Know how and when to get help 

Accidents can happen to anyone however adventure smart you are, so whatever your activity make sure you carry an appropriate means of calling for help should you need to. 

Make sure your mobile is charged…
but don’t rely on it for navigation and communication.

Remember the phone signal might be poor, so carry a torch and whistle as a means of attracting attention.  Six short flashes in short succession, repeated at 1 minute intervals is the international distress signal (you can also blow your whistle in a similar manner).

If you are going boating and have an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon and/or Personal Locator Beacon make sure you register it – it could speed up your rescue.

If you find someone in trouble, call for help, don’t put yourself at risk

…and if your dog is in difficulty, water or otherwise, call for help

Conserve mobile battery life by having all the details to hand before phoning.

Inland: In an emergency call 999 – ask for the police and then the Mountain Rescue

Inland waters: In an emergency call 999 – ask for Fire & Rescue Service

Sea and coastal area: In an emergency call 999 – ask for the Coastguard

You will need to give them the following details;

  • your location (grid reference if possible)
  • name, gender and age of casualty
  • nature of injuries or emergency
  • number of people in the party
  • your mobile phone number.

Check who in your party has a mobile phone (and coverage) and evaluate the amount of battery life available in the event of additional calls being necessary.

If there is no mobile signal at your location, consider whether it might be worth moving to another location to phone from.

If all other forms of communication fail, the internationally recognised emergency signals are six blasts on the whistle or six torch flashes repeated every minute.

What to do in an emergency

Even those who are well prepared can find themselves in difficulty. Knowing what to do in an emergency is essential, take time to assess the situation and decide what to do:

  • Stay calm and stay together.
  • Check that no one in your group is in immediate danger, you may need to move away from the danger.
  • If anyone is injured, you may need to treat them. Look for signs of life (airway/breathing/circulation) or blood loss. Download the St John Ambulance first aid advice app (No internet required to use the app: all the information is hosted on the app).
  • Insulate the casualty from the ground, add extra clothing and if they are unconscious place them in the recovery position.
  • Identify where you are on your map and consider your options:
    • Moving to safety – What will the conditions be like? How far do you need to go to reach safety? Are you able to carry the casualty? Will the casualty’s injuries be made worse by moving?
    • Finding shelter – Don’t use up valuable time and energy unless you are sure about finding shelter. Use your group shelter.
    • Staying put – Will your situation be resolved if you stay where you are?
    • Seeking help – Remember that even when the emergency services have been called they may take several hours to reach you.

If you have hearing or speech difficulties, you can contact the 999 emergency services by text

You will only be able to use this service if you are registered with emergencySMS first.

Register now — don’t wait for an emergency! Text ‘register’ to 999 then follow the instructions sent.

In an emergency contact the emergencySMS service by texting 999.

Your message should include:

1. The service you need

  • Inland: ask for the police and then the Mountain Rescue
  • Inland waters: ask for Fire & Rescue Service
  • Sea and coastal area: ask for the Coastguard

2. Details of incident 

3. Your location, be as accurate as you can 

BE ADVENTURESMART

Think about Gear

You don’t need the latest high tech, high performance, painfully expensive jacket to be AdventureSmart.  The trick is putting a little bit of thought into what conditions you might meet and packing a bag with just enough to ensure you can cope with whatever the day may bring.

Watch the Weather

We are renowned for being a bit obsessed with the weather in the UK, which makes it surprising that people frequently don’t pay enough attention to how it might affect their days adventure.
Whatever your activity being prepared for the weather can make a big difference as to how you feel at the end of the day.

Develop your skills

Whatever your planned activity for the day, be honest with yourself about you and your companions’ knowledge, fitness and ability. We all like to kid ourselves that we are fitter, or indeed more capable than we are but in this instance it pays to be honest.

Know how and when to get help

Accidents can happen to anyone however adventure smart you are, so whatever your activity make sure you carry an appropriate means of calling for help should you need to.

 

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