Outdoor Survival Tips
Helpful Tips for New ATV Riders
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Kid Kits - Child Safety
Take a child with you into the outdoors and what
will transpire will be a winning and enjoyable lifetime experience, for you and
for the child.
No one wants to think about their child being lost
and alone in the outdoors, but the fact is that anyone can get lost. You can
make a very positive and caring step in providing an added measure of protection
for your child by taking the time to assemble a KIDS KIT. This kit alone
is only part of the solution towards providing a level of outdoor protection for
your child should the need arise. You must now take the time and have the
patience to teach, not preach, to your child the proper uses of the items in
this kit. You must also reinforce the need for them to understand how important
this new knowledge and skills will become someday as it may have to be used by
them.
A KIDS KIT should be designed to provide some
of the critical products needed in an outdoor survival situation as well as the
means to help educate the child should they become separated from their parents
in the outdoors. An informed and educated child is a safer child, and the
knowledge of what and how to be more comfortable, safe and more easily found is
a powerful gift to give to yourself and to your child.
The following guidelines, and they are only that,
should help you explain to your child what they should do if they become
separated from you or a friend in the outdoors. In easily understood language
and with a caring but serious attitude you must demonstrate how a child can
attract help or let you know where they are. You, as a parent, must help each
child develop the ability and skills to make their situation more comfortable.
Conversely, you as the parent will also be aware of what to look for and listen
for, should the need arise.
The KIDS KIT should be constructed to fit
into a small compact "belt pack" that the child can wear at all times and not
encumber their movement or enjoyment of the outdoors. There are many available
"fanny packs" that will fit this criteria, look for ones with a water bottle
attached as part of the overall design.
The following is a suggested list of contents and
ideas on how to instruct your child in their use and need, should the situation
of being lost ever occur.
WATER BOTTLE: The easily accessible bottle should always be kept filled with
your choice of water, juice drinks or other liquid nourishment. It is important
to educate your child to drink only when they are thirsty. Liquid intake
is important in all outdoor adventures and helps provide a sense of security and
well being.
LIGHT STICK: This bright light source is both a sense of personal security for
the child as well as a way to help locate them after dark. Darkness can be an
uncomfortable situation, and a light source that can be held close or hung from
a tree will provide a sense of assurance to a child who is waiting for you to
come and find them. The Light stick should be the 12 hour type, found in most
outdoor stores as it will last throughout the night and can be easily used by
the child. Because it does not require batteries it is lightweight and easily
packed within the kit.
EMERGENCY BLANKET: The SPACE® Brand
EMERGENCY BLANKET is universally available and very reliable. This unique safety
product has provided personal safety, shelter, warmth and protection to all
those who venture into the outdoors for more than 30 years. This unique product
will reflect and retain up to 80% of radiated body heat to keep a person warm
and comfortable. It is also waterproof and windproof and the feeling of being
wrapped up and protected is important to the psychological well being of anyone
who is lost or stranded. It is also very visible from great distances.
RESCUE WHISTLE: Blowing a whistle requires little energy and is highly audible in
the outdoors. A whistle can be heard over long distances and is an easy
signaling device for children to use. Remembering to blow in blasts of three in
a row every few minutes, or every time they see or hear something can also help
a child focus on a positive task. This is not a toy, but a very valuable
signaling device.
HIGH VISIBILITY SCARF: The use of a bright yellow or orange scarf, or a
large scrap of cloth material will help make your child's location more visible,
either by waving it at the end of a long stick, staking it out near their
location as a marking flag or hanging it in a nearby tree. If the child is
asleep this signal scarf will help alert rescuers that they are nearby, if hung
on a tree branch, etc.. This is another way to focus the child's time into a
positive task. The bright color is intended to attract attention and is an
unmistakable signal to any parent who has reviewed the KIDS KIT components with
their child.
SIGNAL MIRROR: A small and lightweight plastic highly reflective mirror can be
used to attract attention during the day. Reflected light can bee seen at great
distances in the outdoors, a plus for rescuers, search planes, etc. It like all
the other special components of the KIDS KIT help to focus the attention of the
child into a positive task.
PERSONAL CARE ITEMS: The KIDS KIT should contains a small packet of
tissues for personal hygiene use. Also include some small bandages to help
provide a means to cover minor cuts and abrasions. Consider including some damp
towelettes to allow the child to clean up and refresh themselves. These items
should be purposely included to help add a sense of preparedness in the child's
mind, they will feel better about themselves knowing that these items are
available.
The KIDS KIT "fanny pack" that you choose should
have zippered compartments to hold all these items mentioned above. They should
be inspected each time you venture into the outdoors to be sure they are there
"if and when needed".
You may wish to include high energy food bars, snack
items, a personal ID card or any other personal item or items for your child's
use.
Constant review is a proven and powerful reinforcing
tool when coupled with practice sessions and your personal creativity. These
review times will help to make the value of the KIDS KIT a very beneficial and
special product for you and your child.
BE AWARE
BE PREPARED
BE SAFE
The following is only an outline of what you may
wish to discuss with your child:
From Parent to Child:
Now that you are old enough to begin going on some
bigger outdoor adventures, there are some things we need to discuss.
No matter where we go, what we do or how careful we
are, there is always the possibility that you or I could get lost or look around
and not be able to locate each other.
I want to talk about what you should do if that ever
happens, so you will be able to help me find you faster and make yourself
comfortable until I get there.
First of all, if you ever get separated from me or a
group you are with, the most important thing to do is to stay in one place. I
will bring some friends and start looking for you where I last knew you were, so
don't leave that place. Find a rock, a log or a tree and make it your "house" or
"fort" until I find you. Make sure that your "house" is somewhere out in the
open where I will be able to see you. You must know that I will not stop hunting
for you until I find you, so just stay in one place and wait for me.
It is important to me that you know that I will not
be angry or upset if you get lost--anyone can get lost-- and, when I find you, I
will be really happy and want to hear all about what you did while we were
separated.
This KIDS KIT has a lot of really neat things in it
that will help me find you and help make you more comfortable while you are
waiting. I want us to look at all these things together and then pack them back
up so they will be there for you to use when we go outdoors together.
The KIDS KIT fastens around your waist easily and
then stays out of your way for hiking, climbing, biking or other activities we
will be doing in the outdoors.
One of these zippered compartments is empty, waiting
for you to fill it with things like snacks, your magnifying glass, a small
flashlight, or some neat things that you've collected while you and I are
exploring.
The other compartment is full of things that will
help me find you and will help make you more comfortable while you are waiting
for me.
Let's take a look at all these things now and we can
practice together how to use them.
WATER BOTTLE: Outdoor adventures make you thirsty and your body needs water.
We'll make sure this is filled before we go anywhere. Do not drink all your
water at once, so you can drink when you are thirsty. Do not drink water from
any creek or pond that you may find when we are not together, it may not be
clean and could make you sick.
EMERGENCY BLANKET: This blanket can be your shelter while you are waiting for us to
find you. It will keep you warm and keep rain or snow off of you. Wrap it all
around you, tuck it in around you and hug yourself. You can wrap up in it like a
sleeping bag if you get tired or sleepy. Do not put it over your face. We can't
take it out and try it now, because we could NEVER get it folded up so small
again, BUT it will be in your pack, be sure to use it when you need it.
RESCUE WHISTLE: You know how to use a whistle because you've used them as toys
before. This one is in your KIDS KIT for a special reason. If you get lost or
separated, you should blow three times in a row on this whistle. Wait a few
minutes and blow three times in a row again. Repeating this signal lets anyone
who can hear it know that you are near and would like some help. You should
continue doing this every so often or if you hear or see something. I can hear a
whistle better than I can hear your voice and blowing a whistle won't tire you
out.
HIGH VISIBILITY SCARF: This scarf is a super bright color that will help us
find you. If you see someone, you can wave it by hand or attach it to the end of
a long stick and wave it like a flag. You could also tie (or loop) it to a tree,
this will help us find you as we can see it from far away. Put it out near you,
up high if you get tired and are going to rest. I will be looking for this scarf
because I know that you have it with you, so put it somewhere where we can see
it. It will be a great signal for us to look for.
LIGHT STICK: This is another neat thing to be only used in an emergency because
it can only be used once. Believe it or not, if you snap this stick (you kind of
have to act like you are trying to break it) and then shake it a little, it
lights up brightly for a long time. You can use it like a flashlight or a
lantern while you're waiting for us. Make sure you use it at night. If you hang
it up someplace it would be a great way for us to find you after dark. It will
lose its light little by little, but it stays bright for a long time. Only use
this when it starts to get dark.
SIGNAL MIRROR: This looks like an ordinary mirror, but watch what it can do. If
you learn how to reflect sunlight with this, we will be able to see the light
signal from really far away. You can hold the mirror above you, signal toward
high places or in a circle all the way around you, or in the direction of people
if you see anyone. You can signal without using a lot of energy.
PERSONAL CARE ITEMS: Tissues, small bandages and wipes are included in
your KIDS KIT just in case you get a cut or scrape while you are on an
adventure.
You can clean up a little and feel refreshed with
the wet wipes and bandage a cut or scrape with the bandages while you wait for
me.
If you need to go to the bathroom, you can use the
tissues just like toilet paper.
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ATV Club can not be held responsible for errors contained in this page or any
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strives to ensure that all our content is kept up-to-date. North East Wisconsin
Riders Inc. ATV Club is an all volunteer organization and please remember North
East Wisconsin Riders Inc. ATV Club is NOT offering any legal advice. We
are simply trying to raise awareness. As an ATV owner it is your responsibility
to know and understand the rules and regulations regarding your ATV and the
surrounding community. Lets all try to work together to educate each other.
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