GLARE - Guided geoLocation and Assessment in Remote Environments

Emergency calls originating from remote or hard‑to‑access environments often present significant challenges for casualty geolocation. Technological tools can support this process, but their effectiveness is frequently reduced by environmental constraints, limited network coverage, and the caller’s difficulty in providing accurate spatial information. These conditions highlight the need for a structured approach that helps dispatch operators integrate technological data with caller‑derived environmental cues. To develop a structured methodological framework that supports emergency dispatch operators in geolocating casualties during emergency calls from remote environments, where technological tools alone may be insufficient. The GLARE (Guided geoLocation and Assessment in Remote Environment) method was developed through an iterative process combining operational experience from emergency dispatch centers with a targeted review of literature on mountain rescue, human behavior in risky environments, and environmental hazards. The framework integrates technological geolocation tools with a structured procedure for collecting caller‑derived information, including environmental indicators, reconstruction of movement, and contextual interpretation. The GLARE method provides a systematic approach that reduces the uncertainty associated with casualty localization. By combining movement reconstruction with environmental assessment, the method decreases the extension of the Probability of Area (PoA) and increases the Level of Confidence (LoC) in location estimates. The structured workflow improves situational awareness, supports more accurate interpretation of caller information, and enhances the planning of rescue operations in remote terrain. Remote emergencies require an integrated approach to geolocation that combines technological tools with structured information gathering and contextual analysis. The GLARE method offers dispatch operators a reproducible framework that improves geolocation accuracy and strengthens the coordination of rescue operations in remote or hard‑to‑access environments.