Challenges

[melanie.mcghee]

There are approximately 100 lightning strikes to earth per second. The frequency of lightning strikes is greater at higher altitudes and lower latitudes. Most of the US receives anywhere from 5 to 15 lightning strikes per sq. km./yr.

Exactly where lightning will strike can not be predicted, nor can lightning be prevented. If you are hiking in an area where there are active lightning strikes, getting struck is a very real possibility. Understanding a few basics and taking some precautionary measures can greatly reduce the risk.

If lightning strikes within 7 miles of your location for maximum safety you should immediately adopt a defensive posture because lightning can jump as much as 7 miles between strikes. You can judge the distance of lightning strikes by counting the seconds between a strike and the sound of the resulting thunder. Every 5 seconds is equal to about 1 mile. Any lightning strike whose thunder you can hear within about 35 seconds is within 7 miles or so of your location, and indicates it is time to take some defensive action.

When lightning is near avoid open spaces, high ground and tall objects such as lone trees, and avoid highly conductive materials such as metal and water. Go to low ground if possible such as the bottom of a gully, or seek groups of trees or tall brush and crouch down to maintain a low profile.

Shallow caves are not safe places during lightning storms because the electricity travels through the earth.

If someone in your hiking party is struck by lightning and not breathing, you should immediately attempt to restore life by giving CPR. Their bodies do not retain the electrical charge and are safe to handle, and most people can survive a strike if given proper treatment right away.

 

[melanie.mcghee]

Personal lightning safety tips

The following is from the National Lightning Safety Institute.

PERSONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS

1.PLAN in advance your evacuation and safety measures. When you first see lightning or hear thunder, activate your emergency plan. Now is the time to go to a building or a vehicle. Lightning often precedes rain, so don't wait for the rain to begin before suspending activities.

2.IF OUTDOORS...Avoid water. Avoid the high ground. Avoid open spaces. Avoid all metal objects including electric wires, fences, machinery, motors, power tools, etc. Unsafe places include underneath canopies, small picnic or rain shelters, or near trees. Where possible, find shelter in a substantial building or in a fully enclosed metal vehicle such as a car, truck or a van with the windows completely shut. If lightning is striking nearby when you are outside, you should:

A. Crouch down. Put feet together. Place hands over ears to minimize hearing damage from thunder.

B. Avoid proximity (minimum of 15 ft.) to other people.

3.IF INDOORS... Avoid water. Stay away from doors and windows. Do not use the telephone. Take off head sets. Turn off, unplug, and stay away from appliances, computers, power tools, & TV sets. Lightning may strike exterior electric and phone lines, inducing shocks to inside equipment.

4.SUSPEND ACTIVITIES for 30 minutes after the last observed lightning or thunder.

5.INJURED PERSONS do not carry an electrical charge and can be handled safely. Apply First Aid procedures to a lightning victim if you are qualified to do so. Call 911 or send for help immediately.


Know Your Emergency Telephone Numbers

 

[tommygirl3272003]

Watch out for Chiggers!

Hey Guys,

This is Tommy....

Yep......a lot of challenges accompany hiking.

One very interesting and often neglected one is the Chiggers.

If you have ever been out on a hike and come back with red, itchy patches under the waistband of your clothes, or under your arms, or under your socks around your ankles, chances are you have been infested with chiggers. Chiggers are the larvae of mites.

Many people believe that chiggers burrow under your skin and suck your blood, but this is not true. You just can't see them because they are too small. They feed instead on the fluid in skin cells.

Chiggers rest on plants usually in wet, highly vegetated areas waiting for a potential host to pass by. Once they have moved from the plants to their new host they migrate to moist, concealed areas before beginning to feed. The chiggers found in North America do not transmit any diseases, but their bites can cause irritation lasting for several days.

Avoid chigger infestations by wearing loose clothing and minimizing your contact with ground vegetation in areas known to contain chiggers. Chiggers can often be easily washed off if you do so before they attach themselves to begin feeding. Insect repellent can also be used to reduce your chances of being infected by chiggers.

 

[tommygirl3272003]

The Dreaded Mosquitoes.

The exact mechanisms that mosquitoes use to find their victims are not fully understood, but it appears that mosquitoes use a combination of sight, smell, and heat to find someone to bite. During daylight hours a combination of movement and dark-colored clothing may attract mosquitoes that are some distance away. As mosquitoes get closer scientists believe that scent plays a larger role in mosquitoes finding their prey. Two scents given off by hikers known to attract mosquitoes are carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Fragrances from perfumes, soaps, lotions, etc. may also attract mosquitoes. As mosquitoes get very close to their prey it is believed that body temperature and moisture also serve as attractants.

The most effective mosquito repellent currently known is DEET. It works by interfering with the mosquito's chemical receptors. Generally a potency of between 10% and 35% is adequate. For detailed information on how DEET works, how to apply it, and how other repellents compare refer to the excellent article from the Annals of Internal Medicine entitled Mosquitoes and Mosquito Repellents: A Clinician's Guide in the link section here

West Nile Virus

Beginning by about 2002 or 2003 the mosquito born West Nile Virus has become a serious problem for both people and animals. The health threat is serious enough that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have devoted some web pages to this problem. This information can be found at CDC - West Nile Virus.

Basically this is a virus that can be transmitted to humans by mosquito bite for which there is no vaccine or easy cure. People in generally good health may recover from the virus on their own, but people over 50 or in any kind of weakened state should take extra precautions to avoid getting bit.

For hikers this means avoiding areas known to have a high incidence of the disease if possible, to wear mosquito proof clothing (long pants and long-sleeved shirts) when mosquitoes are out, and to use mosquito repellent on exposed skin when they are present.

Ciao!

 

[sarahlorrain]

Thank you for all of the valuable information about lightning! That is a very real danger for those of us who like to be outside in all weather.

 

[mom2manyboyz]

Yes, if you are in an area that has "chiggers" (very small red bugs barely visible unless you have great eyesight) do not sit in the grass for any length of time and don't allow young children to lie in the grass. That is an invitation to get bitten. They often do not realize they are being bitten.

We have a lot of chiggers in my area. If I spray myself with citronella oil and keep moving in the yard, rather than lounging in the grass, they leave me alone. When I sit in one place for a while ... like to pull weeds... I will get chiggers if I don't spray myself well.

 

[camperz]

Yeah. There has been recent lightning strikes. Some of the guidelines by myself :-

1. watch out for the weather condition, before evacuation.
2. Try being away from telephone lines, computers, etc. Anything electrical.
3. Be away from metal (good conductors of electricity)
4. Better get out of your car

At last, Be confident. Don't panic