah in 2018, on the older device one way or another it became unlocked and the SOS was pressed several times over the course of an hour while I was hiking. I got cell service at the top of a mountain and my phone started ringing...first local response and second my wife (pregnant at the time) who was the emergency contact. That promptly ended my hunting day...glad to know it worked and I am certainly more cautious now (managed through the app so hardly ever touch the actual device besides charging it).

 

[MThuntr]

A coworker did it on one of the older SPOT devices. He had no idea. Walked around all day and when he got back to the trailhead there was a crew from the local SAR. They asked if he had seen anyone back there and he said nope just me. No other truck was there so they all put 2 and 2 together. He got an ass chewing for not following his check-in protocol at lunch. Nothing came of the incident but now a most devices require two steps before sending emergency and the buttons are protected.

 

[Jethro]

@cnelk were you able to see/confirm when the SOS officially got cancelled? Was inreach in your pack or clipped to the outside?

 

[dreamingWest]

I had this happen a few years ago. I was packing up camp near the Bob. My Delorme inReach was hanging from a clothes line so I could chat with my wife via phone app while I packed. I still don't know how the SOS got activated, but I have to believe the fault was my phone in my sweaty pocket.

Luckily I looked at my messages in time to respond to both my wife and emergency services and cancel the SOS. Apparently the helo in Kalispell was already spinning up.

 

[7mm-08]

This is a design feature. When the inReach is off, all you have to do is press and hold the SOS button. It turns the unit on and sends the SOS on confirm.

This is one way to make the battery last a very very long time.

Thanks for this information - I never knew this.

 

[505Wapiti]

I’m sorry for the family and friends who received the message. Horrible. Sh!t happens and I appreciate this post so I’m aware of and more consciousness of storing my in reach to avoid this design flaw.

Personally, I don’t see this as a design flaw but rather an added safety feature. If the crap hits the fan in a bad way it’s nice to know you don’t have to go through a bunch of added steps of powering on, etc., to send an SOS. Good to know now that I can keep it off and extend battery when needed but still be a click away from help.

 

[wyosteve]

A hunting buddy had similar happen when his daughter accidentally hit the 911 button on her iPhone. Sheriff showed up wondering what was going on.

 

[mntnguide]

Yep, buddy had it happen this winter while we were snowmobiling. Inreach was in his pack and somehow the SOS button got pressed...needless to say his wife thought we were in an avy, and cops showed up to the trailhead. But luckily we were on our way to the trailhead when it happened and he got things figured out pretty quick before search and rescue got involved....They did tell us though, the new apple phones with their fancy new accident detecting software had already caused a couple dozen false alarms in the backcountry this past winter for search and rescue calls. if those phones feel any sudden violent motion, such as jumping on a snowmobile etc, they think you are in an accident. So, if you have one of those phones, you might want to turn that feature off

 

[Gunnersdad49]

 

[WiscoHoundsman]

Good to know this can happen. Might help some people from some false alarms. My garmin alpha 200i has a little cover over the button but I wonder if it could still get lifted and pressed.

 

[Jacack]

I had it happen in nm. Heard a atv off in the distance and some faint yelling. Figured someone was lost so I moved a mile or so away. Wasn't too long and I heard the atv abs yelling again. Now I am pissed my afternoon hunt is screwed up so I hike out to my truck and find a fish and game truck parked next to mine and I can hear his radio in the truck and hear my name and I realize what's going on and dig in my pack and find mine had sent a sos.

I felt like a moron when the two sar guys and fish and game returned.

Had to hike up to get cell service to tell my wife I was ok. Seriously felt bad those guys had chased me all afternoon.

I told them they needed a mega phone. I could hear them but couldn't understand what they were saying.

 

[Brontosaurus]

Another reason zoleo is better!

 

[cnelk]

I’ve since wondered if a person would be liable for SAR response

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I’ve since wondered if a person would be liable for SAR response

In Colorado, with a few exceptions, there is no charge for SAR. The thought behind this is it may delay the initial call for help and lead to more less desirable outcomes.

 

[Brando']

I sit on my pack too. Now I’m gonna think about where I store the inreach

 

[87TT]

I sit on my pack too. Now I’m gonna think about where I store the inreach

Yeah, I have enough to worry about not smashing my lunch.

 

[MallardSX2]

20 years ago, I went to turn my friend's truck around and I moved the rearview mirror and all of the sudden 911 was on the car speakers.

911: "Its 911 what's your emergency?"

ME: "Who?! How on earth did you get on my radio?!"

911: "Sir you pressed the emergency button in your truck."

ME: "I didn't press a button and I don't have an emergency. I don't even have a cell phone, so I don't know how you're even talking to me."

My buddy got in the truck and said "Who are you talking to?!" I said "911. Somehow, they came over your speakers."

He then told me that I needed to stop living under a rock.

Turns out I had pressed the sos button on his rearview that I had 0 clue was there. lol