How to summon help?

[Dodge]

I never gave it much thought as I work at home, but I did have a mishap once while working on my truck. I was doing some work on the tranny and neglected to block the wheels properly. It rolled and I wondered, as I watched, if it would roll over me. And was it gonna hurt? As it turned out, it stopped against my rib cage and my fat cushioned the blow No one was home, so I yelled as loud as I could, hoping someone would hear me. My next door neighbor finally did after about 5 or 8 minutes. Probably got tired of the bellering. I didn't have a cell phone then, but who would I call? Wife was at work, and I didn't have neighbor's numbers. I figure I could have lasted until emergency people arrived..... Glad the neighbor heard me tho. Yes it did hurt and and my side had a bruise the size and shape of a tire tread for weeks. I have a cell phone now and keep it on me at all times. (I also make sure vehicles are properly blocked too. No short cut is worth getting injured!)

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

I just yell, ring the bell outside the door, or call on the cell phone. The shop isn't that isolated and usually if it gets too quiet either my parents or my brother or whoever is up to the house will realize I'm not being noisy enough. (p.s. NO i don't live that close to my parents:) the shop is on the farm because the neighbors in town don't even like bonfires let alone coal smoke....)

Once when cutting firewood we left the radio on and cranked up in the truck to listen to the ballgame on AM. Apparently leaving a radio on all afternoon isn't good for the battery, which we soon realized after the deed was done. Dad looks at the dog and says jokingly "Buffy. Go get Ann. Tell her to bring the jumper cables." The little golden mix runs off towards the house without hesitation (much to our disbelief). Ten minutes later, the dog comes back with a dead rabbit and drops it at our feet. At least we wouldn't have starved......
-Aaron @ the SCF

[John Martin]

My parents can see me through the window so i don't have to worry about it. But in the future, maybe if you could find a item for people with health problems that has like a wristband, that tells people if you are knocked out or whatever, by your pulse.

[Glenn]

Let us hope that your pulse continues to pulse even if your knocked out.

The parent looking out the window only works if the parent DOES look out the window. After a couple of weeks of looking, it starts to be like watching reruns on the TV and they pay less and less attention.
Ever try watching a pot of water from the cold spigot being heated to boiling on a stove? Whatever you do to occupy the time, is NOT watching the pot. That includes washing the dirty dishes.


Most of the suggestions made on the thread so far must be self-activated to work, or depends on some else being close enough to hear sound. A motion detector that will send out an alert if you are still for a period of time would be a better choice. Anyone know of any such device?

[keykeeper]

Sure do Glenn. We used them in the fire service. They are called P.A.S.S. alarms. We activated them whenever we made interior attack on a structure fire. If a man goes down, the P.A.S.S. will activate after a short time of non movement. It emits a loud, piercing alarm so others can find you. of course, to work for what we want, there would have to be someone to hear the alarm and know what it is.

I think they have systems now that are even more sophisticated, but I'm not up on the technology.

There may be similar systems for elderly folks who live alone, that automatically dial 911 upon triggering. Those would be good for our kind of needs.

aaron c.

[John Martin]

The area that I work moved to behind the garage, they can not see me anymore. So i check in with them every hour. It's like irnsrgn's story, except i've only had minimal burns. When I get a shack put up, we might have a phone line put out or just use walkie talkies.

If they had a wristband that could tell if you are knocked out, due to pulse, or hurt and bleeding, due to pulse or blood pressure, and it automatically calls or trigers a system that would be very useful and safe.

[hammerkid]

I use my cell phone! but when we get my shop done may go-ahead and run a phone line to it! also have a dinner bell I made . ;)

[coltpax]

My parents check on me if they dont hear any loud noises (hammering, grinding). Other then that, all i have is a triangle I made (better then nothing), an air horn off an old freightliner, and a cell phone. But my neighbors wont come check on me, their used to me being noisy.

[ThomasPowers]

My parents are offering me the old farm bell from my grandparents farm. Unfortunatly my wife won't be able to hear it unless she is in the same room with it---I may have to mount it on the porch and run a string out to the shop....

[David Einhorn]

Verizon has finally returned service, more or less, to where I live, so I can now use my cell phone if necessary.

Can you hear me now.... sort of.

[Fe-Wood]

Boy thats a good question! My shop is behind a locked gate, on top of a hill, next to a neighbor that wants to kill me because my shop is bigger than his house:)

Last Xmas I was turning a whole pile of wooden bowls to give as gifts and running the generator with the door closed:o. I know, I know, stupid idea...It was cold and raining REALLY hard and windy. I figured the building was drafty enough. Boy was I wrong.

It took about 6 hours before I started to feel something, then about 1 hour more before I could barely stand up.

I can use my cell phone but it'll take 15 min. minimum before anyone can get there.

When I told my wife, she said she usually doesn't worry about me because I'm not accident prone. Any more stunts like that and she won't have to worry at all:rolleyes:

[Reid Neilsen]

Yeah this is one the wife and I go round and round about. I need to come up with something. Thankfully the shop is near the house, but if I were incapacitated or hurt to where I couldnt call for help, I'd be in trouble. She coems out to check on me while she is home, but I work a lot of nights(after the day job) in the studio. Like I said, gotta figure something out...

[jringling]

Some of the posts here mention bells or horns that are used for other purposes, such as calling the dog. The important thing about an emergency signal is that it is only used for emergencies. I am liking the idea of an air horn. Even if the neighbor is used to hearing the racket of the shop, they will probably notice a 5 minute blast from a horn and would hopefully investigate. If I ever move the shop out of the attached garage, I will install an air tank and pull cord horn, or at least get one of the little canned horns. A 12v car horn on a battery would work. I guess you could even hook-up a car alarm and keep the remote handy.

Jerry

[Rainman]

Some really good ideas so far. What I usually do is send text messages every hour to check in, including location and what im working on if I am alone. As long as my GF keeps her phone handy she know what i am doing a where i am doing it.

[Frosty]

How about an electric alarm or siren with a remote switch you can wear around your neck. (the switch, NOT the siren!) ala "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Regardless, if you're incapacitated nothing you have to activate manually is going to do the trick.

Maybe a brainwave monitor? . . . For those thoughtless moments that hurt for sooooo long.

Frosty

[Charlotte]

Many communities have an ambulance service that has an alert system.

Button on cord around the neck. Once push and they try to call. If no answer they come running and notify police.

[urnesBeast]

There are applications for your iphone that will dial 911 with a single button. For 99 cents, it is probably worth installing.

[Finnr]

Charlotte. I wear one of those units . I live alone in the boonies . Excellent insurance.

Finnr

[Quenchcrack]

I lay on the floor and scream like a mashed cat!