Life-and-Death Emergency Response – Fast, Accurate Action with Subtonomy REX

When every second counts in an emergency response, the ability to pinpoint a person’s last call location can mean the difference between life and death. Subtonomy REX empowers mobile network operators (MNOs) to deliver that information instantly, securely, and in full compliance with regulations – enabling SAR (Search and Rescue) teams to act without delay.

A real-world reminder – lost on the mountain

“We rarely comment on a rescue, but in this case, [the walker] was very, very fortunate to have survived his ordeal.” - Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team Leader

At 3,209 feet, Scafell Pike, situated in the picturesque Lake District in the North-West of England, is the country’s tallest mountain. It’s a magnet for climbers and sightseers alike. But as anyone who’s spent time in the UK knows, the weather is notoriously changeable and in the Lake District is even more unpredictable than elsewhere. Brilliant blue skies can quickly be followed by low cloud and torrential rain, making it easy to lose your way and become disoriented.

In this case, a walker found himself lost just as the sun way going doing and used his mobile to call for help. Despite thick mist and rain he was located thanks to his mobile phone. The police instructed him to stay where he was, and mountain rescue would be sent to his location. But when rescuers turned up, they couldn’t find him. With his phone battery running out, the situation was becoming more desperate by the minute.

A large team of emergency rescuers, five search dogs and two drones spent the night combing the surrounding area before having to call off the search in the early hours of the following morning due to deteriorating conditions.

By the following afternoon, he was found hypothermic and injured. The Mountain Rescue Team warned that relying on smartphone navigation apps can be fatal in such environments – and stressed how vital it is to locate people fast.

Mountain Rescue Team when they finally located a lost climber in the UK’s Lake District:

“We also have to say that Google Maps on smartphones are not suitable for navigating the hills, they lack detail and of course will not work with a flat battery,” the team commented when they eventually located the hypothermic, and injured walker the following afternoon. In situations like these, getting to walkers as quickly as possible is literally the difference between life and death.

The challenge for Mobile Network Operators

No MNO wants to face a scenario where a life could have been saved if only location data had been delivered sooner.

But beyond their social duty, assisting police, anti-terrorism and emergency services is something MNOs have had a duty to comply with since 1995 in Europe. This isn’t always easy, as the necessary data is often scattered through sub-systems and must be manually compiled by MNOs – slowing investigations and leading to human error. Locating people quickly and efficiently is just one of the problems facing emergency services, though.

Subtonomy REX – accelerating emergency location response

Subtonomy REX transforms how MNOs respond to lawful emergency location requests.

• Automated & Fast – Delivers precise last call location data instantly.

• Secure & Compliant – Fully aligned with all regulatory and lawful intercept requirements.

• Self-Service for Authorities – Police, intelligence agencies, and SAR teams can access the data they need without delay, within the boundaries of strict legal controls.
  

From lone hikers in remote areas to missing persons in urban environments, Subtonomy REX ensures that the right information reaches the right people at the right time – enabling faster rescues and saving lives.