Please note that you will be responsible for the cost of evacuation, search and rescuse and these costs tyoically run into the several thousands of dollars. You can also communicate directly with GEOS (if you are able to in an emergency scenario) to provide them with more information/details regarding your situation and needs. Once you’ve triggered a distress signal, you can expect a delivery confirmation that help is on the way and be continually updated on the status of your response team.
And they’re standing by 24/7 to respond to your SOS, track your device and notify the proper contacts and emergency responders in your area. They’ve supported rescues in more than 140 countries, saving many lives in the process (the ones following the Nepal Earthquake for example).
GEOS is the world leader in emergency response solutions and monitoring. ( PSSSTTT – If you are headed of grid into remote areas, you should think about packing a good First Aid kit) Since local emergency authorities will be notified about your emergency call for help, their response time will vary based on resources available, your location in proximity to emergency transport services, local policies involving search and rescue, and just the basic socio-economic realities on the ground wherever you happen to be. It is very important to understand though that response time greatly depends on many factors. The SOS signal also contains details about your location, so the folks working at the Garmin Headquarters will know exactly where to send help. When you activate the Inreach Mini for the first time, Garmin takes some basic information about you including your emergency contact details, so they know who to contact. Once the SOS button has been engaged, the signal is transmitted to the Garmin Headquarters. The SOS Button is covered by a protective plastic cap so that you can’t accidentally trigger the alarm. So before any trip, think carefully about what you want your messages to say and who you want to send them to. It isn’t possible to change your pre-set messages in the field, however. Once logged into your Garmin account online, you can write pre-set messages and log recipients from there. Getting your pre-set messages set up is easy and only takes a few minutes to complete. If you want to save your precious monthly message allowance, but still want to let the people in your life that you are breathing, having the pre-set message option is invaluable. This means that you can quickly (and cheaply) send pre-determined messages to your partner, mother, or colleagues. All Garmin Inreach Mini plans offer unlimited pre-set messages. Before any trip, you can write up to three pre-set messages attached to the recipients of your choice. One feature I found myself using all of the time is the pre-set messages function. Photo: Chris Lininger Utilizing the Pre-Set Messages Function > Interested in more fully featured GPS/Satellite Devices? Check out out epic review of the Best Handheld GPS on the market right now. The “check mail” function allows you to refresh the inbox in case another message was sent to you after the last mail check. You need to have a signal in order to receive messages. Messages sent to the device don’t always come through instantly. Just don’t go expecting to be able to write lengthy updates or rambling love notes. I found that 160 characters, while limiting at times, is more than enough to get your point across IE “I’m alive, don’t worry” or “HELP! SEE LOCATION!”. Note that all messages must stay under the strict 160 characters limit, otherwise the message won’t send. Once connected to your phone you can compose a message as if you were sending a normal text message, which removes the pain of typing on the Inreach Mini’s interface altogether (there is no keyboard). Good news though! The Inreach Mini can be paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth. Long story short, composing a message on the Inreach Mini interface is about as pleasurable as walking barefoot over broken glass bottles.
The act of messaging on the device itself is probably the greatest fault of the whole device.