The Mighty Kiowa: Lost

One of my favorite memories of my kids Indian Guides/Princess's campouts was from our first year when we camped at the Woodland's in Montverde. Our tribe set up camp in a heavily wooded area and, as usual, the kids began exploring the woods around our site. Unfortunately, my kids along with several others got lost for a short amount of time, having wandered into an adjacent tribe's campsite and becoming disoriented as to how to return to our campsite. Before I even realized the kids were missing, they were led back to our site by one of the dad's in the neighboring tribe. I was instantly scared and relieved, all at the same time. The kids then decided that they did not want to get lost again, so they got out paper and crayons to make a map so they would be able to find their way around our camp!

This is a fond memory for me because it had a quick, happy ending. However, all too often, kids get lost and the outcome may not be a good one. All of us living in the Central Florida area heard the recent news reports about the young Winter Springs girl, Nadia Bloom, who went missing for several days. Everyone was ecstatic when she was found alive and well after wandering into the woods and getting lost. A story like this highlights the need to prepare our kids in case something like this happens to them. When you consider the fact that we camp in the woods every month during the camping season, it's particularly important for us to coach our kids on this topic.

The article below was published in the Orlando Sentinel on April 13. Roy and Kym Smith sent it along on our campout at Cracker Creek, but I did not get an opportunity to present it to everyone. They recently sent it to me again and urged me to share it with everyone. I appreciate their persistence – this is really important stuff for our kids!

Parents can use the story of Nadia Bloom's survival as a teaching opportunity with their children. This Child Survival program is presented to students, scouts, and parents by the U.S. Search and Rescue Task Force. It includes tips for talking to children about what to do if they are ever lost in the woods or other unfamiliar terrain. The complete guide can be found at www.ussartf.org/childsurvival.htm

Here are some tips for talking to your child about what to do if they are lost:

- Help yourself keep calm by singing, whistling or even telling yourself jokes or stories. Do anything it takes to make yourself feel better. Try using your imagination to pretend you are somewhere else that you really enjoy.

- You usually do not have to worry about wild animals. They do not like to be near people. If they hear or smell you, they will usually run away.

- A good rule is 'Answer a Noise with a Noise'. If you hear a noise in the woods, make a noise back. If it is an animal it will run away, if it is a searcher then you will be found.

- The fear of dark can be easily overcome by memorizing your surroundings during daylight so that you can see with your memory when it gets dark. Nothing changes just because it gets dark. Try practicing in your bedroom.

- Make sure your child knows that there is no punishment for being lost. Sometimes, children will hide or run away from searchers in fear of punishment.

- Make sure your child knows there can be friendly strangers who will them when needed, including police officers, fire fighters, ambulance personnel and search and rescue teams.

The group has also made a list of survival tips that are easy for children to understand:

9 rules for survival

1. Stay together, do not separate if with a friend or pet. Cuddling up to a large dog or friend will help keep you warm. If with a dog, do not let it run loose, it can help you more by staying close and providing heat and companionship.

2. Stay in one place -- do not wander. This is the most important rule of all. If you wander -- we cannot find you.

3. Keep warm. This rule means to keep warm with the clothes you are wearing. Never take any clothes off. Cover up all the exposed skin you can.

4. Find a cozy waiting place, not a hiding place. A cozy waiting place means a warm place out of the wind and rain but not a place where searchers cannot see you. Under a large tree is a good place.

5. Put out something bright. Make a flag using what you have, but do not take off any clothes to do so. Some suggestions are white paper, money, hair ribbons, a strip from an orange garbage bag, etc. Spell the word "HELP" or "SOS" on the ground using rocks and sticks. Do anything to attract attention!

6. Look bigger for searchers. If possible, your waiting place should be near an open space. When you hear someone coming or a helicopter overhead, move to the middle of the clearing and call.

7. Do not lie on the bare ground. Being in direct contact with the ground for any length of time is dangerous. Build a mattress using available materials such as branches, moss, leaves, etc. This is called a survival bed.

8. Do not eat anything you are not sure of. Do not eat any berries, mushrooms or anything else unless you are 100% sure what they are. Being hungry is not too bad of a feeling compared with being violently sick. You can go without food for a long time, but you cannot go without water.

9. Stay away from large rivers and lakes. You must have drinking water to survive, but be careful where you get it from. Do not go near any large bodies of water. Drink from a water supply that is smaller than you are, so you can not fall in. Another source of water can be found on leaves in the form of dew.

Source: United States Search and Rescue Task Force