Always be prepared - even at the Dog Park!

When we talk about what to carry in a day pack on our trips, we always mention to bring an extra layer. Something non-cotton - a fleece or long-underwear top - just in case you get cold and/or wet you have something warm and dry to put on. This is a good rule of thumb whenever you venture out on an extended day adventure, on an AGC trip or otherwise. It is true that you may not use that extra layer, but in case you do, it can be, quite literally, a lifesaver.

It continually amazes me how quickly (and often unexpectedly) an incident can happen. One minute everything is beautiful, you're having a fun time, and then blip! someone slips on a flat road and breaks an ankle; a jump off a rope swing busts open a kneecap; while opening a can with a pocketknife, it slips and slices your thumb. Or, a woman swims to rescue her dog who is floating further and futher down the Missippi River trying to retrieve a stick. In early May. In Minnesota.

Why the dog wouldn't swim across the current and to shore is another story. What it made me think of was those extra, dry layers. Never in a million years did I think a trip to the dog park would lead to potential hypothermia. But here we were: my friend's clothes were soaking wet, the river water temperature had been very cold, the weather was about 55F and cloudy, with no extra clothes. Fortunately we only had about a mile walk back to the car, and that amount of exercise kept her warm enough.

This is so often how accidents happen - in the moments when we least expect them. What we need to be prepared with is how to safely handle the situation and keep things from getting worse. Whether it is extra layers, a first aid kit, or just an awareness of what to do if x, y, and z happens - being prepared is really the key to safety. -- Deb