Springtime, Recreation, Work &...?
For those of us in the Pacific Northwest, the past two days have simply been paradise. Springtime has sprung for us in a very big way! Along with the idyllic weather comes the enjoyment of being outdoors. Our urge to explore often takes us to remote locations where we enjoy, interact with and appreciate nature. From steelhead to steel-toed boots, our recreational and professional pursuits can present unique environmental health and safety challenges in back country settings. From injury to illness to wildfire and landslides, it remains impossible to predict when and where you or a companion might confront a back country emergency.
Regardless of your age, gender, health status, fitness, intelligence or ability- the absolute best thing you or I can do when spending extended periods in the remote back country is to be ready to evacuate. It would be preferable if you or a companion were trained and certified in back country emergency response techniques, but often we find ourselves in less than ideal settings. So if the setting becomes threatening, the best response is to leave that setting, ASAP. While that may sound as simple as throwing your gear in the pickup truck and moving to higher ground- more often than not the attempt to escape a threatening setting can be more dangerous that the actual threat.
Ugh. Now what?
Make a new plan, Stan...
Planning, planning, planning. When it comes to an emergency evacuation, we must consider all potential threats and all potential routes of escape relative to each threat. All back country travelers should, in advance of their forays, map every available route of escape. Your maps should include, at minimum: all roads accommodating vehicular travel; all roads suitable for off-road vehicles; all marked walking/hiking/skiing trails; all navigable waterways. If you are in steep or heavily forested terrain, you should also map all nearby locations that could serve as helicopter landing sites.
Whew... that's a lot of mapping, so let's move on to the next topic... Not quite yet, mate! The second part of our mapping exercise should involve a "connecting of the dots" to emergency facilities. In other words, we need to know how to get to places that can help the sick and injured. Identify on your maps the locations of hospitals, urgent care facilities, private physicians' offices, fire departments, military facilities and police stations. In a life or death emergency, the mapping of these routes shall be crucial to survival.
What in the heck would any of us do if all available routes for escape were not passable? This is where a little extra protection, usually available at a modest cost, can make all the difference in the world. Simply google "emergency evacuation insurance" and you will discover a long list of insurance companies offering evacuation services throughout the globe and at very affordable rates. Your emergency evacuation plan is not complete until you have subscribed for an insurance policy.
Our world is wonderful and magnificent, and we are fortunate to have the ability to experience it from pole to pole, and from mountain top to deep sea trench. But a beautiful seascape can transform into a menacing tsunami in a matter of minutes, so please plan for the worst and hope for the best!