GPS Owners & Gun Clubs...

[bogie]

Just a reminder, but a lot of gun clubs are in very rural areas, and may pose a problem for ambulance drivers in the event of a serious illness or injury.

If you own a GPS, stop by your club, and then put the info on a sign next to any telephones, so that the info can be given to dispatchers, drivers, and/or helicopter pilots.

 

[TarpleyG]

Well, I don't know where you hail from but I am in the boating capital of the world and I cannot walk out of my office and find more than two other people that even know what coordinates are, much less navigate to them. I sail, a lot. I navigate, a lot. Most people do not, and don't care.

Good idea in theory. I just have to wonder if it'll benefit.

GT

 

[Billy Sparks]

Speaking as a "ambulance driver" if they give me GPS directions over the radio that is going to be pretty close to useless.

 

[cordex]

More important for airlift than ambulance, I think. Pretty sure most LifeLine helicopters have GPS receivers.

 

[Bravo11]

Sparks makes a good point about ambulance drivers can't use GPS coords and I don't know why.
The cost of in-vehicle GPS units are very reasonable and GPS technology exists where a dispatcher could download coords direct to ambulance and the drivers can view the route on a map screen on the dash. I believe the trucking industry is using something like this now.
I've also heard that next generation cell phones will incorporate GPS for locating 911 calls.

 

[bogie]

Er... GPS coords are basically the same things that you use if you have any sort of decent printed map. This way instead of the ambulance driving down Route 3 south of the county seat, they'd know they should be on Route 2, to the west... Good directions help, but the coords are a definite plus.

 

[Peetmoss]

Some 911 centers have GPS capability. This is mainly for cell phones. Alot of new cell phones will send out a GPS signal when you dial 911. My local 911 dispatch has this capibility as well as my cell phone. Plus my gun club is about 1 mile from the fire deptmartment and ambulance service. All those guys know excatly were it is. I have know worries about them not being able to find me if myself or someone else needs help.

 

[Billy Sparks]

The biggest reason that ambulance/fire trucks/etc don't have GPS routing equipment is money. The way this thread started is with the idea that most gun ranges are in very rural areas. Rural area = low tax base. With a stock ambulance running about $50,000 dollars a county can be hard pressed to put in a fancy GPS system. A lot of the rural counties in NC are lucky to be running 3 paramedic ambulances let alone have a full GPS based dispatch/routing system.

 

[bogie]

Er... How much does a paper map that shows lattitude and longitude cost?

We've been spending tax $$$ on too many gadgets, and not enough common sense training.

 

[winwun]

Excellent idea. Wish I'd thought of it. My little Etrex gets a lot of work out.

Lots of people don't take advantage of the new technology. It can be a big help in certain situations.

I am going to try to get our hunt club to get the new FRS radios with built in GPS capability. If someone calls you, their location shows up on everyone's screen. How's that for nice ? ?

Technology moves fast. My little PDA has cell phone and GPS capability.

Them rich folks thinks of everything, don't they ? ?

 

[Billy Sparks]

Er... How much does a paper map that shows lattitude and longitude cost?

Not too much if you can find one. One county to the west of me there doesn't exist a road atlas sized (read map book sized) map of the county. A lot of the maps that have lat and long on them are generally not updated for streets and like fast enough for use with emergency services. I was look at the topo maps that come with MapTech and lots of streets are not marked etc.

 

[Ledbetter]

How about this idea for a sign:

"NOTICE: When summoning help in any emergency, inform the dispatcher that you are located 8 miles east of highway 154 on East Camino Cielo Road at the Winchester Canyon Gun Club"