On the water Help User Group - Join to Help or post @HELP when you are in urgent need

[Bruce]

Several member have suggested and I have finally gotten around to figuring out how to implement a method of allowing interested members to be notified when a user has an immediate need for help.

I have created a joinable user group named HELP.

If you wish to join the user group and receive notices when other members need help please click this link Account Preferences then click the Join box to the right of the HELP user group. If you want to leave the group you can use the same link then untick the box.

If you are a member who is stuck on the water or otherwise needs quick help to be able to enjoy your boat please include [USERGROUP=9]@HELP[/USERGROUP] in the body of your posting which will alert all members of the group. (Be sure to put it in the body of the post NOT the title!)

I know that I could have used this feature when I was on a LS2000 that was sinking and when I was trying to find depth gauge parts before the Texoma meet for the SX230 I had just purchased.

Edited to add the direction to put [USERGROUP=9]@HELP[/USERGROUP] in the body of post not in the title.

 

[Volffas]

Great addition to a great website!

I'm signed up. Thanks!

 

[4x15mph]

We should include cell numbers somewhere for those that can take calls. I know I don't want outsiders to get my cell but maybe we could share in some safe way. Not sure

 

[jetboater4life]

If you have verizon you can give the email <phonenumber>@vtext.com and you will automatically get a text alert on your phone. @Bruce this would probably require another entry field that would be different from ones main email. Another way would be to set up ones email account to forward emails from jetboaters.net to <phonenumber>@vtext.com. I have jetboaters.net setup to only send me an email when a new conversation is started or replied too. I only get alerts when someone tags me, likes a post of mine, or attaches a file to a post I'm watching. I found that getting alerts for every post swamped my alert window so I turned that option off.

A test of the emergency system should be setup after several members have joined the group so we can all customize it to our liking. Kind of like the sirens I hear on the first Wednesday of the month at 10am.

 

[Lspeedss]

I'm in

 

[Zarrella]

I'm in also

 

[biglar155]

In.

 

[Gym]

I am in also and am a big fan of this feature. One critique though. As a telecommunications specialist for E911 for 16 years I would think you might want to label this something other than 911 so as to not create any confusion. I agree most of us know this is strictly an "in house" on water boater's emergency line but it would only take one person to try to use it during a real life emergency for there to be an issue.

When we first went from the decades old 911 system to the Enhanced 911 system (E911) we got several complaints from dispatchers telling us their callers could not reach emergency when they dialed E911. Who ever thought people would be dumb enough to dial the E before the 911 but they did. I also agree an advertised TEST should be done when enough people are on board with this.

 

[txav8r]

Nice build @Bruce ! I don't mind sharing my # with someone directly, but I don't want it out there without my own sharing of it directly.

 

[itsdgm]

I love the idea too. But like @Gym stated, calling it 911 might be overstating a situation that should be reserved for true life threatening emergencies.

To tag on the point that @Gym made about early 911 education. Some departments used to teach kids that in an emergency "just dial nine eleven". Well, kids couldn't find an eleven on the telephone dial.

 

[jawsf16]

How about @999 similar, yet easy to remember...

 

[JC6275]

How about @help. If it is changed from how it's set up now???

 

[Bruce]

999 is 911 in Europe.

What do you think about renaming to @HELP?

Let's keep the suggestions coming.

 

[JC6275]

999 is 911 in Europe.

What do you think about renaming to @HELP?

Let's keep the suggestions coming.

I think its a great idea... As referenced in the post above yours....

 

[jawsf16]

How about @stuckonthewaterandneedtheexpertshelprightawaytokeepenjoyingmyawesomejetboat!

Maybe too many syllables....

I like @help too. Just keep it simple.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

@help Keep it simple.

 

[JC6275]

Maybe it should be voice activated. When you say this phrase it links to the help group. SHIT!!! DAMMIT!!!! YOU'VE GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!!

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Hmmm....I say those phrases 10 times a day at work. I think the alert system would be overloaded with false alarms!

 

[txav8r]

I'm not sure I would respond to "you've got to be freaking kidding me". Help works. But @jawsf16 , I like the long one too! Can we add ers.net to the end of..@stuckonthewaterandneedtheexpertshelprightawaytokeepenjoyingmyawesomejetboat!

 

[jetboater4life]

@help sounds good to me