Thin men on SMS

A group of school children and some teachers goes exploring a cave. The cave is slippery, and on a climb one of the kids slips and falls. On top of one of the teachers. Or rather; straight through the teacher. The poor teacher breaks both his tibia and his fibula. A job for cave rescue! So one of the cavers goes out, phones the police, asks for cave rescue, and explains the situation. So a call-out is issued. All people on the first call-out list receive a text message that they are expected at the location of the cave in question. The rescue officer is already on his way.

While the rescue coordinator drives to the cave he gets phonecall after phonecall. People asking what exactly has happened, people saying they are far away and can't make it within two hours, people asking what kit they should bring. The rescue coordinator's head is spinning with all these questions and he drives into a tree. Dead. So instead of a smooth rescue and a happy rescue team we now have a communicationally hampered rescue and a team in mourning. Not good!

Did this really happen? No it didn't. I made up the driving into a tree. But up to that moment it is a fairly accurate description of one of last year's call-outs. And our rescue officer decided this could be done better. So they requested a response system for call-outs. And it's there now!

Cave rescue: from the left to the right in two minutes!

If there's a call-out we are expected to respond in a coded way, by text message. So no ringing people who are probably driving. And if the coordinators want to know who is how available and when, they send a text message to the system, who will then provide them with that information. The system knows all phone numbers, and is linked to the database of rescuers, so they would know how many cave specialists, mine specialists, riggers, first aiders, rope specialists and whatnot are on their way. And even how many "thin men" can be expected. It's a registered skill, apparently! Useful to know if the casualty is to be found behind a tight squeeze. We only have two... And I'm not a thin woman, according to the call-out list. I might want to go on a diet, and most of the male rescuers with me!