Over the past six months, IFS Growth has successfully trialled 10 spot trackers - electronic devices which allow their wearers to send pre-loaded text or email messages to selected cellphones or computers. It plans to buy another 20 over the next year.
The devices have four buttons - SOS, help, OK, and tracking. The latter enables the location of the device to be tracked. IFS Growth managing director Dan Minehan said at about $300 each, and operational via satellite in areas without cellphone coverage, the devices were a cost-effective and reliable safety tool.
''They add another level of comfort for our people, who are often working in remote areas. We send guys into the forest every day and we need to make sure they come home again.''
Company asset information manager Todd Redpath, a keen outdoors man, saw the United States-made devices for sale in an Invercargill sporting goods shop last year and immediately realised their potential for forestry staff. Mr Minehan, an off-shore fisherman on his days off, bought one for himself and was convinced.
''When I am out at sea it is comforting for my wife to know where I am, or at least where I was when the most recent location check was made.''
He said he used the OK button during the day, sending a text message to his wife's cellphone. Mr Redpath said a lot of work was needed ''at the back end'' to adapt the messaging and tracking capabilities of the devices for a commercial setting.
IFS Growth's system enables the location of all devices to be logged in real time on to a map displayed on a website. Messages sent from individual devices are also logged on the website. IFS Growth manages about 15,000ha of forest in Otago and Southland for small forestry owners such as local authorities and farm foresters.
It also manages small pockets of forest in the North Island. Mr Minehan said staff and contractors issued with trial devices were initially concerned the devices would be used to check up on them but quickly embraced the technology. When staff left the forest at the end of the day they were supposed to send an OK message. Mr Minehan said there had been one false alarm during the trial when no message was sent.
''It turned out the person forgot. But it was good to know that within a very short time we realised he had not checked in and were able to start looking for him.''
Asked why more forestry companies were not using them, Mr Minehan said it was probably because the technology was relatively new and business owners did not know of its potential.
