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TIPS & FAQ’S
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TIPS
BEFORE
YOU LEAVE
Making sure that that you remain safe in the
outdoors starts before you leave your house. By following the suggestions
below you will help to reduce your chances of getting lost and increase
the likelihood of a successful rescue in the event that things go
wrong.
The tips below are only suggestions to help make your
wilderness travel more enjoyable and safe. They do not replace proper
training and experience in the outdoors. It is highly recommended
that you know at least the basics of first aid, navigation and wilderness
before you venture into the wilderness.
Remember,
it can happen to you.
Remembering that getting lost
or hurt can happen to you. A weather change, minor injury or even
just forgetting to pay attention to the time can turn a short hike
into an overnight epic. Realizing this and being prepared for it
can make the difference between survival and death.
Choosing
your activity
Ensure your activity and the terrain you
are planning to cover match the skills and physical conditioning
of your group. Use guidebooks to assist you with you planning.
If
you are planning on traveling on snow, you should have a good knowledge
of the dangers posed by avalanches and how to avoid them. If you
do not have these skills you should avoid backcountry travel on
snow.
Leave a trip plan
Before each
trip write up a trip plane and leave it with a reliable person.
A trip plan should have the following information:
- where you
plan to leave your car or start your trip
- what type of activity
you are planning
- the route you plan to take, along with any
potential side trips.
- the names of people on the trip
-
your planned return time.
- A time to call out the rescue team
Instruct
the person you have left your trip plan with to call the police
immediately if you have not returned as planned.
Check
the forecast
Check the weather conditions; even if the
weather predictions are not perfect, they can give you an indication
of what conditions are like and how they might change.
Remember
that heat can cause problems just as easily as cold. Dehydration
and hypothermia can have serious consequences if not properly treated.
Prepare for variable weather conditions
Even
if you have checked the weather before you leave, remember the weather
forecasters have been know to get it wrong before. Weather can change
quickly, especially in the mountains, temperatures can drop and
winds can rob the body of warmth and moisture. Winter leaves the
mountains much later than it does in the city. Snow and winter weather
can last through the spring and well into summer. Make sure you
take plan for the conditions.
Bring the 10 essentials.
There
are many things you can bring on your hike or trip to make the trip
go smoothly. Depending on the trip you are on you may want different
amounts of gear, but the following 10 essential should be in your
pack on each trip. Remember that knowing how to use them is as important
as carrying them.
The 10 Essentials
1. Flashlight or
Headlamp
Without a light, trails become very difficult to follow
after dark. A headlamp can make the 3. difference between being
able to follow the trail out and having to spend the night. Always
carry spare batteries.
2. Whistle
When you need a signaling
device, blowing a whistle is far more effective and less tiring
than shouting.
3. Waterproof matches or lighter and fire starter.
A
fire can be used as a signaling device or for warmth. Please be
responsible and only make fires when absolutely necessary. Remember
that a fire can get out of control very easily and will then pose
a danger to all those around including the person who started it.
4. Sun Protection
Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
5. Pocketknife
A pocketknife can be used for everything from making lunch to
building a shelter.
6. Large orange plastic bag
Use this
to keep your clothes dry, as a signaling device or even as a makeshift
shelter.
7. Water and food
Water and food are the fuel for
life, especially if you are exercising hard.
8. Extra clothes
These clothes should be in addition to what you are wearing.
Plan on it getting wetter, colder and windier. A toque, gloves and
dry socks can make a cold stop much more pleasant.
9. First
aid kit
A first aid kit can help with many injuries, but is
far more effective if you not know how to use it. Taking a first
aid course is highly recommended.
10. Compass and map
Make
sure you have the right map a compass and the training to use them.
Clothing
Use clothing made from fabrics
that stay warm when they are wet, do not use cotton. Always bring
extra clothing so you can add layers if it you get cold. Remember
that your house and car are shelters, once you leave them conditions
will change and proper clothing is your main protection.
Remember
to bring a hat on warm days and a toque and gloves on cold days.
Carry a cell phone
Although you should
never rely on a cell phone, they do work some places in the mountains.
If you do have service you can quickly notify searchers of your
condition and if necessary guide them to you. If you are lost and
require assistance dial 911.
If you do need to use your
cell phone, use it sparingly. Remember that the phone is useless
when the batteries are dead. To conserve batteries turn it off when
you are not using it and if you get lost and do contact someone
arrange to turn it on and make contact at agreed on time intervals.
GPS, Sat Phones and other electronic devices
Electronic
navigation and communications equipment devices are very useful
in many situations. However they should never be relied on. All
of these devices rely on external signals and batteries; batteries
go dead and signals might not be available. Devices like these should
be only used to complement the 10 essentials, never to replace them.
*Remember to carry extra batteries.
WHILE
YOU ARE OUT
Take care of yourself
Stay hydrated,
make sure you eat and do not let yourself get too hot, cold or tired.
Forgetting to take care of yourself will make your day far less
enjoyable and can lead to far more severe consequences such as hypothermia.
Use layering and wicking clothing to ensure you do not get cold
and wet.
Stay on your planned route
If
something happens to you and a search is called out, searchers will
always start searching in the area you were planning on traveling
through. By deviating from your plan it will take rescuers far longer
to find you.
Stick to your turnaround time.
By setting and sticking to a reasonable turn around time you
will ensure that you have sufficient time to make it back in daylight.
Darkness makes it far easier to get lost or hurt and overstaying
your return time can mean that search and rescue teams are called
out to look for you.
Never hike alone
Hiking
alone greatly increases the severity of any incident that may incapacitate
you. Fatigue, a sprained ankle or other injury or medical incident
can leave you stranded without access to help.
Stay
together as a group
Travel as fast as the slowest member
of the group and stay together. When a group breaks up or lets one
person lag behind one or more member could get end up lost or on
different trails. When looking for the missing members the rest
of the group could also end up lost or stranded by darkness.
IF
YOU GET LOST
Do not panic
If
you realize you are lost or even slightly misplaced, do not panic.
Maintain a positive mental attitude. Remaining calm and taking the
time to properly think before you act will greatly increase your
chances of a quick rescue. Being lost is not dangerous if you are
prepared. Remember of the nearly 1000 people that search and rescue
teams looked for in 2004, 95% were found within 24 hours.
Stay
where you are
The first rule taught to anyone who is
lost is, Staying Where You Are. If you are lost or not really sure
where you are, you are just as likely to move away from the trail
as you are to move towards it. A trail is a very small part of the
forest and can be difficult to find. Searchers will look first where
you were supposed to be, the closer you are to this area, the sooner
you will be found.
Do not go downhill
Downhill
travel can easily lead you into gullies and streambeds. These are
usually cold and damp, can be filled with thick brush and fallen
trees and can end in waterfalls and cliff bands. They are not the
type of terrain you want to be traveling in.
Help
Searchers find you
By using a whistle or your voice,
building a fire and making yourself visible. you are far more likely
to be found. Remember that animals will not be attracted by your
signals. During the day stay in the open At night build or find
shelter.
Build or seek shelter
Protect
yourself from the elements and stay as dry as possible. Besides
making things far more comfortable for yourself, you will greatly
reduce your risk of hypothermia..
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