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Outdoor Safety Tips article, April 2011
Thank you very much for your interest in this special article
This is an exciting time of year for people to get back into the woods, especially after being cooped up all winter. But don't just run off without planning ahead. Keep in mind the following valuable ideas and survival strategies.
"LOST IN THE BACKCOUNTRY" used with permission from
Outdoor Life Magazine � 2011
by Tim MacWelch
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The following is an
excerpt from my latest article in the April issue of
Outdoor Life magazine, on news stands now!
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"You�re on an elk hunt with your buddy in Southern Colorado�s Gunnison National Forest. You were keeping a little distance between the two of you to cover more ground. Somehow, you get separated. Since you were bushwhacking and there was no established trail to follow, you suddenly realize you�re lost. Evening is approaching and the occasional rain that has been plaguing you all day is now a steady rain and worsening. What do you do?"
"This scenario is the most likely threat to any hunter or hiker in remote areas. The simple combination of getting lost and suffering from exposure can be deadly. Very simply put, when you can�t find your way out � you are lost. That�s bad enough. Then we have exposure as the other side of this dangerous combo. Most hunting is done in cooler weather, and even 50 degrees is cold enough for hypothermia (the lowering of your body�s core temperature). The rain won�t help you much either, except to provide a safe source of drinking water. But while the rain is giving you some much needed hydration, the water in your clothes is stealing your body heat much faster than the cold air alone. This is already looking like the details of another lost hunter statistic. But in our scenario, there is one other disturbing variable. Your buddy is still out there too. Is he lost like you? Should you walk around calling for him, or stay put? Is he looking for you? Did he make it back to camp or the vehicle? It seems like a million questions run through your mind. Once all of these realizations have set in, you have a very sobering choice to make. Do I stay put, make camp and signal for my friend? Or do I keep walking? What�s the right choice for this situation?"
"In this situation, you should definitely stay put and make camp. With night approaching and the rain coming down, there is a very strong chance you and your buddy will get some degree of hypothermia. The decreased visibility from the rain and darkness make falling down and getting injured more likely if you kept moving. You should find a spot to set up shelter and try to get a fire going. If you both have some kind of communications devices, try those. A cell phone, 2-way radio or walkie-talkie can take the guesswork out of your escalating emergency. If you don�t have communication equipment, or there is a problem connecting, use some low tech gear like a whistle. Blow three whistle blasts in a row every 15 minutes. This may attract your buddy�s attention and help him to find you, if he is still wandering around out there. If you can get a large bright fire going, the heat will help you stay warm and the light may help your buddy navigate toward your improvised camp. If you cannot get a fire going in the wet conditions and failing light, create the best shelter you can and wait until morning. Keep blowing your whistle periodically. If your buddy is still wandering around in the dark, he will probably need your help."
Preventative Measures
"Make sure that someone responsible knows where you are going, where you are parking your vehicle, when you will be back, and all of the other details of your excursion. Get a map of the area and study it before your trip. Take the map and a compass or GPS with you. Consult your map often so that you don�t get lost in the first place. Bring and use communication equipment. Have a plan with your buddy in case you get separated. Take into account the terrain, the expected weather and temps, and then do a little overkill to help you handle the worst that Mother Nature can throw at you."
Backwoods Survival Kit
"Appropriate outdoor clothing is a major part of your survival gear. Wear waterproof, insulated clothes from head to toe. Carry a dependable fire starter and emergency signal like the Orion SAR which is a combination flare and fire starter. The SAR flare is waterproof, and burns for 5 minutes at 3400 degrees F. If that won�t start your fire, nothing will."
"Communications: Select rugged and water resistant phones, radios and walkie-talkies to keep you in touch with your friends and call for help if you need it. I carry the Casio G�z One phone which is dust and shock resistant; it has a digital compass feature and it can handle being under water for 30 minutes.
Shelter: If excellent outdoor clothing is a given, then the next shelter item should be the Emergency Bivy from Adventure Medical Kits. This will give you a great back up shelter. It packs down small and provides lifesaving protection from the elements. The Bivy can also open up to form a tarp for different shelter configurations, and it can catch rain water.
Lighter and fire starter: A high quality lighter will get your fire started and provide you with warmth, light, signaling and cooking. Wet Fire cubes from Ultimate Survival will burn fiercely and even get damp kindling to burn. You can also make your own fire starters from cotton balls smeared with petroleum jelly to help you in wet conditions.
Emergency Whistle: A very loud whistle can signal your position much further than a yell. Your voice may go out from yelling for help, but the whistle will keep blasting as long as you have breath left in your body. I recommend the Fox 40 whistle. It has no moving parts, a safety orange color, and it is deafeningly loud.
Light: You�ll need light to see what you are doing and for signaling after dark. Select a water proof light that has a long battery life. I recommend the Petzel Tika LED headlamp for hands free operation and over 100 hour battery life."
| SPECIAL NEWS Tim MacWelch has become the
Lead Contributor to Outdoor Life magazine's new
comprehensive survival website - Visit now and leave us a comment about the kind of articles you would like - also let us know how you liked the OL site |
More Outdoor Safety Tips
"THE TEN MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO AVOID A SURVIVAL EMERGENCY"
by Tim MacWelch � Tim MacWelch 2011
File a plan with the authorities or tell someone responsible
Tell someone responsible where you are going and when you are coming back. If you are using your boat on the ocean, you can file a plan with the Harbor Master or similar official. If your boat is going on inland water ways or you are traveling by foot or off-road vehicle, you need to tell the most responsible person you know all the details of your plan. Leave a map, write down your plans and don�t deviate from the plan. This way someone will miss you if you don�t turn up on time. There won�t be a rescue party, if no one knows there is a problem.
Bring enough gear and food to spend the night
Gear is your lifeline. Your clothing is your first line of shelter from the elements. Fire can provide warmth when all else fails. Food is the fuel that keeps your motor running. Make sure that you have adequate gear to spend the night if you had to. Take extra clothing and outer wear. Take fire starters, extra food and survival equipment. Take a well-supplied First Aid Kit and an emergency bivy.
Have a fully charged phone or 2-way radio in a waterproof bag
Communications can turn your sad obituary into a laughable anecdote for your local authorities. Take your phone or Nextel with a fully charged battery, and keep it stored in a waterproof bag or container so it doesn�t get water damage. Bring a quick charge pack or solar charger to go with your device. Learn to text message, if your phone is capable. If the phone signal is low, you may be able to send a text when the phone calls are not connecting. And, don�t cry �Wolf�. There have been people with broken bones, stuck in the outdoors, because their buddies thought it was another prank call from their comedian friend.
Get some
First Aid and CPR training
Many survival events
are set in motion by an injury or a medical crisis in the
outdoors. Sometimes these problems could have been avoided, and
sometimes Murphy�s Law is just out to get you. First Aid
should always be considered a major part of survival. You
should train yourself in medical skills, just like the other
skills in this article. Find your local Red Cross or similar
organization and get some professional training. I can�t
encourage that enough. If you do no other skills as a result of
reading this, you should learn First Aid and CPR. These are the
survival skills that you are most likely to use � at home, at
work or in the great outdoors.
Bring a buddy or two
The �Buddy System� is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, and it is a great way to keep everyone safe. Now you have someone to go for help if you are hurt and unable to move. Now you have safety in numbers if you encounter any 4 legged or 2 legged predators. Now an injured person can be carried to a safer location by one or two other people. Don�t go out there alone.
Don�t panic
Exposure, dehydration and injury have claimed the lives of smart, skilled and well trained people who gave in to panic. When panic grips someone, they can make some very poor choices. To avoid this mental trap, identify panic feelings and thoughts before you begin to act on them. Don�t give in to impulsive behavior, especially don�t take off running, looking for help that isn�t there. That one gets people all of the time. Focus on useful tasks to keep your mind occupied if it starts to stray into fear and panic.
Do some survival training
Go to a reputable survival school (like Earth Connection), and take some classes. Get a good survival book and perform the skills that you think you would need in your area. Get together with a buddy and go on a survival campout. Practice your survival skills before you actually need them.
Carry signaling equipment and know how to use it
Lights, whistles, smoke and mirrors sound like quite a show. And it should be quite a show to catch someone�s attention if you need help. Bring several pieces of signaling equipment every time you go into the outdoors. Both visual signals and audible signals are important. Staying in one place and using this equipment is the best way for you to assist your rescue.
Learn to navigate and how to use navigation equipment
Getting lost is one of the primary survival emergencies. Learn to read a map and use a compass. Study the terrain before you go to that area, and take your map with you. Buy a GPS and learn how to use all of the features. Frequently check your position on your map so that you always know where you are, and how to get back. It�s also a good idea to know the position of water sources, roads and other features in case you need them. Knowing where you are at all times keeps you from getting lost, and it points you in the right direction in case you have an emergency and need to �self-rescue�.
Have the mentality of a survivor
Have you got what it takes to survive? Your ego may say yes, but the rest of your mind might need a tune up.| Don't forget that you can check out Tim's
contributions to Outdoor Life magazine's new
comprehensive survival website - Visit now and leave us a comment about the kind of articles you would like to read and let us know how you liked the site! https://survival.outdoorlife.com Thank you for reading this, and I hope you stay safe out there. Tim @ The Earth Connection School |