Nature is ruthless if you get lost in it!

Exploring a stunning natural environment is a fabulous experience – but it’s worth remembering that you are always at the mercy of the forces of nature. If a ski breaks in half in the middle of nowhere or you lose your way on a country walk, it’s virtually impossible to tell the emergency services where you are. “Um… there are lots of trees and a bit of a hill…”

Your responders can see where you are

The person who receives your alarm call can see where you are on their mobile phone screen using Nokia’s Ovi Maps. Your location is also sent as coordinates so it can be seen on other map software, such as Google Maps. It is quicker and easier to organise help when you know the location of the person you are rescuing.

The nearest help can be the fastest help

As a Swing FastHelp user, you define your own circle of responders and decide who your phone will alert first. If you’re out walking or skiing in a remote area, a local guide or a local tourist company can be the best people to call. If you’re working in the garden or going to the shops, it’s best to choose a neighbour or family member as the first contact.

Swing FastHelp is an excellent add-on service for tourism companies!

Swing FastHelp is an excellent and easy additional service for tourism companies to offer. It helps you look after your customers – whatever difficulties they may get themselves into. Customers can relax and enjoy the experience reassured that help is always at hand.

Catherine got lost skiing in Lapland

Catherine has visited Finnish Lapland several times before. She goes on holiday there with her husband Andy every spring for the cross-country skiing and the vast, untouched, natural landscape. Today Catherine decides to go out skiing again while Andy stays to relax in their cottage, promising to have the sauna ready for when she comes back. It is only three in the afternoon so there’s still plenty of daylight left to go skiing.

Catherine follows a well-ploughed trail, planning next summer’s holiday as she goes. She sings along in her head to the hits she heard on the radio that morning. It’s a perfect day for skiing, her skis are gliding and gripping well. Suddenly she notices that the weather is starting to change, it’s started snowing and looking up at the sky she can see a dark snow cloud approaching. Catherine wakes up from her daydream and looks around her, her gaze scans the countryside and all she can see is open low hills and the forest. She looks at her watch and sees that she’s already been out for over an hour and a half lost in thought. She decides to turn round and head back.

A couple of hundred metres further on she comes to a place where two trails cross. The only problem is, she can’t remember which way she came. She starts to worry slightly but chooses what she thinks is the right route. After skiing for another half an hour she comes to another junction and now can’t decide which way to go. It’s snowing harder and visibility is down to a few metres. Catherine is really worried now. She knows she’s lost.

She doesn’t want to stay in the forest until dark and decides to call for help. Fortunately they rented a phone locally that has Swing FastHelp installed. It’s pre-programmed with the number of the local ski hire company’s search and rescue service. She takes the phone out of her pocket, presses the button and holds it down as she was shown.

At the ski centre Mikko’s phone rings while he’s outside filling up his snowmobile with petrol. Mikko answers Catherine’s alarm call, hears what has happened and reassures her. Mikko also receives the text message sent from Catherine’s phone. Using the link in the message he gets up a map on the screen of his phone showing her location marked with a red circle. Mikko knows the area well as he has lived there for years and can pinpoint exactly where she is. Sami and Heidi now come out of the building. They have also received Catherine’s message.

Mikko tells Catherine that she is about 7 km away and that he is on his way to fetch her by snowmobile. He asks her to stay there where the trails cross. The weather is still poor, the snow is falling fast now.

Mikko arrives on the spot in a quarter of an hour and gives Catherine a lift back on his snowmobile. She puts on the helmet and extra coat that Mikko has brought with him. Mikko takes Catherine back to the cottage where Andy is awaiting the lost but quickly found skier with dinner and a warm sauna.

What if the tourist hadn’t been found?

Imagine if you broke a ski on the fells or got lost on a walking or climbing holiday. Waiting for help in the cold and the dark for hours, maybe even days, wouldn’t be much fun. You’d probably wish your tour organiser used Swing FastHelp!

This story is fictional.

Did you know …

Even experienced travellers can get into difficulties when nature turns nasty.

• Mountain ski centres attract everyone from beginners to competitive skiers. However, the winter weather in Lapland, and in lots of other places around the world too, can surprise even the most experienced traveller. Anyone can get lost in a blizzard or in thick fog, and plummeting temperatures as darkness falls can be extremely dangerous.
• Search and rescue missions using several teams of rescuers and helicopters can run up huge costs.