A signal for indicating the location of one or more people in distress comprising a rectangular tank containing helium, an inflatable balloon enclosed by a casing of aluminum foil and tubular connections between the tank and the balloon and which include valves. A radio transmitter is connected to the balloon by a short cable and a nylon cord which functions as a tether is connected to the transmitter. The other end of this tether is taken up on a reel. A trigger on the transmitter is tripped when the tether is payed out a predetermined distance to activate the transmitter. The balloon, the transmitter, and the reel are all mounted on the top of the tank together with a first aid survival kit and a cover which is hinged at one end to the tank encloses these elements. A clip is provided for securing the entire unit to the person of a user.