With all the breath-taking environment that surrounds Prince George, families like to go outside and take a hike through the woods with their kids.
However, if that child decides to wander off on its own little exploration, will they be prepared for surviving in the woods until they’re found? What should they do if they can’t find their parents or anyone else nearby?
These questions were answered this weekend by Prince George’s branch of NatureKids BC, an organization that teaches children and youth how to connect with the province’s environment and backcountry.
This includes showing them how to survive if they get lost in the woods, the subject of Saturday morning’s (Oct. 12) excursion says volunteer Natasha Ewing, also a community liaison for NatureKids BC.
“We really wanted to get our nature kiddos to know how to stay safe in the woods,” she said in an interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters. “[Make sure they] know what to do in case they ever get lost and also make sure that parents are aware of what their children should be doing and learning at home when they’re out an exploring our local trails.”
Together with a representative from Prince George Search and Rescue (PGSAR), a dozen families with kids ranging from four to nine years old were taken outside in one of the wooded areas of South Fort George.
Kids were given materials needed to survive several hours in a forest and how some can have multiple uses, including a reflective safety blanket and a whistle, and were shown how to build a temporary shelter.
Ewing says, regardless of who gets separated from a group when exploring northern B.C’s backcountry, it’s imperative to teach young people how to remain calm, protect yourself, become visible to rescuers and, above all, stay safe.
“By hearing these key messages over and over, gaining some familiarity and being confident when they go out and explore, having the right tools, getting used to carrying a backpack with extra clothing, a whistle, a safety blanket, some water, and just knowing what to do,” she explained. “We just want to find you and we want to bring you home for dinner. It’s very important that we start communicating these ideas with youth so they can grow up and feel confident when they’re in the woods and exploring, whether they are with their families or going on their own.”
The timing of this event comes nearly two months after George Hazard-Benoit was found near Mackenzie 30 hours after the four-year-old boy wondered off into the bush.
There are four basic rules to follow according to Nature Kids that young survivalists were taught this weekend, some as simple as, quite literally, hugging a tree.
“Before a child ever goes out, they should always tell an adult where they’re going,” said Ewing. “If you find that you’re getting a little lost and you’re unsure of which direction to go back, [PGSAR] really emphasizes this idea of hugging a tree and staying put. So, find a tree that maybe you feel safe with, you can hug it and you can sit near it as it can offer some protection. They also teach you to keep warm and dry, so making sure you do have some extra gear. And, of course, they really want to find you, so we’re teaching kids that you have to answer the search-and-rescue calls. If you hear your name called, make sure you say ‘I’m over here,’ and always know we’re not angry if we shout your name, we just really want to find you.”
This 'Hug a Tree' session was the third Explorer Day in Prince George since the local NatureKids was revitalized after it was dormant for three years prior to 2019.
Ewing says the goal of the session is to also have fun as kids get to spend a Fall morning outdoors with their parents and friends.
More information on NatureKids BC is available on their website.
