Keep the Beauty From Being a Beast
by John Bullaro, Lead Evaluator
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Search & Rescue Unit
The Central Coast is a tourist's paradise: a meandering coastline, rolling green hills, beautiful mountain backdrops, lovely homes, and quaint shops hosted by some of the most creative and generous people. In this arena of splendor one can hike, bike, swim, fish, boat, snorkel, or kick back and let the mind soar to new heights of enlightenment.
Still, among these geographic/environmental splendors and opportunities for re-creation, lies a need for prudence. Nature is full of surprises.
Coastal residents face the possibility of earthquakes, flood, high surf, and torrential rain precipitating rock and mudslides - natural events that can close roads and strand travelers. These conditions are not just possibilities; they are certainties. Only the great spirit of nature knows when they will occur.
If you feel you could become stranded far from home for a limited time, there is a simple solution: prepare and carry with you a "bug-out kit." Why? You probably wouldn't consider traveling in a car without a spare tire, even though modern tires rarely go flat. Why travel without a "bug-out kit" when a natural disaster can strand you far from home for hours?
The kit contents listed below are advisory only. Make a list of your special emergency needs, such as special medications. Here's my recommendation for a short term emergency "bug-out kit":
- One quart of water for each passenger
- Warm clothing
- Flask light and extra batteries
- Lightweight blanket
- First aid kit and small first aid manual
- Waterproof container of "strike anywhere" matches
- Paper and pen for leaving a note in case of travel from vehicle (not recommended)
- Large trash bag for rain wear
- Small emergency portable radio for public alerts (save the car's battery)
- Storm whistle on a string (to alert rescuers)
- Several high energy food bars (something to eat settles the anxieties)
Package these items in a small inexpensive daypack for easy transfer to an alternative vehicle, should need dictate. Except for energy bars and batteries, they are non-perishable. Always keep at least a half a tank of gas in your vehicle. When traveling away from the coast, add appropriate items. For example, to mountain areas in winter you'll need extra food, several warm blankets and jackets, a warm hat, and gloves. To the desert areas, take a gallon of water for each vehicle occupant and a collapsible shovel. Be sure to tell someone where you are going and your estimated time of arrival. All this preparation is for short term trips.
A lost person is often found within 24 hours, even in the backcountry of mountain areas, providing they are not wandering around. Along the coast or near urban populations, help is usually a matter of hours away. As a rule, help the rescuers and stay with your vehicle.
It’s easy to ignore potential dangers from nature, especially when living in our coastal paradise. You must remember, nature ignores you, but you shouldn't ignore her. Be a guardian of yourself and your loved ones. As Valentines approaches, consider a bug-out bag kit as a symbol of your love.
If you are so inclined, a good long-term survival guide is "Outdoor Survival Skills," by Larry Dean Olsen, sixth edition, 1997; www.anasazi.org/ldo, or Amazon.com. It's a fun read and may stimulate you to try primitive life in the woods.
John is an Emeritus Professor in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Studies from California State University, Northridge, and a retired Lecturer from Cal Poly. For thirty-four years he has taught classes in Commercial Recreation, Tourism Planning, Management and Leadership, and Wilderness Survival. He earned his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University in Organizational Development and Curriculum Design in Higher Education.
John joined SLO search and rescue team in 1994. He moved to Los Osos in 1993 from Southern California, and now lives in Atascadero with wife, Cynthia. He completed California's Managing The Search Function and the Air Force's Inland Search & Rescue Planning. He is a National SAR trainer, and an EMT. John is a current member of the Atascadero Writer's Club and can be contacted by calling 805-440-9529 or at JohnBullaro@slocoastjournal.com.
Wolf image on banner by Don Joseph.
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