MIDDLETON, Wis. -- Authorities said that global positioning system (GPS)-equipped cell phones can be life-saving, especially in situations where the victims aren't sure of their location.

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While Madison and Dane County officials are investigating whether a cell phone call, made shortly before University of Wisconsin-Madison student Brittany Zimmermann was killed, had been mishandled and the protocol for responding to cell calls to 911, some local authorities are saying cell phones can be helpful in an emergency.

In an incident in Middleton last summer, the victims' use of a cell phone was key in emergency responders finding them. The incident shows how dispatchers can successfully zero-in on a cell phone caller's general location in certain instances, WISC-TV reported.

Last July, six friends -- all in their early 20s -- were shooting off fireworks in a Middleton quarry. However, when they tried to leave, they lost their way and their truck plummeted 70 feet, landing on its roof. One of the passengers used his cell phone to call 911.

The 911 operator was able to determine the group's location based on the cell signal.

Aaron Harris, Middleton's fire chief, said that the use of the technology saved time and lives.

"The concern was, we have more than one quarry in our area. The GPS technology was able to locate them at the Parmenter Street quarry, was able to dispatch the units to that location and quite possibly save their lives," he said.

Harris said in such incidents, time is a major factor. One person was killed in the incident and four of the five others were hospitalized, WISC-TV reported.

Rescuers were able to determine which quarry the crash occurred because there was some information before the caller's cell phone died. Had responders had to search for the victims, it might have been a different outcome.

Harris said that had GPS technology not been available and rescuers didn't know where know where to go to help, they would have split up and each gone to all the area quarries. Once they found the crash site, it would have taken time for all the first-responders to regroup.