Iqaluit's Tim MacLeod, 40, had to be rescued by Iqaluit Search and Rescue (SAR) Jan. 26 when his Yamaha motorcycle failed while out on the Frobisher Bay ice.

Fire Hall dispatcher Perry Ryan holds an Emergency Locator Beacon (ELB) that tells searchers where you are. ELBs are free to borrow for any barrens or ice-bound journey. - Chris Woodall/NNSL photo

He and several others were on a snowmobile trip on Tar Inlet. Those others probably made the difference, police say.

"He got separated from the others, but they'd set a time and coordinates to meet if this happened," says RCMP Sgt. Greg Bursey.

When MacLeod didn't show, his friends called police, who alerted SAR.

MacLeod was located two hours later in wind chilled -48 C weather. He was developing hypothermia but was released from Baffin Regional Hospital after six hours.

MacLeod has a lot in common with many people who must be rescued: he wasn't carrying an emergency locator beacon.

Iqaluit fire department has eight of the beacons available for loan to people going out on the land. They use satellites to locate you anywhere on the planet.

ELBs available everywhere

The size of a half-litre bottle of pop, the orange beacon is battery powered. Outdoor types only need to turn it on when they need to be found.

Police remind everyone going outside that winter takes no prisoners.

"Should you run into difficulties, these beacons can save your life," says Const. Mike Salomonie.

Locator beacons should be available in every Nunavut community, says Eric Doig, manager of Nunavut Emergency Management.

Four or more beacons were handed out -- based on population size -- when Nunavut was part of Northwest Territories, but they should still be functional, Doig says.

Go to the hamlet office to borrow one. Again, it's a free service.

"It's up to the hamlet office to administer handing them out and to advertise that they are available," Doig says. Common sense is a life-saver, too.

"Tell people where you are ahead of time," Sgt. Bursey says.