Frequently Asked Questions about the Australian Bushwalk
Warning and Disclaimer:-
This information is general in nature and cannot be reliably applied to
specific situations because "the bush" is a very variable place and weather or topography affects
different locations in different ways, in addition different people have different capabilities. The
information in this section is prepared by very fit, very capable, very experienced bushwalkers from their
personal experience.
What should I do if I become separated from my group or the group becomes split?
Good walk leaders always do a risk assessment and have
an action plan depending on the experience and fitness of each member of your
group. The leader will tell the walker what is expected of them in the
case they become separated. Each person should keep in touch with the
person in front of them and behind them during the walk, that way no one should
be too far away.
If despite all this you do become aware that you are
separated from your group:-
- The best policy is to "stop"; stay where you are (if safe to do so), since this is where
your leader (and searchers) expects to find you and where they will look first.
- Make a loud noise to attract the rest of parties
attention, (shout (many clubs have distinctive calls that carry easily through
the bush, such as "Fisho", "Dayyo", "Cooee".), or use a shrill whistle) and then
listen for at least 2 minuets before calling again or moving about (remember
sound takes a time to travel).
- If after a reasonable time you are still alone, spread out the contents of
you pack widely around you. This will make a much bigger target to see, particularly from
the air. Do not wander away from your belongings and make sure they don't blow away -
particularly from the cyclonic winds created by a helicopter hovering above you.
- You may even have to set up a camp if your wait is
long, towards nightfall or in bad weather (but this is very unusual).
- If you move on you may be going in the wrong
direction and move out of the initial search area making it much longer and
harder to locate you.
If you get out on your own please contact the local
Police Station and tell them you are safe. Any search for you will be managed
from here.
What do I do if a member of our group becomes
separated?
The answer will depend on the circumstances, these need
to be weighed up for each case. There will be more concern for the,
inexperienced, unwell, unfit, ill-equipped or angry.
When leading a group of walkers always do a risk
assessment and have an action plan depending on the experience and fitness of
each member of your party. Tell the group what you expect then to do if
they become separated. Ask each person to keep in touch with the person
in front of them and behind them during the walk, that way no one should be too
far away from another person.
If despite all this someone does become separated from your group:-
- In the first instance stop, make a loud noise to
attract the lost persons attention, (shout (many clubs have distinctive calls
that carry easily through the bush, such as "Fisho", "Dayyo", "Cooee".), or
use a shrill whistle) and listen for at least 2 minuets before calling again or
moving about (remember sound takes time to travel and this also gives them
a chance to catch up)
- If nothing is heard after a number of loud noise -
listen cycles, then decide the next action, choices will depend on
circumstances (how experienced is the missing person? do they have a health
problem? did they stop for the toilet or drink or to take a photo? has there
been friction between members of the group? has there been a difficult piece of
terrain? etc, etc).
- The main choices are to: -
a) stay put until they
catch up;
b) backtrack; or
c) continue on to the next scheduled stop
and wait for them there.
- If the missing person is inexperience, or has heath or
fitness problems you would probably backtrack to the last location the person
was seen (a couple of fit experienced people could backtrack, while the
rest of the group
stays put). If the missing party is fit experienced and capable you may
decide to move on to the next scheduled stopping place.
Whatever you decide, make sure of the well-being
of the rest of the group "try not to put everyone at risk".
If you cannot locate the lost party phone 132 222, ask
for pager number 6277 321 and leave your name and contact phone number
with a brief message. You will be contacted by BWRS personnel who will
collect all relevant information and discuss a course of action with you.
What do I do if our group is overdue and we are late
getting out?
Make sure that each member of the group contacts those
waiting at home as soon as they can, this will ease any worries to them.
If a search has been started then contact the local Police Station and tell
them you are out. This will be the search headquarters.
What do I do if I am at home and the bushwalking group
does not return on time?
Bushwalkers occasionally do not get home on time for
many and varied reasons. They could be caught in traffic or the walk may
have simply taken longer than expected. Alternatively they may have stopped for a
meal/drink. If after allowing them a reasonable time you are still worried
contact one of your clubs safety officer or walks secretary. If not in a
club ring the family of the person who organized the walk. Failing these
avenues ring BWRS 132 222 and ask for pager 62 77 321 and leave your name
and contact phone number with a brief message. You will be contacted by
BWRS personnel who will collect all relevant information and discuss a course
of action with you.
How do I signal in the bush to get some ones
attention? or,
How do I make myself stand out to searchers?
We see/notice things by: -
- sound,
- shape,
- colour,
- contrast,
- shine,
- movement, and
- we also notice things that "don't belong".
In other words make loud noises, and jump around, waving
regular shaped brightly coloured objects, that contrast with the bush around
you. A blue/orange sleeping bag or bag liner make a good attention getter
because there colour contrasts with the bush and they have a regular shape
(rectangular shape with straight lines).
Spread the contents of your pack out around you to make a much bigger target
to see by walkers or from the air, (make sure the spread out items will not blow away -
particularly from the cyclonic winds created by a helicopter hovering above you).
Another technique over longer distances is to use shiny
object as a heliograph. A good emergency heliograph can be made from a CD
or DVD (but a mirror or a billy lid will do). Line a finger up with
the direction you want to signal, look through the hole of the disk and twist
the disk about so the reflected sun light shines on your finger. Keep
moving the disk so the light will flicker when seen from a distance. (not
much good at night or an overcast day).
At night or very dull day a torch may be useful,
particularly the very bright lights available now. Remember to flicker it
about to draw the attention.
Most people become hoarse when shouting repeatedly over
a long time, in these cases a shrill whistle can ease the strain on the vocal
cords.
During the day a smoky fire with a column of smoke
rising straight up will attract attention (or three in a row see rule of 3s below). At night a big bright fire -
take care not to start a bush fire. Do not light a fire on a fire ban day
because the risk of a bushfire is immediate and lethal.
Be aware that during a storm it is much harder to
attract attention, because everything is moving and sound does not carry.
An internationally recognized distress signal is that in
an emergency situation use three of anything to attract attention:-
- three whistle blasts, three honks of a car/boat horn,
three siren blasts, repeated at intervals;
- three fires in a line 50 - 100 meters apart, during
the day make columns of smoke, at night bright fires;
- three shirts, tents, space blankets etc spread out on
the ground;
- three walkers at evenly spaced waving and jumping
about;
- three flashes of light;
- etc. etc.
How do I attract the attention of an aircraft or
vessel?
All of the items in the discussion above apply for
aircraft. Remember to spread out all the items from your pack out
around you to make as large a target as possible (make sure the items cannot blow away -
particularly from the cyclonic winds created by a helicopter hovering above you). The heliograph can be particularly useful on a sunny day
and the smoke may be seen over a great distance.
Be aware though that shinny silvery objects tend to look
like pools of water and tend to be lost in the background seen from the
aircraft.
What do I do if I'm caught in an electrical storm?
In this situation you have several concerns, possibly all
at the same time:-
- lightning electrical strike, this can be
direct contact, or just near contact with a high step voltage between different
parts of the body. In general move down from high peaks and stay away
from trees or tall objects that form lightning attractors, before the storm
hits. Once the storm is with you crouch down with your feet together,
they are often over in half hour or less.
- big hail stones, hail of 5mm (1/4") stings
when it hits you, hail 10mm (1/2") hurts when it hits you, hail over 25mm (1")
can break bones or kill you (and remember I have seen hail over 150mm (6") in
Australia). Hail moves horizontally as well as vertically with enough velocity to crack a
vertical car or house window. This author has sort shelter beside a fallen log
with his pack over his head
while holding a tent fly in front of him. This may
be a case where you seek shelter from trees or hollow trees but be aware this
is a trade off of risks with lightning strike and falling tree limbs.
- Cyclonic winds that blow you away. Seek
a less exposed spot before the storm hits, if caught out in the open lie down
and hang onto anything you can. Be aware of possible blowing debris, eg
big branches or even whole trees!
- Hypothermia, from cold rain, cold downdrafts
and wind chill. Make sure you have the right gear before you start.
I come to a flooded creek or river what should I
do?
In most cases you should ask "why cross now at all". It
would be better to:- find another place to cross, walk out another way, or
camp and wait for the water level to drop to a safe level to cross. It is
preferable to get out hungry a couple of days late than put rescuer lives at
risk (or be taken out in a body bag).
Moving water is powerful, relentless but
predictable. It can be more powerful than you, last longer than you can,
however you can plan ahead to work with the water to, get out of danger, effect a
rescue, or perhaps cross the flooded creek.
A bushfire is approaching and it is not far away what should I
do?
A general rule is do not go walking in extreme or even high bush fire warning
days and certainly not into an area where bushfires are burning fires are nearby. The
national parks will generally be closed in this case (for good reason).
If caught in a bushfire whilst camping or in the open you should:
- Never enter the bush if there is smoke or fire in the vicinity.
- Seek shelter in your vehicle or a large body of water — never climb into any type of water
tank.
- Never try to outrun a fire by moving uphill, move across the hill or down to escape if at all
possible as fires spread more quickly uphill.
- Try to find an open space such as a previously burnt out area, rocky ground or clear litter
away from near you and shelter behind your backpack or a fallen log.
- Stay low to the ground for fresh air and cover up exposed skin for protection from radiant
heat.
- Never attempt to run through a bushfire unless it is small with flames less than 1 metre in
height (this should only be done as a last resort).
- Use your CB radio or mobile phone (if working) to dial triple zero (000) or
one one two (112) to notify the
emergency services and the National Parks and Wildlife Service of your situation and location.
- Remember when camping to notify the National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers of your
location and obey fire restrictions.
[click here] for more information from the
NSW Fire Brigades Web Site.
I can't find water where I expected, what should I do?
Australia can be a hot dry place - "The Driest Continent" is a regular claim.
Always plan your walk with sources of water at the forefront of your mind. We can go without food for a reasonable time (days even weeks) but without water we die very quickly
(hours or a day)
particularly in hot weather. If we do become dehydrated we are also very susceptible to conditions such as heat stroke.
The other equally important consideration on hot sweaty trips is keeping up the electrolytes (salt).
If we
do strenuous exercise when dehydrated, we can die of heat stroke within 20 minutes.
After a dry camp, the natural thing is to rush to water, but take it easy
especially in hot weather. If it is hot it is better to move to water at night or early morning when it
is often cooler. If it is hot and you must move, do so slowly and easily especially up hill.
The old army saying is "ration sweat not water", it is stupid to be dehydrated with a full water bottle.
2l day in cool, 4l per day if hot, much more if vigorous exercise. Remember your electrolytes, if you
are doing vigorous exercise over a long time (several hours), beware of over hydration without correct
electrolytes, this will cause Hyponatraemia which is life threatening especially remote
from medical aid.
Water is where you find it, so find out where before you go. (This sentence has meaning to experienced
bushwalkers)
How do I use a map and compass?
These skills require practice in a real environment over a period of time and
are best learned from a bushwalking club which has a training program.
See www.bushwalking.org.au
for the Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs website and its link to clubs.
How do I use a GPS?
These skills require practice in a real environment over a period of time and
are best learned from a bushwalking club which has a training program.
See www.bushwalking.org.au
for the Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs website and its link to clubs.
See the Bush Safety - GPS page. [click here]
Remember the GPS does not work reliably in many situations. It is just another tool for navigation and requires skill
and knowledge to use safely.
How do I use an EPIRB?
See Bush Safety - EPIRB page [click here].
A number of Bushwalking Clubs believe that an EPIRB can
give a false sense of security, remember there are many situations where they
may not get a signal out or air searches cannot respond effectively so that
rescue may be days away.
The EPIRB is designed to be used in "LIFE THREATENING" situations. |
