Editors note: John wrote the following for the May 2007 edition of O-Know. Even though the technology has changed, I have chosen not to edit John's words. In particular for those not possessing their own personal location beacon (PLB), it should be noted that both Australopers and EVOC have a PLB available. So over to John.
I remarked last time how much I enjoyed being in the forest alone (whether it be course planning or controlling). The particular day I described turned out to be extremely hot – in the high 30’s. Even at 5.15 late in the afternoon when I staggered out of the forest to change and get ready to drive back to Launceston, the temperature was 36 in the shade.
I felt that I had gone into the forest reasonably well prepared. I certainly had all the information relating to the courses, control sites, etc. that I needed to have to do the task on hand. I had my lunch and some snacks, and about five litres of water. After an early start from Launceston, I met up with my Course Planner at 9.30 am in the forest, and we worked as a team checking out various details: looking over the assembly area, visiting some control sites together, visiting others independently. We parted company about lunchtime, and I continued to work around the map checking control sites. By mid afternoon I had used up most of my water and I realised that I was struggling with the heat.
It then dawned on me, that while I felt I was well prepared for the actual orienteering task of checking courses and control sites, I had failed to take other precautions. I had not arranged to report back to my other team member (course planner) when I was through for the day, and I had told no-one else where I was going for the day (I was batching at home at the time). I had clearly put myself at risk – probably more than I realised at the time, as I was affected by the heat and lack of water.
This is not the first time that I have encountered risks when out alone in the forest. I have found the odd unmapped (deep!) mineshaft, have felt my feet go from under me in an erosion area (I’ve no idea what was – nor how far - below me), and I have felt that odd feeling of maybe being watched when I have found a "man made object" designed I think to capture native birds deep in the forest. In addition there is always the hazard of injury.
Usually I do take care to let someone (Valerie) know where I’ll be, the direction in which I’m likely to be going, and when I expect to be back. I generally leave a master map with Valerie (in an envelope if it is not for her eyes) in case I’m not back when I’m meant to be. And I am becoming more aware that age slows one down – especially when the going is tough or the weather extreme.
Every volunteer orienteer has a duty of care to themselves when in the forest alone (or with one or two others). But maybe we need to look at structuring things a bit – even a little checklist would help – something to complete before we venture out alone. But maybe, too, Orienteering Tasmania should look at providing clubs with a satellite phone as an added security for the lone worker.
On a somewhat related matter (heat and tough terrain), it was good to see on Day three at the recent Easter events in Burra, South Australia, that the organisers’ emergency procedures swung into action when it was realised that a couple of the M85 competitors had been out on their courses for over three hours. One of these was Tassie’s Bob Walker. Both men were located – both were determined to finish their courses – and did! Bob was quite badly affected by the heat and fatigue, but he received excellent treatment from the St Johns first aider, and from a SA orienteering doctor. It wasn’t too long before that twinkle was back in Bob’s eyes!
Looking at their course, I felt it was far too demanding for that age class, but this was compounded by the fact that they did not start until after 11.00am, and the temperatures were expected to (and did) reach the low 30s.
In most of our Tasmanian events, competitors choose their own start times. But where start times are preallocated, event organisers should look to giving early start times to older competitors who tend to spend longer on their courses, and especially if hot weather is likely. Given that we have so few of these special older competitors, I see no reason why they can’t in fact nominate their own start time at all events.