When an elderly Alzheimer’s patient went missing in the rugged Appalachian terrain surrounding Boone, North Carolina, time was not on Fire Chief Jimmy Isaacs’ side. Temperatures were falling, the area lacked reliable cellular and radio coverage, and the patient's life was at stake. To ensure an efficient, coordinated response, the Town of Boone Fire Department deployed CompassRespond, a ruggedized, mobile tracking solution from CompassCom. This real-time geospatial solution allowed Chief Isaacs to track personnel in the field, manage search sectors with precision, and ensure no area was missed—all in a location with no traditional communications coverage. The patient was found within three hours. But more than a single success story, the incident proved the operational value of CompassRespond for search and rescue, wildland fires, and tactical incidents—especially in rural, mountainous terrain.