Lost and Awaiting Rescue

Anyone can get lost, even with the proper precautions. Here’s what to do when lost to stay safe and help others find you.

• Discuss: how could you keep yourself from getting lost in the first place?
  • Tell somebody where you plan to go and when you plan to be back
  • Know where you’re going and how to get there
  • Pay attention to where you’re going. Keeping track of landmarks is a good way to keep from getting lost.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for directions
  • Use the buddy system. Never go places alone.
  • If you get separated from your group, don’t wander around looking for them. If you know where the person in charge is, go to them and tell them what happened.
• Hug a tree
  • Helps to keep calm
    • Being lost can lead to panic, which is bad. Hugging a tree helps prevent panic.
    • Talking or singing to the tree can also help keep you calm
  • Keeps you in one place
    • Moving makes it harder for you to be found
    • Use your head, ex. don’t use a tall tree if it’s storming, find something else if there are no trees, etc.
    • Holding still prevents injury
    • In a public place, approach trustworthy people, i.e. workers, authorities
• Take shelter and save energy
  • Conserve energy and body heat in a shelter if you can
    • Stay dry — very important
      • Prevents hypothermia, frostbite, and other ailments
      • Being wet lets body heat escape 240 times faster, i.e. four hours of heat lost in a minute
      • If you have a trash bag, remember to use it if you must risk getting wet — cover your head!
    • Curl up in a warm place, out of wind
• Make yourself big
  • Wear bright colors
  • Make yourself big
    • If being searched for from the sky, lay down and spread out, make snow angels
    • If cool and rested, make an SOS of twigs, rocks, dirt, etc.
  • Use your whistle
    • Whistle is loud and effective
    • Conserves energy better than yelling
• If you don’t have your equipment, stay calm. Use your head and plan your actions carefully.
• Yell at noise
  • If it’s an animal, it will run; if it’s a rescuer, they’ll find you
  • Don’t run, even when scared. Hug the tree and use your loudest voice
• Don’t give up hope
  • Scouts have a lot of friends; hundreds of people will be looking for you
  • Don’t be ashamed of getting lost. Anyone can get lost, even adults