Pennsylvania Game News - July 2022 - 56

You can also use the hot coals of your
fire for signaling. Aircraft that are outfitted
with thermal platforms can detect that
residual heat.
If you're trying to generate smoke
during daytime, try and contrast the color
of the smoke against the terrain you're
in. Use freshly-cut green vegetation to
create white smoke and anything rubberor
oil-soaked to create black smoke.
Again, three columns of smoke is the
international distress signal indicating
you need help. Just remember, smoke
works great on calm days but is less
effective when wind, snow and rain tend
to disperse it.
Writing out " SOS " or " HELP " with
debris found around your location is
another way to signal visually. These
letters should contrast with the ground
and be large enough to be seen from the
air. That's likely bigger than you think.
Letters need to be 15 feet wide and 20
feet long and evenly spaced so they catch
the attention of a possible rescuer.
You can also use survey tape to mark
your location or the trail you're using.
If you have a marker, pen or pencil, you
can even write notes on the tape to tell
rescuers where you are headed or provide
other information.
AUDIO SIGNALS
Audio signals are exactly that: noises
made using radios, whistles, firearms and
the like. They are especially effective in
some circumstances.
Whistles, for example, are excellent
signaling devices when you are close
to rescuers. Just make sure you get the
right kind.
They should be brightly colored, for
starters. That not only makes it easy to
find if you drop it, but also easy to spot by
rescuers seeking clues to your location.
56
You also want a whistle that works
without a " pea " since that pea tends
to adhere to the side of your whistle
in freezing temperatures, making the
whistle nonfunctional.
A whistle shouldn't be your only
option, however. They can't be heard
from very far away, especially in high
winds.
As an alternative, firearms that can
be fired safely into a backstop are good
for longer-range audio signaling. Just
remember to shoot three times, with
distinct intervals between shots. Rapid
fire will not give your rescuers enough
time to pinpoint the sound.
And if you have neither a whistle nor
a gun? How about using sticks or logs to
bang against a tree?
That will work, especially if you're
lucky enough to find a hollow log. In
ideal conditions, this " drum " may be
heard a mile away.
Of course, don't forget about modern
signaling devices like cellphones, personal
locator beacons (PLB) and other
transmitters that use satellites to send
text messages. Text messages often
go through when a call won't, as they
require only a weak signal to transmit.
These are just some of examples of
visual and audio signaling. There are
many more worth considering.
But at the very least, I hope these
get you thinking about one of the leastconsidered
topics in survival, rescue
signaling.
Jason DeCoskey is the Game Commission's
Bureau of Wildlife Protection
Director. He attended Mountain Warfare
school in the U.S. Marine Corps, plus
countless other survival courses, and
has taught those skills to game warden
cadets, military personnel and staff from
other law-enforcement agencies.
Pennsylvania Game News - July 2022

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