When a Fremont County man was killed in an avalanche this past winter, the other members of his group used the relatively new emergency SOS via satellite function to reach out for help. It was an early use of the system for Teton County Search and Rescue, although not the team’s first experience with it.

According to Lander Search and Rescue commander Era Aranow, Fremont County SAR has now also had experience with the system.

But how does it work? What happens when you’re without a cell signal and put out that SOS call?

The technology, Teton County Search and Rescue Chief Adviser Cody Lockhart said in an interview in January, is a “gamechanger” for Wyoming’s remote backcountry.

Although 911 calls often go through in circumstances when no other call would — any available cell tower, regardless of carrier, will transmit a 911 call — that still relies on access to cellphone towers.

The emergency SOS system, by contrast, works via satellite. However, there are some things to know about emergency SOS.

Keeping lines of communication open via this system requires ongoing effort. The phone sometimes has to be held in the air or waved about until it finally connects with a satellite to send a message; in order to receive a message back, efforts also have to be made to connect with a satellite.

Conveying as much information as you can and keeping those lines of communication open when possible is important, Lockhart explained.

Knowing what to expect helps SAR teams prepare accordingly as they head into potentially dangerous backcountry conditions, and when possible, SAR may try to ask followup questions to gather more information about things like injuries and conditions.

The 911 calls and emergency SOS share your location with emergency responders, but it’s possible that teams will still have questions about on-the-ground terrain or how to find the group.

Being able to reach out for help via satellite during a backcountry emergency isn’t new technology; inReaches have been an important piece of safety equipment for many backcountry recreators for years.

What makes the emergency SOS system an important innovation is that it comes standard on many new cellphones, meaning that anyone can use the system without having to buy a dedicated piece of equipment.

One thing that this technology doesn’t change is that communicating that you need help as quickly as possible and sharing as much detail about the situation as possible is important.

In case of an emergency, call 911, use your phone’s emergency SOS function or use another emergency communication device such as an inReach.

While texting 911 can be a viable option in some locations, it is not a reliable way to contact emergency services in Fremont County.