Greg Harkless '95 is director of USD's Outdoor Adventures, through which volunteer guides receive more than 80 hours of emergency and first-aid training.

Stay calm! If you get lost in the wilderness, there are a number of things you can do to improve your chances of getting home safely.

First, don't panic. Take stock of your surroundings. If you are certain you're lost, stay put. People who are lost often become even more disoriented and frightened by wandering farther. Your primary goals are to make yourself easier to find, and to take care of any immediate needs.You may need to find shelter — nighttime temperatures can lead to hypothermia any time of the year.

Search and rescue teams will start by conducting rapid searches around the point you were last seen, and will proceed based on information they gain from friends and family, and from the scene itself. If available, move to nearby, obvious geographic features such as meadows, rivers or power lines. Signaling by blowing a whistle or reflecting sunlight with a mirror dramatically improves your chances of being found. Remember, searches
often take a great deal of time to initiate and organize. Preparation is critical. If you become lost as a result of injury, being trained in basic first aid could be the difference between life and death. Make sure someone knows your itinerary and planned route.

Know the area in which you are traveling, and learn how to use topographical maps. Even on short hikes, bring the "10 essentials" — map, compass, flashlight, water, food, a whistle, first-aid supplies, pocket knife, matches and rain gear. Most important, know your limitations and don't put yourself in situations that are beyond your abilities.