Missing Hiker Built Signal Fire — And Shot His Gun to Alert Rescuers
By Steve Casimiro on August 31st, 2012
Setting out last Friday, Tim Bailey had planned a three-day solo hike in Olympic National Park. But things didn’t go according to plan. On Sunday, closing the loop back toward his car, he stumbled and fell 150 feet along one of the tributaries of the North Fork of the Sol Duc River, breaking his ankle on the tumble. A search team located him on Wednesday. “He did all the right things,” said Olympic National Park Incident Commander Kristin Kirschner in a statement. “Once he realized he would not be able to get out, he stayed where he was, made himself as visible as possible, built a large signal fire, and waited for help.” One unorthodox thing Bailey did was fire the pistol he was carrying, hoping a rescue helicopter overhead would hear the shots. It didn’t, but on-the-ground searchers did and alerted the chopper, which then narrowed in on his location. Of course, while firearms are legal in national parks, discharging them is not…but, hey, extenuating circumstances. Via Peninsula Daily News.
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Tags: Hiking, National Parks
Not really unorthodox. In hunter safety courses, they teach that three shots is a distress signal.
Sure, fire three shots in the air….but what happens when you only have two arrows left? True story.
Around here that’s considered the correct thing to do. Stay put and fire three shots in a row, though conserve your ammo at night. Searchers will fire shots also to signal that they are looking, so you can respond. Just don’t shoot your rescuer.
[...] Fall is hiking/camping/backpacking time, so be careful and remember to do the “right things.” They can help keep you alive. See what one injured hiker did to stay alive. [...]