Bush (Wilderness) Safety
by Alan Sheehan, Land Search Instructor, Oberon State Emergency Service, New South Wales, Australia
by Alan Sheehan, Land Search Instructor, Oberon State Emergency Service, New South Wales, Australia
Each year Oberon State Emergency Service responds to numerous Land Searches for overdue, missing or injured bushwalkers. These notes are generally well accepted among competent and responsible bushwalking groups, but we present them here for the information of all, with particular emphasis on the root causes of most of our wilderness searches.
The attraction of the wilderness can be very strong. Equally as strong is the responsibility that entering a wilderness brings with it. The laws of nature ultimately rule in a wilderness - it is a place outside our artificial environment that is full of safety nets to protect us from ourselves. In the wilderness, you take responsibility for your actions, your life, and that of your companions. You cannot assume that someone else will fix your mistakes! Be prepared!
These notes are intended for novice bushwalkers and people interested in taking up bushwalking, so that they know a little about what to expect and what is expected of them. They are not intended to be a gospel or to contain any new revelations for experienced walkers (but if they do - good! ;o) ).
The party must have a leader. The leader is responsible for:
The first important step in planning a walk (or other wilderness activity) is to gather information. The following list should not be considered an exhaustive list of the information you may need.
It is difficult to set rules for party sizes. But the following comments should be considered.
Solo walking is unwise, and is not encouraged. In rough terrain, the ideal party size is four. This keeps the party agile and manageable, while allowing two to go for help in an emergency. For search parties in the same conditions, a party size of three is acceptable where reasonable communications can be maintained. Large parties, tend to be slow, difficult to manage and have significant adverse impacts on the environment - particularly at campsites.
For school parties and inexperienced groups, there should be one instructor to no more than five members.
It is very important that the experience, capabilities and disabilities of each member be known, especially in difficult terrain. The inclusion of people with unknown or inadequate capabilities can cause dangerous situations. Choose companions carefully.
Bushwalking often involves strenuous physical activity, and makes a wide range of physical and mental demands on the individual.
It is important that inexperienced walkers start on shorter, easier walks and progress onto longer harder ones. They can thus find their physical capabilities in a controlled way, and plan accordingly for future walks.
Do not attempt walks beyond your capabilities. Inform the leader if you have a fear of heights, lack confidence on rock, or have a medical condition which needs consideration, for example.
To many (inexperienced) people the bush (wilderness) is a totally alien and uncomfortable environment, where relatively small stressors can produce significant, even debilitating anxiety. Experience is the most effective method of developing mental preparedness - your capacity to deal with stress and discomfort.
The most important thing to do before leaving on a planned walk, is to leave written details of the trip with friends, your family, club or Police. This information should be detailed and include:
In an emergency, this information will greatly assist Police and searchers.
Always report your return to to the people you have given your trip information to.
These items are all ultimately the responsibility of the party leader, but all members need to be conscious of these requirements to make the walk enjoyable and safe.
Clothing needs vary greatly depending on conditions, and also to some extent on personal preference. The following should be considered as points to consider when choosing the appropriate clothing.
When choosing boots or shoes for walking, you need to consider the following:
Headware may vary but consideration should be given to shade, even in the dappled light of thick bush, and also to warmth in cold conditions. Beanies serve well in cold conditions, where a broad brimmed hat may be more suitable in warm sunny conditions.
The necessity to carry wet weather gear will depend on the climate of the area you are walking in, and the actual and forecast weather conditions. In some tropical areas, walking in the rain is relatively pleasant and the need for wet weather gear may be minimal. In colder areas, and areas of changeable weather conditions like in most mountainous areas, wet weather gear is critical. It should be light, waterproof but breathable.
As a very minimum, if you don't want to carry wet weather gear on a daywalk on a fine day, at least carry a large garbage bag. This can be made into an improvised raincoat / poncho / windbreak if you get caught out by a freak weather change, or other mishap.
In wet conditions, materials like cotton serve only to hold water against the skin increasing the risk of hypothermia, so clothing like jeans are not a good idea without effective wet weather gear. Better still us to use thermals (not cotton!) under waterproof overpants or even bare legs in conditions where a quick wipe of the legs with the hand gets rid of 90% of the water!
Of course, there is cold weather gear and there is cold weather gear! Cold weather gear is things like down suits for mountaineers or arctic/antarctic expeditioners. But for most people, cold weather gear is things like thermals, jumpers, jackets, gloves, beanies, scarfs or "throat coats", etc. The important thing to keep in mind here is layering. Layering allows progressive layers of clothing to be removed or added as needed for work or rest, respectively. The aim should be to stay warm enough without sweating while working, and without shivering (and diving into hypothermia) otherwise. Look for warm clothing that allows for layering, is light, compact and won't lose all its insulating characteristics when wet.
The equipment needed on a wilderness trip will depend on many different things.
At least one first aid kit is mandatory. It is probably a good idea for a few people to carry small kits each than one person carry a great big one. First Aid kits, because they are mandatory, are great places to keep those little things that are always handy too, like safety pins, matches, a needle and thread, or insulation tape. Along with the First Aid kit, it's a good idea to make sure the crew includes at least one first aider!
Again there is shelter and there is shelter. For snow camping a good quality tent designed for the purpose is essential in case there is no hut available or perhaps insufficient snow to build and igloo or snow cave. For cold or wet weather, or possible wet weather, a tent is also very worthwhile.
On day walks, the minimum mandatory shelter recommended is a tent fly or plastic sheet. In the event of becoming be-nighted, "geographically embarrassed" or injured, a fly can at least provide shelter from dew, frost, wind and rain, and can also shelteran injured member from the heat and sun during the day. If it a bright colour, so much the better - searchers will find it easier to see! In warm, fine conditions a tent fly may also suffice for overnighters.
For car camping, a swag might be appropriate, but for walking, lightweight and compactness are essential considerations. Usually a sleeping bag - adequate for the expected minimum temperature - and perhaps a sleeping mat fill the needs. Sleeping mats can be the cheap closed cell foam type, the heavy inflatable air mattress (not usually suitable for walking) or the new self inflating air mattresses. Apart from making the ground more comfortable to sleep on, sleeping mats also help insulate against heat loss into the ground. A small lightweight pillow or better yet an inflatable one may also be considered.
It is a good idea to be self sufficient with cooking gear, and where possible use a stove rather than build a fire. Make sure the stove is simple, light, easy to operate and maintain, and not prone to losing little bits which render it useless. Always use a clearly identifiable and distinguishable bottle for liquid fuels that will not leak.
Always carry a torch! With live batteries in it! A small torch will suffice as an emergency light source should you find yourself overdue enough to be be-nighted. It could make the difference between finding your own way out (and having a little extra unplanned adventure) and having a search started to come and find you. By the way, if possible always keep the batteries in the torch so they can't go flat by turning the torch on. For example, in torches using two batteries, turn one battery around the wrong way. If the torch gets turned on, the batteries won't go flat. Turn the battery around, obviously, before using the torch.
Always carry a map covering the area of the walk. Make sure you know how to read the map. Depending on the difficulty of the walk you are attempting, a map may not be needed, but by making the use of a map habitual, will improve and maintain your map reading skills and reduce the risk of you becoming "geographically embarrassed".
A compass is another item which is at least highly recommended, if not mandatory. A compass is of no use unless it is known how to use it!
GPS's. DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!!! If you have a GPS, fine, use it... but never rely on it! GPS's encourage poor navigation, particularly with inexperienced walkers out to play with their new toy! A GPS is a navigation tool, it will not navigate for you, especially when it is broken or has flat batteries! When that happens you need to be able to navigate some other means anyway, so why not do that right from the start? Always use every navigation method available to you: local knowledge, landmarks, the sun, map orientation, dead reckoning, compass resection, and GPS if you have one. Don't be reliant on just one tool! for more information on navigation methods have a look at The Bushwalker's Guide to the Galaxy.
One piece of emergency communication equipment that is worth carrying is a pocket sized stainless steel mirror. This can be used in an emergency to signal commercial or search aircraft or ground search parties provided there is sufficient sunlight.
Personal EPIRBs are one high tech emergency communications device which may be worthwhile. These may be used to indicate your position in the event of an emergency.
Mobile phones and radios are contentious items in the wilderness. Some people object to them vehemently as they "spoil the wilderness experience". They have a place in the wilderness, but only if used in a minimum impact way - leave them switched off and concealed unless an emergency requires they be used. In this way, your impact on other people's wilderness experience is minimised. Mobile phones and radios must not be relied upon - if you are not confident and comfortable going where you are going without the phone or radio, then don't go!
Specialist gear, whether it be for abseiling, canyoning, rockclimbing, caving, fishing, hunting or skiing, will not necessarily be discussed in detail here. Suffice to say, that in a wilderness, you may be relying on this gear, so it needs to be good quality and appropriate for the conditions.
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