Follow the basics to make it home for Christmas

Follow the basics to make it home for Christmas

Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley is keen to stress the importance of safety in the outdoors this holiday season. He referenced the council's recent insights publication There and Back which explores NZ outdoor recreation incidents.

"We're in the unfortunate position of reminding Kiwis that the holiday period we're in now is a busy one for search and rescue" said Daisley.

"On average, there are 338 searches for Trampers every year. 29% of these occur in December and January" said Daisley.

Daisley went on to say that following the basic guidelines of the outdoor safety code are the key to making it home regardless of the intended activity.

"Of course, it's not all about trampers. We're urging Hunters, Mountaineers, Mountain Bikers and Trail Runners to consider how they'd deal with an unexpected night out" said Daisley.

"An unexpected night out can be born from an injury, a navigational error, an equipment failure or even just going to the bathroom and losing your bearings" said Daisley.

"There's been a number of near misses this year that could have ended quite differently if not for the skill and dedication of rescue crew, and a whole lot of luck" said Daisley.

Daisley said telling someone your plans remains a key part of the process of trip planning.

"Relying on cellphone coverage in the outdoors is a very risky strategy. You really should let a trusted contact know where you're going and when you'll be back"

"It could be the difference between a swift search, or being out there like the proverbial needle in the haystack" said Daisley.

"I really hope we don't have to make a comment on incidents this holiday season retrospectively. Unfortunately, as participation goes up, so does the likelihood of avoidable incidents" said Daisley.

"It's the avoidable nature of these incidents that's often so sad. A great number of searches in the outdoors could have been avoided simply by following the basics" said Daisley.

For more information on the outdoor safety code head to www.mountainsafety.org.nz and download their FREE outdoor recreation guides.

Outdoor Safety Code

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