Its a sad event that happens all over the country every year,,,and its true most of these people only carry a cell phone....which can be completely useless in many areas...everyone that goes into the outdoors should know how to start a fire,build a simple shelter and find drinkable water... with that little bit of information if you get lost you can wait it out and be rescued,your fire will attract attention,your shelter will keep you out of the weather,and the average person can live without food for about 2 weeks,,but everyone dies without water after 3-5 days....Taking a big pocket knife,some water proof matches,lighter,and/or magnifying glass doesnt take up much space.....A cell phone will only work with a tower near by,,,so it is best for the more inexperienced to carry a simple handheld GPS which works by sattelite,so they can mark their starting point and no matter where they wander it can lead them back to that point within a few yards...anyone that operate a cell phone can effectively use a GPS just as good..........
I wonder if there would be any money to be made in making a survival cell phone,one that has a built in GPS,stores matches,has a magnifying glass,contains a detailed list of basic survival instructions,and can recharge its battery by using a solar cell...

lesson to be learned: better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I recently went on a canoeing trip with a bunch of friends. One guy who came along told me'I never carry a knife. they are extremely impracticle and you never really use one.I mean, were JUST canoing. I have a phone with me.' IMPRACTICLE????? Its a KNIFE!!!! There are millions of situations when that would be usefull. People like this belong indoors.