Hikers, hunters, people with dementia and children often become lost. Planning can minimize the risk to you and your family.
Hikers and Hunters
To prepare for any medical or weather emergency, every outdoorsperson should pack The 10 Essentials.
By making a plan and making preventative safety-conscious decisions before you head out you can avoid common missteps. Adventure Smart has great tips and tools to help you think through your own safety. Check out the Government of Canada Emergency Management Webmaps to avoid locations experiencing fires and floods.
Always bring hardcopy maps, a compass, and standalone GPS, smartphone, and batteries/solar chargers, all in a water-proof carrier (baggies work well). Satellite communication devices are also helpful.
Download the The Red Cross First Aid App, or even better, take a Wilderness or Standard First Aid Class. They’re available through many local businesses and can help you prevent and respond to medical emergencies.
Before you head out, know how to use whistle codes, tie knots, use a compass, Pack a backpack and treat a blister.
For teachers, Saskatchewan Parks offers school programs include hands-on learning that complements Saskatchewan’s curriculum.
Caregivers of persons with Dementia or Alzheimer’s
Wandering is a common behaviour associated with dementia, especially in the middle to late stages of the disease.
Bayshore Health and the Alzheimer’s Association have some tips on how to prevent your loved ones from wandering.
Children’s Parents
A parent’s worse nightmare is that their child will go missing. Missing Kids provides age-specific tips for to keep children safe.
Lost Person Behaviour
Robert Koester is a world-renowned lost-person behaviouralist, and has been honing his very unique craft for more 40 years. Robert J. Koester is part of the Appalachian Search and Rescue, and has participated in hundreds of searches. His contribution to SAR include seminal research on lost person behavior, search theory, probability of detection, missing aircraft, and software development.