LET SOMEBODY KNOW Whether you are planning a multi-day hike or an afternoon walk, it is important to plan in advance and always be prepared. Before setting out on your walk let someone responsible know your proposed time of return, vehicle registration and location. Let them know when you return! |
SIGN UP If there is a park headquarters or walkers register, PLEASE make sure you SIGN IN and supply all requested details. Failure to do so may result in nobody realising you are lost for some days. |
WEATHER PROOF Don't assume the lovely sunny day will stay that way. Make sure you have some spare warm clothes, and some kind of tarp or plastic you can shelter under if it really starts pouring. Always pack a pocket knife. |
| Better a thousand times careful than once dead. - Proverb |
you can also download instuctions directly to your mobile phone to have with you at all times. |
Whenever we venture into the outdoors, we have a responsibility to ourselves, the environment and ultimately the rescuers who come looking for us to do all we can to be found where they expect us to be. |
WARMTH Even if it's 30 degrees during the day, once the sun goes down it can get pretty cold outdoors. If you have a beanie in your pack, at least you'll keep your head warm. 80% of the body's heat can be lost through your head, so keeping it warm will not only keep the rest of you warm but help you think straight. |
SNAKES, SPIDERS & THINGS THAT BITE There's plenty of them around. |
| TAKE WATER
Please carry an adequate supply of drinking water with you. Often drinking water is not available along the track. Tanks at campsites hold untreated rainwater. Use it wisely. |
never use a fuel stove or lantern in an unventilated area, such as a closed tent or snow cave. not even for a minute. at best you'll get a headache, at worst there could be a fire, or you may die of carbon monoxide poisoning. |
FIRE Don't rely on an old box of matches for fire lighting. Take a lighter, waterproof matches and consider taking a fire steel if conditions might be damp. |
| It's a good idea to carry some clothes dryer lint or cotton wool soaked in petroleum jelly to use as a fire starter just in case. Store them in an old film canister or small pill bottle. |
Fire safety is a vital skill for the outdoors. Never light a large fire, and avoid lighting any fire in high winds unless it is absolutely necessary. Make sure the fire is completely out when you leave. |
| Don't rely on being able to light a signal fire to alert rescuers. Make sure you have several items with you that can be used to summon help or attract attention: a signal mirror, whistle, flares, EPIRB etc to maximise your chances of being found promptly. |
PLAN If you are definitely lost, can’t backtrack, and there’s no obvious way to find out where you are, stay calm. The best plans are made by calm people. |
DON'T SPLIT UP You should avoid splitting up on the trail. If there are 4 or more of you and someone is injured, one person can stay with the patient while the other 2 go for help. Here's a story about a couple who |
For safety is not a gadget but a state of mind. Eleanor Everet |
|
DISCOVER 