A timely warning

Submitted: Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 00:28
ThreadID: 19452 Views:2057 Replies:2 FollowUps:2
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A reminder to all of the dangers remote travellers face, and a prime example of what happens when one abandons there vehicle.

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Reply By: Member - Bernie. (Vic) - Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 00:32

Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 00:32
16Jan05

DEHYDRATION and heat stress caused the death of a 30-year-old Adelaide man whose body was found today in South Australia's north, police believe.

Police found the man's body near Arkaroola Village in the Flinders Ranges at 5.45pm (CDT) yesterday after he was reported missing.
The man told people in the village on Thursday that he was driving to Wilpena Pound, the major tourist resort in the southern Flinders Ranges.
Earlier yesterday, the man's vehicle was discovered bogged and abandoned about 20km northeast of the village.
"He had wandered several kilometres from his car in extreme weather conditions and was found just off the Arkaroola Springs track," the spokeswoman said.
AnswerID: 93501

Reply By: Willem - Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 10:07

Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 10:07
Never leave your vehicle.

So many have perished in the outback including experience bushmen and aboriginals. The heat stress on the body must affect the logic patterns in ones brain and then stupidity prevails.

Keep your body temp down...dig a hole under the vehicle and stay there till found. Collect water from trees, bushes or dew.

If you have to walk, then walk at night and hide in the shade by day.
AnswerID: 93540

Follow Up By: Member - Peter (on the move) - Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 20:17

Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 20:17
Willem...well said. Never, never, never leave the site of your vehicle. Mush easier to see a large vehicle than a person from the air.

It is wise to carry reflective tape to indicate to a plane your needs ( there is a code like an X means you need rescuing) an epirb is good and of course Satphone or HF if you are going real remote. I think though that heat / panic cause some of these people to lose it, therefore it is critical to stay hydrated and have faith in your skills. Unfortunately most of the deaths seem to be the ill prepared or unskilled.

Most probably know how to get water from those sources but here is a little more detail.

Fit a plastic bag over a leafy branch of the tree and let it capture the water released from the tree through transpiration. More bags on more trees = more water.

Dig a hole place leafy tree branches or brackish water in the hole. Put a container in the centre to capture water, cover with plastic, gladwrap, poly tarp whatever you have and place a stone on top to create a low point over the container. Transpiration / evaporation occurs plastic sheet stops it, droplets form and run to the low point above the container and splash there you have water again.

Stay safe Pete
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FollowupID: 352647

Follow Up By: Tim - Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 23:19

Monday, Jan 17, 2005 at 23:19
Just something further on the reflective tape theory, in the marine industry it is compulsary for vessels to carry a "V" Sheet (in NSW).
Basically a sheet of fluro orange tarp with a large "V" in black on it. It is simply displayed to indicate you need assistance.
Most SAR aircraft being from the coast or inland should recognise this as a distress signal.
Tim
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FollowupID: 352672

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