5 Lifesaving Technologies



You can use GPS to help you  get your bearings.
You can use GPS to help you  get your bearings.
Scott Thomas/Getty Images

If y­ou get lost while taking a trek in unfamiliar territory, a GPS receiver will identify your position and allow you to map out a way home.

GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System, consists of three parts: satellites in space, monitoring systems on the Earth and receivers owned by individuals. A GPS will work in all weather conditions, day or night, worldwide.

A GPS receiver provides a user with his or her latitude, longitude, altitude, and time, and it works in the air, on the ground and on the water. Rescuers often use GPS systems in lifesaving missions due to their precise location and timing capabilities [source: Global Positioning System]. With batteries that can last up to 18 hours, a GPS could save you if you lose your way. Some GPS receivers include topographic and trail maps, which could lead you to safety if you're lost in the forest. But even if yours doesn't include a map of the area you're in, it gives you your coordinates. So if you have an up-to-date paper topographic map with you, you should be able to pinpoint your location and plot a way to safety. Most GPS devices include a compass, but it's best you carry a real compass with you as well.