Hi Folks...
Search and Rescue member here, telecom expert and host of the SAR prevention AdventureSmart series.
This meme, which has been circulating for years, is dangerously incorrect.
1) if your phone has no signal you can't change your voicemail
2) if your phone is low on battery voicemail is a waste of battery
Instead, please try to call 9-1-1 (or the emergency number where you are like 1-1-2, etc).
Here's why 🧵:
9-1-1 will:
1) work on ANY cell tower, even if your carrier doesn't have service there
2) automatically send your location to emergency services
3) dispatch emergency services if your battery goes out.
Stay put in a safe place. Don't risk injury or getting even further lost.
But your phone may not work AT ALL (broken, no battery, no service). It's important that you told your trusted contact where you were going BEFORE your trip. DON'T USE VOICEMAIL.
Vee... On behalf of Search and Rescue teams across the world I would ask that you edit the text above your graphic to point out that this is a discredited tip and if people are looking for tips to point them towards
https://www.adventuresmart.ca/the-three-ts/#tripplanning
Or some other credible source of information for rescue situations
@Hiker_Scott @VeroniqueB99 @gwendolenau
It is also possible to send a SMS to 112 or a family member. Even if the signal is to weak for a phone call, SMS will still go through. If not, the phone will try to send the SMS as soon as a cell phone signal becomes available.
Edit: About once a year 112 is unavailable in Germany (the 112 service is provided by Vodafone).
@Hiker_Scott @VeroniqueB99 @gwendolenau as a fmr. firefighter, I second this important #PSA!
Please just disable all power-consuming apps and data/WWAN, WiFi, Bouetooth, NFC.
Keep your phone on low power / energy saving.mode as long as possible.
In some jurostictions (i.e. #NewZealand) in case of disasters, mobile networks will restrict all non-emergency communications in suspected-to-be-affected areas to SMS and will even shutdown or at least downgrade mobile internet to save on battery and enable people in distress to call emergency services and make it easier for dispatch to get location details they can forward to people on the ground...
@kkarhan @VeroniqueB99 @gwendolenau
Good tips!
For people who really want to get into the weeds about communications, the limitations of various devices and systems, we have a video for that too!
@kkarhan @VeroniqueB99 @gwendolenau
Once we launch our winter season, we may be revisiting communications as some of our local carriers are introducing SMS everywhere via satellite. I predict dump trucks worth of misinformation when it launches and we hope to get ahead of it.
Also, one of these seasons I will eventually do a natural disaster preparedness for backcountry users episode... Hopefully before we have the big one. ;)
@kkarhan @Hiker_Scott @VeroniqueB99 @gwendolenau
And take a power bank with you. If the phone has run out of power the powerbank can be used at a later time to get the phone running again, once it makes sense again.
@Life_is @Hiker_Scott @VeroniqueB99 @gwendolenau OFC having additional batteries (i.e. #Fairphone) or at least some means to recharge a device (regardless if it's a powerbank or a car battery + DC/DC converter or whatever...) are always better than none.
Selectibg energy saving modes/settings and turning off all connectivity & apps beyond mobile telephony will greatly increase battery life ...
Scott M. 
C.Suthorn 
Kevin Karhan 
"Mediocre Bunny" Evelyn