I'm with whitcwa. When my family goes into the bush here in Ontario (and it's not that remote really in the Algonquin interior), we leave a plan with a friend that says where we're going, and when we'll be back. If we're not home on time, they can call the appropriate authorities and someone will come looking for us.

But I don't blame the man for being creative in his SOS. I've heard Les Stroud say he would set a forest on fire if it would get him rescued and home to his family, but that is NOT something he recommends as a starting point.