The following excerpt was taken from an article (ELT UPDATE DEC 2012) COPA president Kevin Psutka wrote. It appears on the COPA web page. Direct access to the article is at http://www.copanational.org/ELTUpdateDecember2012.cfm

It notes a perhaps very valid point of whether Spot users have enough or even the most correct information on their emergency information file. (i.e. what you want the Spot people to do if you press the 911 button). Captain Justin Olsen of the Victoria JRCC (Joint rescue Co-ordination Centre) comments and advises the following:

"All JRCC’s have a mutual letter of agreement with SPOT’s International Emergency Response Control Center (IERCC) which guides the IERCC through which response is appropriate. They begin by trying to determine the authenticity of the alert and the nature of its source. If they believe the SPOT could be on an aircraft or boat from the data attached to it by the owner, they will contact the JRCC, otherwise they will call the RCMP in the area.

As a fail-safe, if the IERCC cannot contact a responsible Canadian agency within 60 minutes from the initial alert, they will call the JRCC and we will either action the case or forward it to the appropriate agency.
What is important for your members to understand is that SPOT depends on them maintaining accurate information on their file and to make it abundantly clear that this SPOT is used on an aircraft, otherwise time could be wasted figuring out who is the responsible agency to investigate the alert.

>In our guide to configuring SPOT (ELT SPOT NEW) we highlight the need to include the following in the SOS section of the SPOT registration page:

“This SPOT is used in an aircraft. When a SOS distress signal is received from this unit, call the XXXX Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (insert telephone number here) and tell them this is an aircraft distress call”.
Insert the closest JRCC to your normal operating area (Victoria, Trenton or Halifax) as your primary contact (periodically check these numbers to ensure that they have not changed). Please note that the toll free numbers are not accessible from outside of Canada (SOS distress signals are received at GEOS in Texas) but they are provided here for your information in case you or your friends need them.

Victoria JRCC 250-413-8933 or 800-567-5111
Trenton JRCC 613-965-3870 or 800-267-7270
Halifax JRCC 902-427-2100 or 800-565-1582 <"

Submitted by Pete