PLAN: Plan for what? Essentially you have four choices.
- Plan to stay put on a short term basis because you know help is on the way soon and has been confirmed. (This is the best scenario) --or
- Plan to stay put on a long term or undetermined basis because you have no idea if help will come and you are likely not able to travel. –or
- Plan to leave and you have a good idea where you are going and you must leave. – or
- Plan to leave and you have no idea where you are going but you must leave. (probably the worst scenario)
The big question then is to stay put or move on. While this may depend on many things such as
your supplies, weather, ability to travel, knowledge of where to go for safety
and many other factors, IT IS MOST GENERALLY
BEST TO STAY PUT especially if you left a plan with others who are expecting
you and they know where you will be so appropriate search and rescue efforts
can take place with a better chance of success. If you left your trip plan with others then by
all means stay put as much as possible and focus on surviving until rescuers
find you. If after several days of staying put and there
are no signs of rescuers, you may have to consider the possibility of moving on
and finding your way to safety. If you
left no trip plan with someone back home and you did not contact local rangers
or authorities about your plans then you will not have much choice but to try
to find your own way from the start. If
you are lost and must on and have you have no idea where you are going,
according to the degrees of the compass, you have one chance that you will head
in the best direction from the start and 364 chances of going a less favorable
direction. At this point you would
quickly begin to understand and appreciate the value of having a map and
compass and knowing how to use them to help your situation. Even in the worst scenario though- stay
calm, think clearly and keep a positive attitude - YOU CAN SURVIVE.
Whether you stay put or move on your plan should involve
prioritized needs. If you are with other
people be sure to consult with them to come up with your best plan and how to systematically
make it a success. Your plan should
involve making the best use of your resources and conserving energy as much as
possible. Take time to come up with a
well thought out plan. Priorities should
generally be in this order--- medical
care, shelter and fire, signaling for help, water and food. Follow the plan but be open to adjustments to
the plan if required to deal with changing situations.
If you must travel, be sure to leave as many signs along the
way to help searchers know which way you are heading. This will likely help them find you
quicker.
If you do choose to move on and you come to safety or you
are no longer lost. BE SURE TO CONTACT
AUTHORITIES IMMEDIATELY so people do not continue to search for you and put
their lives at risk while you are enjoying a great meal at a restaurant