To prevent a trip to the forest from ending in getting lost, being seriously scared, or even endangering your health and life, the State Fire and Rescue Service calls on residents to take a few simple recommendations into account.
Before going to the forest, you need to prepare.
- Before going to the forest, inform your relatives about where you plan to go mushroom or berry picking, as well as the time you plan to return.
- When dressing, think not only about how to protect yourself from ticks, but also about making it as easy as possible for rescuers to see you, so choose bright and vivid colors for your clothing and headgear.
- If possible, don't go into the woods alone.
- Make sure you have an ID with you or at least a piece of paper with your name, address, and a relative's phone number written on it.
- Fully charge your mobile phone battery before going into the forest.
- Don't forget about your health! Take a first aid kit with you, it doesn't take up much space, but it will be useful if something happens. If you need to take any medication every day, make sure you have it with you.
- Bring a bottle of water and a chocolate bar. Chocolate will help you regain the energy you need if you get lost.
- Bring a flashlight. Not only will it help you avoid panicking in the dark, but it will also make it easier for rescuers to find you. A whistle that can easily be hung around your neck will also come in handy, and you can use it to signal your location if necessary.
- If you know how to use a compass, don't leave it at home!
You have to be careful when you're in the forest!
- Before entering the forest, record your location or coordinates on your smart device.
- When you arrive in the forest, look around. Railways, roads, significant trees or natural objects can be good landmarks in case you get lost. In addition, when picking mushrooms or berries, look not only at the mushrooms and berries, but from time to time look around and remember things that will help rescuers understand how you moved through the forest and where you are if you get lost.
- The forest block numbers, which are placed on block signs at trail intersections, will help you and the rescuers navigate.
- Try to keep track of the time so that you don't end up in the forest until dark, when it will be practically impossible to find a way out of a strange forest.
What to do if you do get lost?
- If you realize you are lost, don't panic! Panic will become your worst enemy, because in a stressful situation you will not be able to objectively assess the situation.
- Sit down, relax, try to listen for a highway, a major road, or a residential building nearby, and try to orient yourself in the area (for example, remember that the sun rises in the east, is in the south during the day, and sets in the west in the evening. Use this to determine your direction). Only then start your return journey.
- Go in a straight direction, because that way you will end up on a path, trail or road. Do not try to start walking chaotically through the forest and look for a way back, because that way you can go even deeper into the forest. Remember! You can determine a straight direction by looking at three consecutive trees growing in one line and, when you get to the nearest one, choosing the third one again, and so on all the way forward.
- If you see any houses while wandering around, don't be shy about asking for directions.
- If you happen to get lost in a swamp, carefully check every place where you plan to take a step. It is best to do this with the help of a tall tree. If you do fall into a swamp or acacia, only calm and deliberate actions will help you save yourself. Waving your legs and arms quickly and chaotically will only make you sink even deeper into the swamp. Instead, try to find something you can hold on to or grab onto and slowly pull yourself out.
- If you realize that you will not be able to get out of the forest on your own, do not wait for darkness to fall and call 112. Name as many specific landmarks as possible – where you entered the forest or the coordinates of this place, if you recorded them before entering the forest, how long you stayed in the forest, what natural or man-made objects you crossed or passed. Keep in mind that any little thing can help rescuers find you! For example, the forest block numbers placed on block signs at the intersections of trails can help both you and the firefighters orient themselves.
- When searching for people lost in the forest, firefighters and rescuers use the sound and light signals of their vehicles. Try to hear and see them.
When you call the unified emergency call number 112, the 112 Contact Center dispatcher sees your approximate location. Using the SMS sending function in the "112 Latvia" app, the approximate coordinates of your location will also be sent to the 112 Contact Center dispatcher. Important! For this function to work, the smart device must have access to the Internet.