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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-07-07, Page 21THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1999. PAGE 21. Safety tips for summertime camping, hiking Summer has finally arrived and many will be heading for the woods for that long-awaited picnic, fishing or camping trip. To help prepare for that trip here are a few basic safety tips from Emergency Preparedness Canada and Parks Canada. • Travel Plans - always tell someone where and when you are going, and the return date. Making travel plans also means getting as much information about the area you will be visiting, including weather conditions and what services and facilities are available. • Equipment - make sure all your equipment is in good working order and that you know how to use it. If in doubt about what you need, local outfitters or recreational organizations will be glad to advise you. Don’t forget, a first-aid kit is also part of your equipment. • Make sure your clothing and footwear are appropriate for the terrain and weather conditions. Wool is best in wet or cool weather. Always wear or carry headgear (a neckerchief can serve as both a hat and a sling) as you can lose as much as 60 per cent of your body heat through your head. • ’'Footprint” children's camping shoes by having them step on a sheet of tinfoil placed over soft material such as a towel and then label the footprints. This procedure will help searchers identify the tracks and possibly the direction of travel of a lost child. • Hypothermia (loss of body heat) is the number one killer of outdoor recreationists. Bring matches in a waterproof container. (With fire, you can keep warm, dry clothes and signal for help.) A variety of shelters can be formed using materials found in the forest, e.g. tree branches and natural formations such as caves or fallen trees. Garbage bags, compact and easily carried, can be cut to serve as a poncho; additionally, bright orange and yellow bags can help searchers locate lost individuals. Another good idea is a "blaze” orange vest and hat - the kind hunters and anglers use to make themselves visible. • Avoid wild animals that come too close or seem too friendly. • Fear and panic are the worst enemies of someone lost in the woods and, in the majority of cases, it is far safer to stay in one place and wait to be rescued than trying to walk to safety. Teaching a child to stay near a tree, particularly near a clearing, portrays trees as friends during times of panic and also en­ courages a lost child to stay in one place, perhaps avoiding fatigue. • Pin a whistle to children's shirts (hang it around their neck); three signals, whether blasts on a whistle or shouts, are universally recognized as a distress call. • The best way to attract the attention of a search plane is to lie down in a clearing wearing a brightly coloured jacket, vest, or garbage bag. BEARS • Since behaviour varies with the species and situations, only general guidelines can be provided. Some ways to avoid a confrontation are by taking these basic precautions: - never store food in your tent (some parks have bear-resistant food storage facilities.) - Do not cook or eat in or near your tent - do not sleep in clothes worn while cooking as clothing absorbs food odours - store and carry food (and garbage) in airtight containers. Do not bury garbage, as bears (and other animals) can easily dig it up. The bear may then become a danger to the next group of hikers - hang food-packs (and your toothpaste) from a tree out of reach of bears and other animals, and away from your immediate camping area - never feed a bear - stay away from a mother and her cubs - make noise when you walk in the bush near rushing water or travelling into the wind to advertise your presence - keep children close to you - avoid scented cosmetics - bears may be attracted to perfumes, hair sprays and soaps. Women should be extra careful during menstruation to take steps to eliminate odours, particularly from materials, by storing in an airtight container - watch for bear signs: if you see fresh tracks, diggings or droppings, choose another area WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE A BEAR //you see a bear and it isn't approaching: Don't panic. Don't approach. Keep it in view but avoid direct eye contact. Move away without running. Chances are it won't approach. Report all sightings to park personnel. If a bear approaches: Don’t run unless there is a secure place close by. Keep moving away, watching the bear but avoiding direct eye contact. If the approaching bear is a grizzly, consider climbing as far up a tree as possible if you have opportunity and time. This works better for grizzlies than for black bear, who are good climbers. Dropping your pack or an object may distract an approaching bear and give you time to move away. If a bear physically attacks: In the rare event of a bear attack, your response should depend upon the nature of the situation and the species of bear involved. Because situations are complex and somewhat unique, only guidelines can be offered. If you believe the bear has been surprised and is responding defensively: Grizzly bear - try not to threaten or further arouse the bear. Play dead, assuming a "cannonball position," clasping your hands behind your neck and burying your face in your knees. Try not to move until the bear has apparently left the area. Such attacks seldom last for more than a few minutes. Fighting back usually increases the intensity of such grizzly bear attacks, but may cause the bear to leave. Black bear - fight it off with any weapon you can lay your hands on, even if all you can do is kick or punch the bear. Don’t play dead - this doesn't work with black bears! Species unknown - respond as for grizzly bears but continue to assess the situation. If you are sleeping and are attacked or if you believe the bear has stalked you and then attacked offensively in a predatory manner: In this case, for any species of bear, don't play dead. Try to escape to somewhere secure such as a car or building. If this is not possible consider climbing a tree, realizing that the bear may climb after you, especially if it is a black bear. If no other option exists, try to intimidate the bear using any potential weapons such as tree branches or rocks. Deterrents such as bear sprays may repel such bears. Lyme disease becoming common tick-borne illness Do you plan to enjoy the many spring and summer outdoor activities that Ontario has to offer, like hiking, hunting, fishing or camping? Do you plan to travel to the U.S.? If so, you may be at risk of contracting Lyme disease, a potentially serious but preventable bacterial infection. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium carried by infected deer ticks and Western black-legged ticks. These ticks transmit the bacteria to humans while feeding on their blood. Individuals most at risk are those living in, working in or planning to travel to areas where Lyme disease occurs regularly (known as "Lyme- endemic areas"). Ticks are Telephone system open for licenses The telephone system for purchasing Resident’s Deer Licences and entering the Antlerless Deer Draw is now open for hunters. The telephone licensing system allows hunters to apply by a touch­ tone or rotary dial telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until 11:55 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 3. The number is 1-800-288- 1155. A $3 administration fee is charged for telephone transactions. To use the phone process, hunters need the 15-digit number from a valid hunting version Outdoors Card, a valid Visa or Mastercard and a choice of Wildlife Management Units (WMU). Instructions for phone applications are on page 30 of the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary and in the Telephone Application Brochure, which was mailed to many Ontario deer hunters in early generally found in woody, brushy - or grassy areas so people who participate in camping, hiking, hunting or other outdoor recreational activities are at an increased risk. Ticks have been found in over 250 locations across Canada. Here in Ontario, the Long Point and Point Pelee areas are considered endemic, although ticks have been found all across the province. Lyme disease has rapidly become the most common tick-borne illness in the U.S. and is now growing in Canada. Individuals at highest risk are those who travel to the Northeast, upper Midwest and Pacific coastal areas of the U.S. Half of the Canadian cases of Lyme disease occur as a result of people and draw June. The brochure also provides hunters with step-by-step instructions for completing their applications. Ontario hunters who want to apply in person may purchase a Resident’s Deer Licence or Farmer’s Deer Licence at any of MNR’s hunting licence issuer outlets. These licences will be available as of Monday, June 28. Hunters are required to have a valid hunting version of the Outdoors Card, before they will be allowed to purchase a deer licence. To apply for the Antlerless Deer Draw, hunters who have a valid licence should complete the application attached to the licence and mail it to the address on the back of the application. MNR must receive this form by 5 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 3. There is no fee for those using the paper process. travelling to endemic areas in the U.S. If detected early, Lyme disease can usually be successfully treated with antibiotics without any long- lasting complications. The problem is that Lyme disease is not always easy to diagnose, often requiring extensive laboratory testing. In Ontario, more than 4,500 tests were ordered in 1997 by physicians who. suspected that their patients had Lyme disease. "Lyme disease, if left untreated, is a potentially serious infection which can cause neurological problems, heart rhythm disturbances and arthritis. In addition, it is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms imitate many other illnesses. Canadians should be concerned about Lyme disease, particularly those who are planning to travel to the North- Central and North-Eastern United States, as well as people who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, camping, fishing and hunting," said WE DO CENTRAL AIR most installed for under 52000 call us for a free estimate EDWARD FUELS Goderich 524-8386 Clinton 482-7381 Teeswater 392-6100 Dr. Jay Keystone, staff physician, Centre for Travel and Tropical Medicine, Toronto Hospital. Usually, the first sign of Lyme disease is a rash called erythema migrans (EM), which typically has the appearance of a "bulls-eye" at the site of the tick bite. This rash appears in an estimated 60 - 80 per cent of people. But research shows that approximately 20 per cent of people infected do not exhibit any early symptoms at all (this is known as asymptomatic infection), which puts them at higher risk of developing debilitating arthritic or neurological conditions, requiring extensive treatment. To help protect Canadians from this infection, LYMErix - the world's first Lyme disease vaccine - was recently approved by the Health Protection Branch. The new vaccine, manufactured by SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, has been shown to be safe and effective, according to a large-scale clinical trial. As with any vaccine, it may not protect 100 per cent of individuals, and it may be associated with local injection-site reactions including redness and swelling, flu-like symptoms, and joint and muscle soreness. Doctors advise that people should continue to take other preventive measures because ticks that transmit Lyme disease can transmit other tick-borne illnesses as well. Preventive measures include avoiding tick-infested areas, wearing protective clothing outdoors, tucking in pants and shirts, and checking for ticks after coming in from the outdoors. It is also important to use insect repellents containing DEET on exposed areas for additional protection. For more information on the new vaccine for Lyme disease, consumers can call toll-free 1-800- 268-4372.