Surviving outdoors during summer activities
- posted: 19 June 2007
- scrollspecial@byui.edu
The temperature is rising and the skies are clearing as summertime hits Idaho. Students previously spending time looking for snow and indoor activities are now looking for activities to enjoy while soaking up the sun.
With the coming of summer, the environment surrounding Rexburg and the BYU-Idaho Outdoor Activities Committee (OAC) provide students with the opportunity to enjoy the scenery and embark on new, though often dangerous, adventures.
“Summertime provides some of our most popular activities that we sponsor. These activities are so popular because they’re fun, exciting, and often require little professional training or preparation,” said committee member Katie Pierce, a senior from Portland, Ore.
Students volunteering for the OAC are all required to become Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation(CPR)/Automated External Defibrillator(AED)- and First Aid-certified prior to volunteering or leading any of the student activities. They are all well-trained for each of the outings they attend.
“All of the volunteers have done a lot of work before any retreat goes out. Not only are we certified in CPR/AED and First Aid, but we are also required to fill out forms anticipating any of the risks that we might encounter and how we would deal with them,” said committee member Isaac Johnson, a senior from Pasco, Wash.
The OAC, however, does not sponsor all of the activities that students participate in. This leaves many students on their own, often with little preparation for emergencies that may arise.
Some of these emergencies include dangerous wildlife encounters, getting lost and medical crises. For more information on other situations that may arise, students can refer to www.surviveoutdoors.com.
So whether it’s canoeing, tubing, hiking or rock climbing, students are encouraged to enjoy the “great outdoors” and to be safe and prepared.
“If I were to give anyone any safety advice for outdoor activities they’ll participate in this summer, I’d say, ‘wear sunscreen, drink water and watch for low-head dams,’” Pierce said.
BYU-I sponsors safety training to allow all students the opportunity to become certified in First Aid and CPR/AED. These training sessions are on the third Friday of every month.
