Oregon Drownings Shed Light on Lack of Wireless Connectivity

According to the Statesman Journal, there have been two drownings in rural Marion County, Oregon. These accidents have sparked a conversation about how accessible these remote locations are during times of emergency. Kari Wallace lost her son, Blayk Wallace, 17, on June 22 while he was swimming at Salmon Falls County Park. Wallace wants cell towers installed along with safety equipment in these rural areas. This is a devastating thing that needs to be changed,” Wallace said. “If they can’t do anything about it, they need to close it down.” (Statesman Journal) The Journal explained that cell towers in those areas wouldn’t make much sense, and “maybe could do more harm than good by creating a false sense of security.” The news outlet quoted Brian Josef, assistant vice president at CTIA–The Wireless Association, who said, “Cell phones work by radio waves. And radio waves can’t travel through mountains and thick forests, so in a lot of cases it’s just a matter of placing the tower where it will work most efficiently.” However, the nearest call box to where Kari Wallace’s son drowned is 2.5 miles away. Wallace is determined to see safety measures enhanced, and said she’d go to great lengths, including raise money herself to have a cell tower or hot spot installed in the area. “The biggest thing is that we don’t want people to have a false sense of now that there’s 911 available that everything is safe,” Lt. Chris Baldridge, a spokesman for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. “People need to be safe and take simple precautions to alleviate some of that risk.” (Statesman Journal)