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(32ounces)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.
