Safety

Southern Highlands Bushwalkers Inc.

Bush Safety

Safety

Follow these few tips for safe bushwalking.
The Southern Highlands Bushwalkers are quite willing to accept intentions (times/destinations) of private outings to all bushwalkers, members or not.

Do!...

Give complete route details of WHERE you are going to close relatives or friends, police or a local club (an intentions form from a club is a good idea).
Tell them WHEN you are LEAVING and RETURNING and anyone's SPECIAL medical conditions eg diabetes, asthma, heart condition etc.
Notify them of your. SAFE RETURN.
Take the correct MAP, COMPASS, GPS, and PLB and know how to use them.
Take appropriate clothing/footwear, always take a WINDPROOF or WATERPROOF jacket and clothing that can keep you WARM WHEN WET eg wool and definitely NOT jeans. Your First Aid kit should include a space blanket.
Take waterproof MATCHES and some SPARE cold food eg Sultanas, sweets, nuts.

Don't...

Over estimate your abilities and always ALLOW TIME for the unexpected eg thick scrub, cliff lines.
Go faster than the slowest member of your group. At regular intervals do a HEAD COUNT of your group.
SPLIT up your walking group (except for below) during the trip, there is SAFETY IN NUMBERS.
Leave an injured person ALONE in the bush. A walking group of THREE or more will allow one to look after the injured while the other goes for help.
KEEP MOVING WHEN LOST, find a campsite nearby with water that will be visible from a helicopter. Wave vigorously at any helicopters - they are probably looking for you!
Forget if you are OVERDUE to PHONE home as soon as you get mobile reception or from the FIRST phone box/police station you come to.

Remember!...

EXPERIENCE and the trip LEADERSHIP and EQUIPMENT.
Every trip must include at least ONE experienced bush walker to every THREE inexperienced walkers.

Risk Assessment!

Bushwalking exposes participants to several inherent risks.
Walking over rough ground and through vegetation can lead to trips and falls, lacerations, abrasions and injuries from bumping into branches or rock overhangs.
Rocky areas and above cliffs carry risk of falls off rocks or cliffs. Walking below cliffs incurs risk of being struck by falling rocks, branches and other objects. In bushland, a risk of falling branches or trees is incurred.
There is the risk of snake-bite,insect stings, stings from plants such as nettles and stinging trees, injuries from animals, native and domestic.
In hot weather, the risk is cramps, dehydration and heat stress leading to heat stroke if allowed to continue. Also the risk of bushfires.
In cold weather, the main risk is hypothermia.
There is the risk of being lost in the bush, generally due to parties splitting up. There is also the risk of participants with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, heart problems and blood pressure problems especially if the walk leader is not informed.
Some walks may not have all the risk factors listed here, but most walks will have many of them.

Risk Management.

Most risks are avoidable by due care of the participant and avoiding conditions such as fire danger and extreme weather conditions.
The leader should inform the participants of any unusual risks likely to be encountered and should attempt to obtain information as to and medical conditions likely to affect a persons ability to complete the walk. Many people are reluctant to impart this information.
In the event of injuries occuring, the leader will use first aid qualified members to manage the injury by applying the appropriate treatment. First aid equipment is normally carried by qualified people and others are advised to carry first aid items. Rest and protection must be provided to casualties who are no longer able to continue. This one reason why a group must not separate during a walk.
If the injury or condition requires more advanced treatment than can be provided by first aiders, then help must be sought by calling emergency number (000). If no service ,then send two people to a higher place to see if they can obtain communication. If this cannot be obtained then two experienced people must be sent for help at quickest house to reach in order to phone for help. The message must give the location, the number and description of casualties and the nature of the injuries or condition of the casualty or casualties. When you are walking in remote areas you must use the club PLB which may activate the rescue helicopter.
If an individual or group is missing, the leader will organise for the group to return to where the missing party was last seen and search any alternative route that they may have taken, calling out or blowing a whistle from time to time. If this search is ineffective, then check the finish point of the walk. If the missing party does not appear, then more help must be sought by contacting the club 0490 803 576 or 0427 864 251 or ringing the emergency number 000 and the operator will activate police who coordinate all bush search and rescue.
If caught in a bushfire, stop and think. Don't run uphill or away from a fire. Look for a clear area or a sheltered spot and cover yourself. Get into a creek or dam but not an above ground tank. .

The Bushwalker's Code.

Minimal Bushwalking Means Do nothing and leave nothing that shows where you have been
Take nothing but happy memories and photographs
Leave nothing but footprints Be self reliant.
Tread Softly. Keep walking parties small, four to six is ideal. In trackless country spread your party to reduce damage to the environment. Use existing tracks, don't make new ones.
Become proficient at bush navigation.
Pack it in, pack it out.
Be properly trained in first aid.
Light your fires on bare sand or soil and don't surround with rocks.
Give snakes a wide berth and leave them alone.
Don't feed birds and animals around campsites.
If you open a gate, close it!.
Wash cooking and eating utensils well away from water systems. Prevent soap, detergents and toothpaste getting into water systems.
Fire doesn't destroy aluminium foil and plastics, take them away with you. Douse your fire thoroughly with water when leaving. Keep your fire small, the bigger the fire, the bigger the fool. Have a fire only when you are absolutely certain you can light it safely. If the ground under the coals is too hot to touch, the fire isn't out. Light fires away from stumps, logs, living plants and river stones. Avoid fire lighting in many rainforest and alpine regions.
Be at least 50 meters from campsites and water when going to the toilet.
Except in rough country, wear lightweight soft soled shoes or joggers. Carry clothing for the worst conditions you are likely to encounter. A lightweight trowel or large aluminium tent peg makes digging easier. .
Carry a mobile phone, and use it only for emergencies.
This is part of the code, get a complete copy. At Bushwalking NSW and Bush Search and Rescue via the links on the Links page.