AuTRAIN TOWNSHIP, MI— Text-to-911 is being credited with leading rescuers to a group of lost hikers in Alger County Wednesday.
The Sheriff’s Office received a call around 6 p.m. that three boys were missing from the Hiawatha Boy Scouts camp on Doe Lake Road in AuTrain Township. They were on a hiking excursion when they became separated from the main group.
Deputies, the Alger County K-9 Unit, and Alger County Rescue 21 launched a search party with the assistance of Boy Scout leaders. Officials located the missing boys within about half an hour. All were in good health.
Alger County Dispatch was able to contact the missing children through 911 texting. It enables a person to reach emergency services if cell service isn’t available. Dispatchers obtained GPS coordinates from the text and directed the search team to the missing hikers. The boys remained at that location, as instructed, making the search time minimal.
