top of page
Search

EMERGENCIES - the do's and don'ts

Writer's picture: Thomas TroughtonThomas Troughton

Updated: Mar 4, 2022

You're having a great day. You're outside with friends in the countryside and you're making good progress. Suddenly, one of the group members breaks their ankle and they're unable to walk. You're miles from the start and are not close to a road. What should you do?


This could very much be a situation you find yourself in. There are hundreds of other possibilities that would warrant emergency support, and being stranded in the countryside is a bit daunting when things start to go pear shaped.


NB. for simplicity, we will be covering emergency first aid in a separate blog.



Emergency items to pack:

Most of these live at the bottom of our bags all year round - we leave them in there and don't take them out - even in summer.


1. Mobile phone

Only to be used in a genuine emergency - this cannot be relied on as you may not have signal. Dial 999, ask for police and then mountain rescue.


The mountain rescue ask you to have all these points ready on their website


  1. Location (grid reference if possible)

  2. Name, gender and age of casualty

  3. Nature of injuries or emergency

  4. Number of people in the party

  5. Your mobile phone number


If you can't talk, you can also text the emergency services to 999 but the mountain rescue say you need to registered with https://www.emergencysms.net/ before you do it, so don't wait until you need them to register!


Text Police, details of the incident and your location to 999.


2. Small first aid kit

We will cover basic first aid in a separate blog with Essi, our in house doctor.

Look out for hiking/outdoor specific first aid kits, such as this one from Lifesystems


Other things to bring in addition to your first aid kit:

  • Personal medication

  • Pain killers

  • Medical gloves

  • Pen knife

3. Emergency blanket

Single vs group bivy or emergency blankets such as this one. High vis is a good bet too because as the name suggests, you'll be more visible!


These are lightweight, waterproof, windproof and durable so that you can sit in one in case of an emergency to help prevent hypothermia. You can buy larger ones big enough for 2 people, so check that if you're going with a group you have enough spare.


4. Whistle

Shouting is fine, but you'll soon get tired. Some packs have one built in such as this one from Decathlon.


To signal for help, complete 6 blasts at regular intervals. Wait a minute then repeat. If you're replying to someone, sound 3 blasts then wait a minute.


5. Head torch with different modes

Flashing mode signals distress - you can follow the principles above as per the whistle to signal for help. 6 flashes, then wait a minute and repeat.


6. Extra items of clothing

You never know what the weather will do. We always pack an extra base layer, buff and gloves on our walks just in case. There have been times where we haven't been in an emergency but have been very grateful for a spare layer when the temperature suddenly drops on top of the fells and the wind is icy cold.


Check out our 'what to bring on a hike' blog for more information on base layer types.


7. Extra food and water

Pack enough water for 0.5L an hour. We typically don't get through that much, so if you're running light, water purification tablets are handy if you run out.


Extra snacks stashed away for emergencies will be a warm welcome if you're stuck. Check out our 'what do bring on a hike' guide for more information.





Lastly, here are some other useful tips:


1. Communication:

A. Tell someone where you're going - Give them your route and what your ETA is.

B. Tell someone when you've finished - This is important so that they're not worried and that the mountain rescue hasn't been called out needlessly!


2. Make sure each member of the group knows:

a. What the route is - where they've come from and where they're going.

b. The names and number of people in the group.

c. Your exact location - Grid references can be used. We've also seen use of the what3words app to help identify your exact location.


What 3 Words claims that 80% of Britain's emergency responders recognise it's use, so it's it a great tool but shouldn't be your first port of call. The app uses your phones GPS, therefore it works without signal. However the GPS accuracy depends on your location (ie if near tall buildings), and may take a bit of time to load (as detailed on their website here)


3. Check the weather pre-walk


We use the Mountain Weather Information Services as it covers most national parks, except the North York moors and then we'll use the Met Office.


4. Check your environment


If you're injured but able to move and it's safe to do so, look for:

a. Shade if it's hot and sunny

b. Protection from the wind/rain/snow with walls, rocks or wooded areas.


Make sure you use your emergency blanket!


5. Keep a note of your parking location and/or the local town/village to where you have parked



Thank you for checking out our blog on what to do in an emergency. Check out our other guides at https://www.troughtandabout.com/guides


Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!


Hope you stay #troughtandabout

19 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


  • Instagram

©2021 by Troughtandabout

bottom of page