WA Police Search and Rescue

The WA Police Air Wing Search and Rescue Application is intended to assist in the rescue of people who are lost or injured in the foothills or at sea, in Western Australia. It is a comprehensive tool that will assist the user in contacting rescue services, and will pass vital information on to the Police that will expedite a rescue situation. This application provides a simple, automated, and easy to understand means of:1. Sending location information to rescuers: An automatically generated SMS including the GPS coordinates can be sent to the users contact list, along with a phone call to emergency services.2. Acting as a light source to night vision equipment so as to attract the rescue helicopter: The user is instructed to point an illuminated phone screen in the direction of the rescue helicopter. In testing, the screen is easily visible from the police helicopter at distances of 3 to 4 kilometers at night, using night vision equipment.3. Plotting the user’s location on a map: The user can keep track of their location and where they have been as the app plots their path on a map, storing GPS coordinates.4. Providing survival information: A set of survival tips, compiled by Bob Cooper of Bob Cooper Survival, is provided. These are presented in two formats – ‘Before you go’ gives the user a heads up on what to take with them when going out into the bush. In addition, a survival guide is provided which can be followed in the event of an emergency. The survival guide covers the ‘Big 5’ priorities of: shelter, water, signals, warmth, and food.Please Note: This application does not replace mandatory EPIRB radio beacons, and should only be used as a secondary device.