Technology in the millennium helps hikers find their way home

On June 9th four hikers set out in the early afternoon in the area of Hilton Falls Conservation Area in Halton Hills. While walking the trails in the area the 4 girls and a dog became disoriented and lost their bearings.

One of the girls contacted their uncle by cell phone to solicit help. The uncle in turn contacted the Halton Regional Police Service and the search for the girls began.

Officers worked with the communication centre to triangulate the cell-phone signal from the lost girl’s phone and officers were able to pin point an approximate location for the girls.

As night fall and rain set in the officers increased the intensity of their search. Another cell-phone conversation with the girls revealed that they were getting scared and cold; in an attempt to calm the girl’s police activated their emergency lights and siren on one of their vehicles. The fact that the girls could hear the siren seemed to put their minds at rest and gave them the assurance that help was close at hand.

The 6 hour ordeal would have a happy ending as the 4 hikers and the dog were located unharmed. In a letter to the officers who had rescued the girls, one girl wrote “words cannot describe how happy I was when I heard the sirens and saw the officer’s flashlight”.

The Halton Regional Police would like to share some safety tips before you set out on a hike.

• Taking a partner along with you can have many advantages, especially if that partner is an experienced hiker
• Let somebody know where you’re going
• Take along some basic equipment, lighter, first aid items and a flashlight to name a few
• Take along some basic provisions, water or a sport drink are essential
• Use your common sense
• Of course as proven in this situation, a cell-phone can come in very handy as well.

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