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A4 checklist with all illustrated steps. Tick the boxes on paper as you go.

FeatherSticks · Skills

Emergency Signals Outdoors: How to Call for Help and Get Found

Three whistle blasts can bring rescuers straight to you. Here is how.

Quick facts

Main number
112 (EU), 911 (US/CA), 999 (UK)
Difficulty
Easy – practise before you need it
Best for
Injury, lost, stuck, bad weather
You need
Phone, whistle, light, mirror, bright cloth

What you need

  • Fully charged phone with offline maps and a power bank
  • Pea-less plastic whistle on a lanyard or shoulder strap
  • Headlamp with spare batteries
  • Signal mirror with sighting hole
  • Brightly coloured tarp, jacket or bandana
  • Foil emergency blanket or bivvy bag
  • Personal locator beacon or satellite messenger for remote areas

Step by step

  1. STOP: stop, think, observe, plan

    1 STOP: stop, think, observe, plan

    Stop moving, sit down, breathe. Think about what happened, look around, then make a calm plan before acting.

  2. Call the emergency number

    2 Call the emergency number

    Dial 112 in Europe, 911 in North America or 999 in the UK. Say where you are, what happened and how many people need help.

  3. Share your exact location

    3 Share your exact location

    Read coordinates from your phone or GPS slowly, digit by digit, and name landmarks, trail numbers or signposts.

  4. Stay put and be visible

    4 Stay put and be visible

    Unless your spot is dangerous, stay where you are. Move to the nearest open area and spread out something bright.

  5. Signal with sound and light

    5 Signal with sound and light

    Blow three whistle blasts, or six per minute in the Alps, then listen. Use a light at night and a mirror in sunshine.

  6. Signal to aircraft

    6 Signal to aircraft

    Lay out a large V (help needed) or X (medical help) on open ground and raise both arms in a Y when a helicopter comes.

Common mistakes

  • Walking on in panic instead of stopping, thinking and staying put.
  • Not leaving a trip plan with anyone, so no one raises the alarm.
  • Giving vague locations or mixing up coordinate formats.
  • Hanging up before the dispatcher ends the call, or letting the battery run flat.
  • Signalling under a dense canopy where no one can see you.
  • Lighting a signal fire in dry conditions and starting a wildfire.
  • Leaving tarps and foil blankets loose when a helicopter lands.