I spent 15 years living off the grid in the mountains with no phone by myself and cut timber, checked on range cattle for ranchers, cared for my own livestock, did woodworking, and went on survival trips once a year, etc., and I always left a note on my kitchen table to my whereabouts and how long I might be gone. I had left keys with two of my nearest neighbors that were very trustworthy. I knew some in the sheriff's dept that knew what neighbors had keys.
I was always extra careful and carried survival supplies, but still, if any accident had happened such as the one mentioned here, I would probably have died if I was trapped. The idea of the note was so my whereabouts wouldn't require a massive manhunt or be an unsolved mystery. I had a few close calls and finally installed a radio phone in my cabin and pickup, but that was no good unless I was where I could use them. Then I decided to move closer to civilization and have things like electricity and a landline phone. I still always left a note on my table and still do or now call a friend and let them know.
Even though I survived and accomplished a lot during those years if I had to do it again I would get a train a dog in basic rescue. On one scouting trip in the mountains above my cabin, I started to bleed badly and realized I had a problem. I slowed the blood best I could and found a steep skid trail and used my coat as a sled and slid down to a meadow where I could see an old hermits cabin and I used a communications method he had mentioned to me earlier that year. I had my 30-30 so I shot at his metal stove pipe and hit it first shot. That brought him out of his cabin and after a couple more shots he finally saw me and came tearing up the hill. I already had a rope out and he used his larger jacket tied to the rope and got me down to his cabin and was loaded up on his jeep and he roared down to a neighbor that was a retired RN and she did what needed to be done to stabilize the situation and called the ambulance and down the asphalt, we went at high speed and met the ambulance. Next thing I know I am in the ER and the doctor saying how lucky I was to keep my presence of mind despite my loss of blood and maybe I should consider getting a dog if I continued living in such a remote area and being a widowed mountain woman that loved the outdoors and wasn't afraid to tackle anything.
Here is a story from a few years back when my current neighborhood was more rural and quiet.
I see my neighbor, age 82, on his roof, washing it off and then sweeping it clean with a large push broom. We both live by ourselves and are independent. We watch out for each other as others in the neighborhood are couples and still working.
I go over and ask if he needs any help. I am going to a meeting but will postpone it if he wants me to stick around. I check the ladder and it is secure. Ask if he has his cell phone. Yes! Ask if he has drinking water. Yes! Ask how long he will be up there. He answers an hour if I will go and quit nagging him. I comment he should be more careful getting so close to the edge. He responds that my neighborly concern is turning into spousal style nagging, so please go and enjoy my day so he can enjoy the quiet of the neighborhood and the beautiful day.
I left and came back several hours later. He was still on the roof, sitting with head in hands. The ladder had been knocked down by the garden hose. I put up the ladder. He got down. I asked why he didn't call for help. He said because the battery was dead. I asked why it was dead. He said because he can't remember to put it on charge. I asked him if he wanted me to remind him daily to charge his cell phone. He said only if I want him to move.
