ARE YOU PREPARED?

ARE YOU PREPARED?

LET'S TALK ABOUT SAFETY

"Probably 90 percent of the incidents in the park happen from day hikers because they don’t have the gear and they’re unprepared.”

Andrew Herrington, Search and Rescue Founder and Team Leader and Wildlife Ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tweet

BE PREPARED!

Day hikers are the most vulnerable! Prior to a hike of any duration, do the following:

  1. research the trail
  2. check for any alerts in the area you are visiting.
  3. check the current weather and forecast.
  4. wear proper footwear
  5. dress for any conditions
  6. stay hydrated
  7. bring healthy snacks
  8. have a basic first aid kit including snake bandages
  9. carry a map of the area (with compass)
  10. carry a PLB
  11. know your limitations

If you want to be thorough, pack the 10 essentials.

10 ESSENTIALS
  1.  Navigation: map, compass and GPS; know how to use a topographic map and a compass.
  2. Sun Protection: sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
  3. Insulation: jacket, hat, gloves, rain jacket and thermals.
  4. Illumination: torn, headlamp (and extra batteries).
  5. First Aid Supplies: snake bandages, bandages, XXXX
  6. Fire: matches, fire starters or a lighter
  7. Repair Kit and Tools: knife, duct tape, multitool
  8. Nutrition: food. Pack an extra day of food with good nutritional value.
  9. Hydration: water and water treatment supplies
  10. Emergency Shelter: tent, space blanket, plastic bag, tarp, bivy

WHY SHOULD YOU DO THIS?

RESEARCH THE TRAIL

There is a lot of information out there! Do your due diligence and have a plan on where you are going!

Don’t assume that the track will be properly signed. Some signs are vandalised… or they are few and far between.

  • What is the grade of the walk? Grade 4 and 5 are rough!
  • Is there mobile reception in the area?
  • How long is the track?
ALERTS

Tracks can be closed at any moment for any reason: track works, helicopter operations, high water levels, bushfire, landslide risk, search and rescue …

In the Blue Mountains, check the Blue Mountains National Park and Blue Mountains City Council websites for local closures.
You can also call the knowledgeable staff of the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre at 02 4787 8877 from 9 am to 4.30 pm every day (except Christmas Day) to ask about local conditions, tracks, creek or river water levels and fire danger.

For other areas, check the appropriate agency!

WEATHER

Check the local weather forecast for the day of your walk and a day or two further out! The Bureau of Meteorology is a good place to start!

THUNDERSTORMS: Avoid being in the bush during a thunderstorm. Lightning strikes target ridges and tall trees – the Blue Mountains have both of them!

HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING: Water levels rise suddenly after a thunderstorm. Do not cross creeks in flood! Wait for the water levels to subside! (Yes, it may take several hours!).

CHANGES OF TEMPERATURE: Temperatures can drop quickly after a thunderstorm or a southerly change.

LANDSLIDES: Landslides can happen any time. This is a risk that you may have to accept!

DAYLIGHT: Don’t start a walk late in the day especially in winter: it gets darker earlier especially at the bottom of cliffs.

FIRE DANGER: Be aware of the fire danger for the area you are visiting. National Parks will be closed on EXTREME and CATASTROPHIC fire danger ratings.

PROPER FOOTWEAR

Grade 1 and 2 tracks have a hardened and compacted surface. You can wear your flip flops and sandals on those if you wish!

Grade 3 to 5 tracks are rough: uneven surface and steps, protruding roots, rocks, eroded sections, muddy or wet sections near creeks or hanging swamps, slippery rocks …
Wear sturdy shoes with a good grip!

DRESS FOR ANY CONDITIONS

Temperatures can drop from 30°C to 15°C. Rain can fall anytime! Your risk of hypothermia increases.
Temperatures are high on plateau with little tree cover! Your risk of hyperthermia increases.

Wear a hat and put some sunscreen on.
Carry something that will keep you warm (a puffy jacket, …) or dry (a rain jacket, …).

STAY HYDRATED

Do not drink water from creeks unless you can treat it (or you know what you are doing). 

HEALTHY SNACKS

XXXXX

FIRST AID

XXXXX

MAP AND NAV

Always have a map of the area where you are going. Maps help you determine your location, pick the right track etc

156px-Warning

GPS: the signal is affected by cliffs and the canyon-like topography. Carry a map of the area!

KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS

In a typical Blue Mountains walk, what goes down must go up and it usually goes up steeply!

Some fitness is usually required to get you back to the top!

 

MOBILE RECEPTION

156px-Warning

Mobile Reception is variable in National Parks: from good reception to none at all! Water (humidity, clouds, fog, and rain) interfere with mobile reception as well as obstacles such trees and cliffs.

If there is no mobile reception, you cannot call 000 in an emergency! Consider carrying a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) which does not require cell coverage.

PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON (PLB)

On less busy trails and where mobile reception is patchy, consider carrying a PLB/satellite messenger!

Did you know that you can borrow a PLB free of charge from the Springwood or Katoomba Police Stations or the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre in Blackheath?

WHAT SHOULD YOU PACK AND WHY

What should I pack for the day? Check this page for further information.

LEAVE NO TRACE

  1.  Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimise Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Your Hosts and Other Visitors

EMERGENCY CALL

TBA

EMERGENCY CALL SERVICE IN AUSTRALIA
000 (triple zero)
156px-Warning
If there is no mobile coverage on any network , you will not be able to reach the Emergency Call Service via a mobile telephone.

Never called 000? Check the Triple Zero website!

Note: AML technology has been deployed for the Australian Triple Zero (000) Emergency Call Service.

PLB/SATELLITE MESSENGERS

No mobile coverage, no 000 call! Most of the Blue Mountains National Park has no mobile coverage!

TBA

 

NSW AMBULANCE SERVICES

NSW Ambulance services are not free (except in some specific situations).

Consider getting ambulance cover (Australian residents) or a travel insurance (overseas visitors).

More information on NSW Ambulance here!

RESCUES

TBA

TBA

NSW Ambulance services are not free (except in some specific situations).

TBA

TBA

Carry a PLB and use it wisely!

 

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

TBA

NSW AMBULANCE SERVICES

NSW Ambulance services are not free (except in some specific situations).

Consider getting ambulance cover (Australian residents) or a travel insurance (overseas visitors).

More information on NSW Ambulance here!

TBA

TBA

 

THINK BEFORE YOUR TREK

This a bush safety initiative between the NSW Police and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

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