Accidents and outdoor sporting emergencies can occur with hikers, campers and outdoor enthusiasts in seconds.
Accidents and outdoor sporting emergencies can occur with hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts in literally a second.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC) in the United States, in 2020, bicycling accounted for about 426,000 injuries, the most of any category of sports and recreation. Exercise, with or without equipment, followed with about 378,000 injuries, while Off-highway vehicles, (OHV), moped and minibike use with 230,000 injuries, and skateboard, scooter and hoverboard use, with 218,00 injuries, ranked third and fourth.1
Hiking too has its dangers. From being injured to getting lost. Below is a graph showing the causes of getting lost while hiking 2:
- Wandered off trail 41%
- Bad weather 17%
- Fell off trail 16%
- Got separated from group 8%
- Injury 7%
- Darkness 6%
- Loss or failure of equipment 5%
- Other 1%
Another danger that can be encountered while hiking is the danger of getting struck by lightning. Hikers can get struck by lightning in both open and forested areas. To find out more about the five ways lightning can strike people (yes, there are 5 ways you can get hit by lightning), visit the National Weather Service’s website at: https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-struck Any of these types of strikes can be deadly. Immediate medical attention, including calling 911, starting CPR, and using an AED, may be critically important to keep the person alive until more advanced medical care arrives.3 As a general rule, if you hear thunder, you can get hit by lightning, even from storms many miles away.4
Injuries among hikers vary based on conditions, environment, and skill level. Half of all injuries are from sprains and strains to the knees, ankles, and the back, the latter of which are most commonly caused by falls, slips, and overuse. Other injuries include skin irritation (abrasions and blistering), acute joint pain, sunburn, tick bites, dehydration, and heat exhaustion.5
What does this mean to you? Basically, an accident can happen anywhere and at anytime. Luckily, most people always carry their mobile or cell phone around with them, in a pocket, purse, backpack or side holster. With the Here I Am app on your phone, in the time of an accident where you might become partially incapacitated or unable to speak but still able to move, you’ll be able to send an emergency message to up to three of the contacts in your phone with just two clicks from your phone’s home screen. With the Here I Am App you’ll be letting your friends and family know when you need help and will be able to direct 9-1-1 to your exact location. For more on hiking, visit: https://gotoortho.com/injured-outdoors-or-on-a-rural-road-911-may-not-be-able-to-save-you/
- https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-sports-injuries – accessed July 18, 2022
- https://smokymountains.com/safe-and-found/ – accessed Aug. 3, 2022
- https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-struck – accessed Aug. 3, 2022
- https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/sudden-lightning-shatters-soccer-tourney/article25686420/ – accessed Aug. 3, 2022
- https://activesafe.ca/hiking/ – accessed Aug. 3, 2022