Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
AMERICAN FORK CANYON — A Utah company may have a solution for a potentially life-threatening communications issue.
In February, KSL discovered it took responders more than 15 minutes to reach a BYU student who was trapped in an avalanche in American Fork Canyon. The woman died the next day in the hospital.
Crews respond to more than 30 emergency calls at Tibble Fork Reservoir in the canyon every year. However, cell phone service is not available. People must drive to the mouth of the canyon, which is 15 minutes away, to make a call.
For example, Houston Holerook, who lives near Tibble Fork Reservoir, is battling leukemia. If he needed help he couldn't call for it from near the reservoir.
Ryan Porter, founder of Live View Technologies, said his company has the perfect solution. The company offers an emergency, solar-powered phone that can be installed anywhere.
"This camera up here is streaming,” Porter explained.
The system would also capture video of Holerook and send it straight to dispatchers. They would then dispatch the Lone Peak Fire Department.
“It can be a matter of life or death,” said Battalion Chief Joseph McRae.
McRae wants the phone system installed and said it would cut down response time by more than 15 minutes.
“We just need the approval from the U.S. Forest Service,” he said.
In June, McRae sent an application to the forest service but may not get approval until the spring.
Jon Stansfield, Pleasant Grove ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, said the application is not being reviewed yet because other applications are being processed first.
Holerook said waiting is worth the risk. “I still have to live my life,” he said.
Live View Technologies donated the equipment. Canyon toll fees would be used to maintain it.
The U.S. Forest Service expects to give approval in the spring. Then it would go through a public comment period, and ultimately would take a couple of hours to get the system up and running, Porter said.
