AusLeisure

Mountain Safety Council Chief Executive Mike Daisley is keen to stress the importance of safety in the outdoors over New Zealand’s peak holiday period.

Referencing the Council's recent insights publication There and Back which explores outdoor recreation incidents, Daisley stated “we're in the unfortunate position of reminding Kiwis that the holiday period we're in now is a busy one for search and rescue.

"On average, there are 338 searches for trampers every year. 29% of these occur in December and January.”

Daisley went on to say that following the basic guidelines of the outdoor safety code is the key to making it home regardless of the intended activity, adding "of course, it's not all about trampers.

“We're urging hunters, mountaineers, mountain bikers and trail runners to consider how they'd deal with an unexpected night out.

"An unexpected night out can be born from an injury, a navigational error, an equipment failure or even just going to the bathroom and losing your bearings.

"There's been a number of near misses this year that could have ended quite differently if not for the skill and dedication of rescue crew, and a whole lot of luck."

Daisley believes that sharing plans remains a key part of the process of trip planning.

He concludes “relying on cellphone coverage in the outdoors is a very risky strategy. You really should let a trusted contact know where you're going and when you'll be back.

"It could be the difference between a swift search, or being out there like the proverbial needle in the haystack.

"I really hope we don't have to make a comment on incidents this holiday season retrospectively. Unfortunately, as participation goes up, so does the likelihood of avoidable incidents.

"It's the avoidable nature of these incidents that's often so sad.

“A great number of searches in the outdoors could have been avoided simply by following the basics.

The Outdoor Safety Code can be downloaded at www.mountainsafety.org.nz/Safety-Tips/default.asp

Images: Two Canadian tourists were killed while walking the Kepler Track in 2015 after ignoring repeated advice against doing the tramp (top) and Mike Daisley (below).

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