Showcase-Sunday: Preparing

A while ago I wrote about the benefits of having an advanced level of preparedness which received a mixed response; Some saw benefit, some felt it was unnecessary in this modern world and for others it inspired comedic value and inspiration for their own (satirical) post on the topic.

Either way I believe being prepared is important; Be it for vehicle accidents, your child falling into a back yard swimming pool and drowning, power outage, medical emergencies, home invasion, a vehicle break-down in the outback or remote area, or just travelling to outback or emote areas, and any number of other scenario's or situations that could occur out of the blue.

People enjoy mocking those that prefer a heightened level of preparedness and that in general people feel safe and secure knowing the government will save the day in the advent of strife, however in reality that's simply not always the case. Trouble happens and sometimes help is absent or a long way off. There's strife in Hong Kong right now...And what is the government doing?

The people who bother to read my posts will know I have many hobbies, most of which revolve around the outdoors: Four-wheeling, hunting, kayaking, hiking, travelling and so on. Today I wanted to introduce some concepts around outback travel. This could also encompass remote travel as well.

Australia is a big country and seeing the best parts of it requires remote and outback travel. It's also a harsh, desolate and very sparsely populated country where temperatures can reach 50°C and drop down to zero, or less, at night, water and shelter can be hard to come by and unless you know how to live off the land food can be scarce.

It's inhospitable, dangerous and unforgiving for those who are ill-prepared. It kills, more often than you may realise. Who does it kill? Unprepared the people who become stranded or lost and don't have the skills or knowledge to deal with their predicament.

Planning is the key to safe outback or remote travel. Contacting local authorities and advising of travel routes and timing is also important. Oh, by the way, by remote travel (or outback) I don't mean National Highway 1 between Sydney and Brisbane. I mean remote where a person may not see anyone else for days. It could be off the black top, on the sand, in the scrub or rain forest and anywhere in-between. So, planning is important. Let's call planning being prepared though huh? Prepping.

This post will focus on the preparation phase; A list as such of things to think about and plan around and are based on my own experiences in the outback and whilst travelling around this big-old land I call home.

Here goes:

Equipment should be in great condition and be sufficient for the trip. Maps should cover the entire area being travelled and be suitable. (i.e. a road map of all the national highways isn't going to work when rock-crawling your 4x4 through creek beds in the Flinders Ranges.) More about maps later though.

Radio communications need to cover vehicle to vehicle (UHF) and for long range comms HF is essential. These days most remote/outback travellers carry SAT phones as well. I do and wouldn't go without it. Communications are essential in medical emergencies where calling for assistance, the Royal Flying Doctor for example, may mean the difference between life or death.

I also suggest an EBIRB device which is an emergency beacon that will connect to emergency services and advise them of your exact location within a metre. That's for extreme emergencies of course - Life and death, not a flat tyre. An EPIRB saved one of my mate's lives after a heart attack some time ago. He was only 1 hour away from a small town (in the Flinders Ranges) but might have been on the moon for all intents and purposes as no one knew where he was. He hit the button and an hour later was in a chopper heading to hospital. I have one of these too and have the device registered with authorities, again, essential to do so.

The terrain to be covered need to be considered. I use paper maps and the HEMA mapping device/software for this purpose and take both with me. Is the terrain accessible by vehicle, where is fuel located (The Canning Stock route requires fuel to be dumped at various locations ahead of the trip for instance), what is the best route, are there alternative routes, what navigation aids will you have, where are the best evacuation points, where are the local inhabitants (or closest ones to your route). All things which need to be considered, determined and discovered prior to travelling.

Speaking of maps, one needs to know how to use them. Not street maps, but topographic ones. Understanding how to navigate by topo-map and compass could be critical if electronic devides are inoperable. I use electronic mapping (HEMA) but also paper maps and learning how to triangulate your position may save your life as it'll point you to a way out (Hopefully). Marking your position every so often is a great plan as the only way to determine a way out is to know where you are in the first place. Map-reading and navigation needs to be studied and understood - It's not something one makes up as they go.

Understanding the weather and road conditions you're likely to face is very important. I always check with the local authorities ahead of me as I travel which helps determine a plan of action. Driving into a storm, getting bogged and having to call emergency services is not my idea of fun. When are you leaving, how long is the trip, where are your stop-points, when will you arrive and have you built in time-contingency for mishaps...All good points to think about.

Learn about the place you're travelling through. What are the dangerous animals you may face (Crocodiles, snakes, spiders, sharks, cassowary, box jellyfish, blue ringed octopus, dingos and the like.) What's the insect situation, (mosquitos, flies, sandflies, midges etc.) What are the edible foods in the area if any, the bush tucker I mean. What are the available water sources, where are the caves, mines, salt lakes and other potential hazards and what diseases am I likely to face. Knowing a little about the type of hazards an area holds for you will help you prepare more effectively.

Notifying the authorities, station owners and family of your intentions is also very important. Log your estimated time of departure (ETD) and your estimated time of arrival (ETA) as well as your proposed and alternative route options. This will give the authorities a clue as to where to start looking for you if you fail to make a check in call or don't make your designated destination.

Vehicle selection is critical. I have a highly modified and very capable truck and one that easily carries my equipment and spares. Taking your Rav4 into the outback because you saw it on a Toyota advert may end in more than just tears.

Having said that it seems to be the way for people to tempt fate and take unsuitable vehicles into the ouback. I've come across many unsuitable vehicles (and people) in the outback. The vehicle should also be prepared for the specific trip including protection equipment, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, suitable tyres and rims, dual battery system, long range fuel tank, comms, roof racks, additional spare wheels and tyres, recovery equipment and so on. I have spent $25,000 preparing my truck for outback travel because I'm out and about so much - Not everyone needs to go to that extreme but some well-placed accessories can make all the difference.

Food and drink is essential of course and should also be part of an outback travellers' emergency equipment. All of my cars carry 4 litres of water and 6 MRE meals (*meal-ready-to-eat), 3 different ways to light a fire, a jetboil system, tea, coffee, 2 sporks, a sharp knife, collapsible cups and bowls and so on. That's every day. On a trip the inventory is increased as necessary, and trip-specifically.

Vehicle loading also needs to be planned around. Heavy things down low, lighter things up higher. Pretty standard stuff but many people don't consider this. An ill-packed vehicle can be a hazard to the occupants and other road-users.

Vehicle awareness is also a very important part of remote travel. Know how to work the systems on the car, how to change a wheel, where long grasses may collect underneath around the catalytic converter (Can cause fires), basic vehicle checks, what to touch and what not to touch, jump starting protocol (I avoid jumping of fother cars and have a small and very powerful power pack to hook up to the battery instead - Saves frying the cars computers.) Having the correct spares and oils/fluids for your car also needs consideration. Even if you can't do the work yourself, at least take spares for parts that may break so someone else can assist you. Having an appropriate tool kit is also critical. Take the time to prepare one specific to your vehicle rather than taking everything from your home tool kit - Take just what you need - It saves weight.

I mentioned a recovery kit a couple of point ago. Recovery equipment aids in the recovery of the vehicle in the advent of getting bogged. I've even recovered vehicles that have flipped over on their side. (Not my own fortunately). This is what I have in my kit: Ground sheet, leather gloves x 2 pairs, long handled shovel (collapsible to short), axe, power winch, snatch strap x 2, tree trunk protector (used in winching), recovery bridle strap, 5m drag chain, bow shackles, marlin spike, snatch block, receiver shackle, hi-lift jack with base plate, air compressor (for tyre re-inflation), 6 x MaxTrax (recovery tracks and various other bits and pieces. Yep, a lot.

Finally one needs to consider their own skills. I mean driving, first aid, mechanical, bush craft, navigational, problem-solving, emotional and so on. Using a machete to gather firewood can end in disaster if you slip and cut a finger off. Having the best topop-map but no way to understand how to use it won't help you at all.

Consider your driving skills also. Driving to a steep decline with a 90 degree left turn at the bottom (and a cliff beyond the turn) can be a very dangerous situation if you do not know how to approach it, just as a steep incline and a rutted track can as well. Understanding how to do things safely and how your vehicle will react in various circumstances is critical.

There's a lot to know and whilst it may seem improbable that something may happen, in reality, we know problems arise all the time.

Someone made a comment on my last post that understanding how to exit a car underwater (sinking) is not important here in South Australia but I disagree. I've driven through many creek crossings safely but one only needs to google 4x4 creek crossing gone wrong or some such search to see how important doing things right and being prepared actually is.

Ok, so maybe that's enough for now. This post is in no way designed to prepare you for a trip. It is merely designed to identify several of the preparations required to travel in the outback or remotely.

My point is that preparation is not just for so-called loonies who prepare for an EMP, alien invasion or zombie apocalypse. It's for everyone.

Just by having a couple of weeks of non-perishable food and water stored at your house makes you a prepper; Having a first aid kit, a fire evacuation plan for your home and candles or torches available too! You don't need to identify the exits when you walk into a shopping mall like I do, nor do you need a strategy in the advent of shooting beginning in that mall like I do (yes seriously, I do) but being prepared for everyday challenges can make the difference between an unfortunate incident and tragedy.

In this world of complacency where people live under the perceived safety-net of government many people have forgotten that life can still be a struggle. Natural disasters happen all the time, wars, crime, power outages, civil unrest...Some of those things we can't prepare for I suppose. But a trip in a remote area we can prepare for as above...Why then do people still get caught out?

The original post was written and posted by me in April 2018. This post has been reworked and reposted for the @nonameslefttouse #showcase-sunday concept.

---

Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default

Discord: @galenkp#9209 🇦🇺