S.T.O.P. and Planning can Help You Survive any Outdoor Experience

The most gripping stories of human survival are the ones where somebody survives despite everything possible having gone wrong. What we do not hear as often is the majority of cases where people die because everything possible went wrong. Survival is not about what goes wrong most of the time however. It is about what was done right.

Doing what is right begins well before you start hiking at the trailhead. If you do everything right before you head to the great outdoors, you will probably never get into trouble. If you do get into trouble, having done everything right before you go will give you the best chance of surviving the experience, even if you do need to be rescued.

BEFORE YOU GO

Before you head to the woods, get prepared. Take steps that will both prevent problems and help if they crop up anyways. Try the following steps:

1. Know what the weather forecast is. Knowing the weather will help you prepare appropriately, and in some cases is enough to cancel a planned outing.

2. Let somebody know where you are going and when you will be back - do not forget to tell them what route you will be taking. If you are not back on time, this person will be responsible for reporting you as lost and for getting a search started. If they know where you were going and what route you were taking, it will help speed the search up significantly.

3. Take the right equipment. Bring with you the gear that you will need to do the activity correctly. You would not try chopping a tree down with a butter knife. Likewise, everything you do outdoors has the right gear. Bring it and know how to use it properly. There is not always a lot of gear to do it right either. For a short day hike, it could just be sunscreen, water, and good shoes.

4. Include some extras in your supplies, just in case. Climbing a rock face may need more protection than you expected. A hike may take longer than planned. Weather can force you to stay out an extra day. Bring extra food and drink - even if just a Nalgene bottle and an energy bar. Have clothes for worse weather than expected. If something goes wrong, you might as well be comfortable.

5. Do not go out by yourself. If you can, go in a group of 4 or more. In the great outdoors, being solo is an invitation for disaster. Any injury can become life threatening, and one person is harder to find than a group. The reason you want 4 or more is in case of injury. If one person is hurt, two can go for help (remember, no soloing) while one stays to help. In the case of a self-rescue, dividing weight and responsibility between 3 people is much easier than having to do it all yourself.

OUT IN THE OUTDOORS

So, you have done everything you can to get prepared. That does not mean that you are out of danger. Unexpected situations can arise, and nature does have its claws and lightning bolts. Human error can also lead to you getting lost or injured. If something does go wrong, what do you do next? Simple, just STOP.

If you are Lost

S - Stop what you are doing. If you think you are lost, continuing to move is only going to get you more lost. Take a drink of water, eat a small snack and relax. Being lost is not the end of the world. Taking a quick break can refresh you and help you clear your thoughts.

T - Think. If you are lost, spend some time determining when and how you got lost. It may be possible to find yourself. When was the last time you knew exactly where you were? Can you find your way back to that point? Is there a place nearby you can get to that will help you orient yourself? What landmarks should you be looking for to help yourself get un-lost?

O - Observe. Take stock of the situation. What time of day is it? Do you have enough time to work your way back to where you knew your location? What supplies do you have with you? What condition is everybody in the party in? How is the weather holding up? What dangers are in the area that need to be avoided?

P - Plan. Develop a plan. If you have a group (you should!) discuss the plan. Once you have the plan developed, recite it from beginning to end and make certain that all of it makes sense. If it doesn't, revise it until it does make sense. Then implement that plan. Do not be afraid to STOP again as the situation changes.If you cannot find yourself, try to make it as easy as possible for your rescuers. 'Hug a Tree.' This is good advise that can easily be taught to even young kids in your group. All it means is to pick a spot and stay there. It is easier to be found if you pick a good spot and do not move from it. Good spots are generally along open areas where you can setup signals to help air and ground searchers locate you. The best signals to use is 3 of anything - whistle blasts and fires being the first to come to mind.

If Somebody is injured

S - Stop. You need to keep the situation from getting worse. If the danger that caused the injury still exists, rushing in may result in additional injuries. If the danger has cleared up, waiting a second to be sure will not hurt.

T - Think. Check that the scene is safe. If it is not, figure out how you can make it safe for both rescuers and the injured. Remember, now that there is an injury, your goal is to stabilize the situation first, then work on fixing it. Once you have thought through it - and it may only take a second or two if the threat is over - get the rescuers to the injured.

O - Observe. This is where the care begins. Observe your patient. You want to care for them at the location of injury if possible. If not, move them as little as you can to get them into a safe location. This is where you need to follow through on your First Aid and stabilize the patient.

P - Plan. Just like if you are lost, develop a plan. Consider contingencies and work out the plan until everything makes sense and requires the least out of the patient as possible. Assess the possibility of self-rescue, but do not be afraid to send for help if necessary. Continually review the plan as you implement it, and adjust it as needed. If necessary, STOP again.
An injury complicates matters. Self-rescue is a good choice if the patient is mobile. If the patient can move himself, self rescue may be faster and less expensive than waiting for help. At no time should you let the desire for an inexpensive self-rescue jeopardize the patient's safety.

CONCLUSION
Planning is the best way to avoid problems with any outdoor experience. Not only does planning help you avoid problems, but it helps you be prepared to deal with problems if they do occur. If, despite your planning, something does happen, just STOP. Stopping, Thinking, Observing, and Planning will help you prevent the situation from getting worse and may even allow you to solve it yourself.

Good luck, and may you never need to S.T.O.P.