 In celebrating their four year anniversary, SPOT announced that their popular satellite messaging devices have been involved in over 1,500 emergency rescues. The company's SPOT Satellite Messenger and SPOT Connect beacon have helped save lives both on land and at seas worldwide. When an emergency arises, the SPOT devices allow users to send an SOS message with their GPS location to an emergency response center. The service depends on satellite technology so users will have a signal even when they are out of cell phone range. Although the more than 1,500 rescues have occurred in 104 countries, the majority, or 55%, of the rescues happened within United States. Out of the fifty states, California, Colorado, Utah, Alaska, and Florida had the highest number of SPOT activations. These states also happen to be popular outdoor destinations for hiking, rock climbing, and boating. In 2011 alone, emergency rescue officials have answered 546 requests from SPOT devices, with the majority being land-based. Land rescues include climbers and hikers who suffer serious injuries or have reached a place where it is too treacherous to move forward or turn back. One of the most amazing rescues for SPOT happened back in 2009 when a photographer fell 30 feet in Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. The photographer suffered a broken pelvis, collar bone, and ankle when he feel from the top of a waterfall and landed partially on rocks and partially in the creek below. Although hiking alone, the photographer was carrying his SPOT Beacon which he used immediately after the fall to send an emergency signal. | 
