A welder (110, 510) comprising: a network interface (320, 520) configured to connect to a network (315, 515); a data store (340, 540) storing welder data and entity data, where the welder data includes welder identification and location information and where the entity data includes data correlating entities from one or more entities to whom requests may be sent (120, 220) to respective communication modes; a communication logic (350, 550) configured to receive from the data store (340, 540) the welder data and the entity data corresponding to the welder (110, 510) and a selected entity respectively, and where the communication logic (350, 550) is further configured to generate a help request in at least one format corresponding and directed to a communication mode correlated to the selected entity; and a processor (360, 560) operably connected to the network interface (320, 520) and the communication logic (350, 550) and configured to cause the network interface (320, 520) to transmit the request in the network (315, 515), characterized by a welder user interface (330, 530) configured to selectively display a help request menu upon receiving an input from a user of the welder via the welder user interface, and allow the user of the welder to initiate a help request for the welder, the help request menu indicating to the user of the welder one or more entities (120, 220) to whom help requests may be sent, and wherein the welder user interface is further configured to receive from the user of the welder a selection indicating a selected entity from the one or more entities (120, 220) to whom to send the help request; and in that the communication logic (350, 550) is configured to receive a signal from the welder user interface (330, 530) indicating the selection. a network interface (320, 520) configured to connect to a network (315, 515); a data store (340, 540) storing welder data and entity data, where the welder data includes welder identification and location information and where the entity data includes data correlating entities from one or more entities to whom requests may be sent (120, 220) to respective communication modes; a communication logic (350, 550) configured to receive from the data store (340, 540) the welder data and the entity data corresponding to the welder (110, 510) and a selected entity respectively, and where the communication logic (350, 550) is further configured to generate a help request in at least one format corresponding and directed to a communication mode correlated to the selected entity; and a processor (360, 560) operably connected to the network interface (320, 520) and the communication logic (350, 550) and configured to cause the network interface (320, 520) to transmit the request in the network (315, 515), characterized by a welder user interface (330, 530) configured to selectively display a help request menu upon receiving an input from a user of the welder via the welder user interface, and allow the user of the welder to initiate a help request for the welder, the help request menu indicating to the user of the welder one or more entities (120, 220) to whom help requests may be sent, and wherein the welder user interface is further configured to receive from the user of the welder a selection indicating a selected entity from the one or more entities (120, 220) to whom to send the help request; and in that the communication logic (350, 550) is configured to receive a signal from the welder user interface (330, 530) indicating the selection.