Ambulance Victoria (AV) is urging everybody to stay safe these school holidays when hiking, mountain bike riding, 4WDing, or camping.
The warmer weather and school holidays mean many will be dusting off their camping gear or stepping into hiking boots for the first time in months, and AV Manager Emergency Management Ian Hunt said its important people are prepared.
“Before you hit the road, ask yourself if you’ve prepared for if something goes wrong. Consider learning basic first aid and CPR,” he said.
“Make sure you’re dressed appropriately for the conditions and bring enough water, food, matches, a torch, and sunscreen with you, and for hikers, be sure to consider the 10 essentials—navigation, light, sun protection, first aid, knife, fire, shelter, food, water, and clothing.”
Mr Hunt said emergencies can happen any time and particularly in remote or unfamiliar environments, so be sure to familiarise yourself with the resources you may need to call Triple Zero (000).
“Anyone travelling to a remote location should download the EmergencyPlus app, which uses your phone’s GPS function to provide location details to the call taker,” he said.
“The app has the ‘What3Words’ function which works offline, so it can be used in remote areas with poor data connection and can confirm your exact location quickly and accurately using three words.
“You may also consider a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) which, when activated, sends an emergency signal via satellite to emergency services.”
