Last week, in a Wellness Wednesday special, KYUK's Aleina Tanabe spoke with a crew from Bethel Search and Rescue about snowmachine safety.
Peter Atchak, Earl Samuelson, and Mark Leary of BSAR shared their extensive knowledge and experience to educate and inform travelers about the current travel conditions in the Delta and useful tips for survival.
BSAR Safety Tips:
- Make a trip plan.
- Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan on returning.
- Travel in pairs.
- Be prepared with survival supplies on your person:
- Extra food/fluids
- Several firestarters
- Extra gloves, socks, and gear
- Ice pick or axe
- Tarp
- Make sure your survival supplies are in a waterproof pack.
- If you get wet, you can roll around on the snow to draw water off of your body and clothes.
- Stuff grass or willows inside of your clothes to keep warm and dry.
- If you are using a compass, make sure to keep it away from metal as this can skew the compass' reading.
- Be aware of your surroundings and potential warning signs (e.g. a cluster of willow branches marking an open hole).
Listen to the entire show: