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Hikers urged to have an emergency plan

With the nice weather, many people are hitting the hiking trails, but you are urged to have a safety plan before you take off.

In the Santa Barbara hills, along Tunnel Road, many hikers say they usually have water and a cell phone but officials say they also need to be aware of weather conditions, and possible risks if it’s a “red flag” day.

The Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue Team has released this “top ten” list for hikers.

1.Take plenty ofwater foryourselfandanypetsthatyoubringwithyou. Onequart(32

ounces)perhourisagoodruleofthumb.

2. Bring food.Don’tforgetthatahikeorbackpackingtripisexercisethatrequiresfuel.

Granolaorproteinbarsaresmallinsizeandenoughtokeepyoufueledforashorthike.

3. Be familiarwith the area before you go. Bring a map, and remember that trails can

become overgrown with brush. For this reason, we also recommend bringing a compass

andGPSdevice,andlearninghowtousethembeforeyousetout.

4.Tellsomeonewhereyou’regoing,when,andhowlongyouplantobeout.Ifnoone

knowsyou’regone,thennoonewillknowyou’remissingifyoudon’treturn.

5.Bringabuddy.Hikingaloneseemsappealing–untilyoubecomelostorhurt.Bringinga

hikingpartnerwillgiveyouanextrahandforhelpifyouneedit.

6. Take extra layers, even if it’s warm.Don’tforgetthat4,000’elevationgain can have

significant effect on weather and temperature; just because it’s warmat the beach doesn’t

meanit’snotfreezinginthemountains.

7. Bring a cell phone.Don’trelyonitsinceSantaBarbaraCounty’sbackcountryhas

famously poor cell reception, but if you become lost or injured and have a signal, you’ll

needacellphonetodial9-1-1forhelp.

8.Bringaflashlight.Ifyoustayoutlaterthanyou’dplanned,orifyougoonasunsethike,

youwon’tbeabletoseewhereyou’regoing(orwhichtrailyou’reon)withoutaflashlight.

Smartphoneflashlightapplicationsareagreatwaytominimizetheweightyoucarry.

9.Wearsunscreenandlipbalm,andbringsomeextrawithyou.Evenifit’scloudy,your

skincanstillburn.Rememberthatchildrenburnfasterthanadults.

10.Hugatree.Ifyougetlost,thenstayput;don’tmakeyourselfmorelostorriskinjury. If
youbecomelostorinjured,thendon’twait:immediatelydial9?1?1forhelp.

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