Planning and preparation doesn’t have to be involved, but keep these key points in mind before going out:

• Know where you are going, including where to find help (should it needed)

• Tell a trusted family member or friend your plans and when you expect to return

• Take the 10 essentials with you and know how to use them

• Develop a contingency plan of what to do if lost or hurt

If you should get lost or hurt while outdoors, S.T.O.P.:

1. STAY where you are

2. TAKE deep breaths, to calm yourself and start gathering your thoughts, as you

3. OBSERVE the situation, your surroundings, your physical and mental state

4. PROCEED with the contingency plan, based on your assessed conditions

Remember to be more careful in lost or injured situations as increased stress can lead to poor decisions.For children and elders, adjust Plan/Prepare and S.T.O.P. to their specific needs and capabilities.

The Lost...but Found! Safe and Sound program was developed by the Association of National Park Rangers. It is a program for children on how not to get lost, how to stay comfortable if they do get lost, and how they can be found more quickly. 

1. Lost? STOP!: When you realize you’ve become lost,   STOP! Don’t run because you might fall and get hurt.

2. Find a comfortable spot: It can be scary to be alone. Snuggle up to a tree or other stationary object. Build a nest calms you down. Stay in one place so you can be found far more quickly.

3. Always carry a whistle and trash bag: When going out of doors, wear a whistle   around your neck and put a folded trash bag in your pocket. By sitting down, you can put the trash bag over you to stay warm and dry. Be sure to cut a hole out for your face so you can breathe! Use your whistle and blow 3 short blasts every so often so searchers can find you.

4. Make yourself BIG: Find a tree near a clearing (no other trees around) to hug. Make an “X” or “SOS” in the field if you can find sticks or rocks or can scrape the dirt with your shoes. Whether searching on the ground or from a helicopter, people are hard to see. Wearing bright colors (like red or orange) can help. If you hear a helicopter, wave your arms and lie out in the field.

5. You will have many friends looking for you: Searchers will be yelling your name – they are not angry at you. They just want to find you as quickly as they can. Don’t be afraid to let them know where you are.

6. Your parents won’t be mad at you: Anyone can get lost. They just want you to be found, safe and sound.

Weather Conditions

There are many reasons to check the weather before and during the times you go out of doors. Ensuring you have the proper outerwear will allow you to enjoy the outdoors. Some online resources for current and forecasted weather include:

• Weather.gov (NOAA)

• Weather.com (The Weather Channel)

• WeatherUnderground.com (IBM)

• Windy.com (Private company and user community)

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

The NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) All Hazards is perhaps one of the best choices for receiving weather warnings. The NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) All Hazards is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting forecasts, warnings, and emergency information 24 hours a day. It is a comprehensive weather and emergency information service available to the public. There are seven National Weather Service radio frequencies you can monitor for current weather and forecasts: 162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, and 162.550 MHz.

Lightning Safety in the Backcountry

Backcountry settings are at least a 30-minute walk from the nearest vehicles or modern buildings, where you can easily find safe shelter. There are four actions that can reduce your lightning risk in the backcountry, but none of them can make you as safe as getting in a modern building or a metal-topped vehicle. These behaviors are listed in order, and each is roughly twice as important as the next. 

• Time your visits to high-risk areas with local weather patterns

• Find safer terrain if you hear thunder

• Avoid trees and long conductors if lightning comes close

• Get in the “Lightning Position” if lightning is striking nearby

About one-fifth of Virginia SAR responses are for searches for our elders. It is estimated that up to 31% of nursing home residents and between 25% and 70% of community-dwelling older adults with dementia wander at least once.

Cognitively impaired individuals who wander are at high risk of injury. Elopement, in which the person wanders away from home or from a skilled nursing facility, is the most dangerous type of wandering and has resulted in death. 

Those who care for our elders have to assess the propensity to wander, even in individuals who may not appear capable of wandering or elopement, and take proactive measures to protect these individuals. Factors that increase the risk of wandering and elopement include:

• Unfamiliar environment

• Recent change in medication(s)

• Being left alone

• Changes in routine or schedule

• Spatially disoriented to familiar cues

• Expresses desire to engage in a past practice or desire to “go home”

Minimizing the risks for wandering and elopement can include:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment if admitted to a long-term care (LTC) facility

• Ensure family or LTC staff are aware of security practices to keep elders on the premises

• Have meals together with others

• Engage elders in regular physical and mental exercises

• Install video surveillance equipment around the premises

• Have elders wear electronic alert systems (watches, pendants, or shoe soles) that incorporates GPS and phone tracking (e.g., SafeTracks, TriLOC)

If an elder does elope, have the following information available for SAR resources:

• Name, photo, personal information, identifying features of the elder

• Any history of where the elder has eloped/wandered before

• Any record of where and which direction the elder started out from