Search and Rescue - Lasers and Signaling Devices

[-JD-]

If lasers are such a bad idea, how do these guys stay in business?

www.greatlandlaser.com

Reviews seem to show there is no danger of eye damage to rescuers from this type of laser and lasers have a longer effective range at night than lights or strobes. The only thing more effective are flares (mostly because they are higher altitude and can be seen over the horizon).

EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm) - Rescue Laser Flare Review

That is not a typical general purpose pointing laser of the type that has been discussed, rather it is a specially designed device.

They are using a beam spreader, which will both make it cover a drastically larger area (helps with the aiming issue and visibility by reflection without direct view) and therefore reduce the intensity at any point (dramatically at distance).

From their site:

By drawing a vertical fan of light that spreads thousands of feet long at miles of distance, even under duress, it is easy to make sure that your signal catches the eye of a possible rescuer. In addition, by diffusing the laser from a potential dangerous point of light into a spread out line, your target will see a brief, but bright, momentary flash as the laser line crosses their field of vision. At distances of 13 feet or more, the Rescue Laser is perfectly eye safe, yet incredibly effective from up to 30 miles away. For more technical details on the safety of the device, see item #6 in the FAQ.

Apparently, some may disagree:

The US Navy reported in a 2003 Aviation Survival Gear Field Test that "this signal laser is perhaps one of the best night signals invented." The Rescue Laser Light was a popular addition to survival kits used by U.S. Army and Air Force personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Maybe worth consideration ...

But I'd still go for a PLB and maybe a Nautilus first, so that somebody is looking for me and in the right location.

 

[tursiops]

military grade rescue laser

This is NOT what the discussion is about! You keep moving the goal posts.

 

[GJC]

If true I stand corrected.
Reference? And SOPs?
Nevermind. It is a quote of a laser selling website.

Also there is no laser which is SOLAS approved. Happy to be corrected on this one too.

Just found that quote on the laser manufacturer web site

www.greatlandlaser.com/who-needs-one/

 

[fsardone]

This is NOT what the discussion is about! You keep moving the goal posts.

you quoted not even the whole sentence and out of contest.

————-
The post was
I do not know how they stay in business.
If it was such a good idea I would find one in my survival pack in the ejection seat but I don’t. I have a IR strobe, I have flares, I have a mirror, I have a die, and I have smoke.
No laser.

Wait, I get it. There are uninformed people buying lasers because they want a military grade rescue laser .... That must be it!
———-

Qute different I believe. But I am not a native speaker after all.

 

[Steelyeyes]

you quoted not even the whole sentence and out of contest.

————-
The post was
I do not know how they stay in business.
If it was such a good idea I would find one in my survival pack in the ejection seat but I don’t. I have a IR strobe, I have flares, I have a mirror, I have a die, and I have smoke.
No laser.

Wait, I get it. There are uninformed people buying lasers because they want a military grade rescue laser .... That must be it!
———-

Qute different I believe. But I am not a native speaker after all.

I don't know a lot about this so I'm going to have to ask a couple of questions. What is a military grade rescue laser? If there is such a thing why would the military endanger it's own pilots ability to operate aircraft just when they need to be able to function to their best ability?

 

[fsardone]

I don't know a lot about this so I'm going to have to ask a couple of questions. What is a military grade rescue laser? If there is such a thing why would the military endanger it's own pilots ability to operate aircraft just when they need to be able to function to their best ability?

Exactly my point.
People believe laser manifacturer (reseller of chinese stuff most of the time) who use hype to sell military grade buy this flashlight before is made illegal because is military grade and should not be available to normal humans.

Sorry but sarchasm was lost obviously.

As far as I know there is no military grade rescue laser and the military to my knowledge does not use laser as signaling device in SAR scenario and finally I know of no laser which is SOLAS (safeguard of life at sea) certified.

Happy to be corrected o. any of those statement with hard references.

 

[GJC]

I have a IR strobe, I have flares, I have a mirror, I have a die, and I have smoke.
No laser.

I agree that you don't have need of a laser with flares (which would be more visible) with your gear.

Do you not also carry a PLB or portable radio?

 

[Hoag]

I agree that you don't have need of a laser with flares (which would be more visible) with your gear.

Do you not also carry a PLB or portable radio?

Since he is describing what is packed in his ejection seat, it is safe to assume that his aircraft has an ELT.

 

[wgw04024]

I'm going to try and rephrase something I posted earlier that was taken to be possibly hostile.

Are we saying, that if Cameron was floating on the surface, and had a laser, we'd prefer him not to use it if it was at his disposal?

 

[Hoag]

I'm going to try and rephrase something I posted earlier that was taken to be possibly hostile.

Are we saying, that if Cameron was floating on the surface, and had a laser, we'd prefer him not to use it if it was at his disposal?

What we (or at at least those of us who have actually had survival training or SAR training) are saying is that it has the potential to have exactly the opposite effect than what was hoped for if it was used and that there are far better tools available.