A matter of survival

Getting lost in the woods can happen to anyone, says outdoor educator Sonia Vani, and can be avoided if one puts thought into preparation

 

 

Sonia Vani has enjoyed a feeling of “belonging outside” since childhood.

“My parents encouraged my brother and me to spend as much time outside as possible — moving, playing, doing chores and connecting with people and nature,” says the Ottawa resident. “It’s a great way to be, but a fun time outdoors, when the scale and stakes are bigger, can quickly turn into a really unpleasant experience if one is unprepared.”

When she was in her early 20s, Vani and a friend became lost for 16 hours during a short hike in Gatineau Park.

“We were wearing T-shirts and did not carry backpacks, water or any gear with us at all,” she recalls. Cell phones were not yet common, and the pair tried to find their way until the sun went down.

“Continuing to trek in the dark would be riskier than staying put,” says Vani. “Branches were scratching our faces and there were tripping hazards all around: uneven ground, rocks, drop offs.”

“We huddled, we covered ourselves in dried leaves, but we shivered all night,” says Vani. “The only thing that mattered was staying warm.”

While unprepared to spend the night outdoors, Vani and her friend were fit, trained in first aid and familiar with their ecosystem.

“I can only imagine how this experience would have marked me very differently had I been a child,” she says.

Now a certified ground search and rescue volunteer with Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais – Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (SBO-OVSAR), and outdoor educator, Vani helps prevent people from getting lost in the woods and — in the case that it happens — how to survive through the AdventureSmart Hug-a-Tree and Survive program.

Hug-a-Tree and Survive was developed in San Diego, California in 1981 after a nine-year-old boy died from hypothermia after becoming lost during a family camping trip.

A copyrighted presentation with hands-on demonstrations designed to teach basic survival principles to children at their level of understanding, Hug-a-Tree and Survive has been in Canada since 1995 and has been credited with saving many children’s lives across North America, says AdventureSmart coordinator Kathleen O’Brien.

Aimed at youth groups and clubs with children ages five to 12, the principles of this free program are centred around common sense: tell an adult where you are going; if you get lost, stay put (and hug a tree); stay warm and dry; and answer the searchers’ calls.

“If a child should become lost in the woods, hugging a tree can help them stay safe, and be found,” says Vani. “Staying near a tree offers some protection from the elements and keeps lost children in the same place, which makes it easier for searchers to find them.” 

 

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Build an emergency kit

Hug-a-Tree and Survive participants receive a whistle and emergency blanket to start their own outdoor adventure kits. Here are other items to include:

 

• Flashlight
• Fire-making kit
• Extra food and water
• Extra clothing
• Navigational/communication devices
• First aid kit
• Pocket knife
• Sun protection

 

 

The Hug-a-Tree rules for kids

 

Tell an adult where you are going Do this in person, over the phone, through a text message, or by leaving a note.

 

If you are lost, hug a tree and stay put A tree can help protect you from the elements while you’re outdoors, and most importantly, keep you in one place.

 

Keep warm and dry Put on an extra layer, pull up your hood, put on a hat, tuck your shirt in, tuck pant legs into your socks and zip up your jacket.

 

Help searchers find you Answer by making noise and signalling and leave lots of footprints and clues.

While designed for the outdoors, these rules are easily transferable to other places including sporting events, shopping malls, public parks, urban areas and more.

• AdventureSmart Hug-a-Tree and Survive

 

Powered by volunteers

 

SBO-OVSAR is a 100 percent volunteer-based organization and registered charity. “Every one of the current 210 members is a dedicated professional volunteer,” says SBO-OVSAR president Daniel Boulet. “Together we work to maintain peak operational readiness 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. It is a colossal team effort.” 

 

 

 

 

 

The first aspect of SBO-OVSAR’s mission is search and rescue. “As volunteers, we work under the authority of local, municipal, regional, provincial and Indigenous police forces, says SBO-OVSAR’s chair of media and public relations Courtney Wilson-Kwok. “SBO-OVSAR supports them with well-trained searchers to both augment their numbers and optimize their search management capacity. We come prepared with a command structure, our own radio system, mobile command post, and specialized teams such as a drone team and mountain bike team.”

 

SBO-OVSAR covers an area of 58,000km² in eastern Ontario and western Quebec and beyond. The number of incidents — lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days — varies from year to year, says SBO-OVSAR’s director of operations Steve Nason. In 2023, SBO-OVSAR was called out on 22 incidents spanning 69 days and involving a contribution of 3,500 hours from its members.

 

Volunteers also support municipalities during floods, tornadoes, winter storms, earthquakes and other disasters, and can help with evacuations.

• Tracey Tong

To learn more:

adventuresmart.ca/programs/hug-a-tree-and-survive/

sbo-ovsar.ca

canadahelps.org/en/charities/SBO-OVSAR/

Follow on social media: @sbo_ovsar

 

 

“In the fall, many families head out into the woods to walk, hike, and enjoy the changing colours of the forest canopy. A little bit of planning takes only minutes, and it can help ensure that you and your loved ones make the most of your time outdoors while staying safe.”

• Sonia Vani