What information to leave with your emergency contact?

If something goes wrong, the information you provide your emergency contact will be the starting point for the information Search and Rescue groups use to look for you. Much of this information will remain the same for multiple trips and some will be trip-specific. The items I list won't be comprehensive, but rather a selection of items from an online trip-report form that was created for just this purpose. Thus, you can prepare in advance a packet with most of the information and just update the trip details each time you head out.

Identity Information

• Name, age, sex, height, weight, hair and eye color.
• Any medical conditions, medications, or allergies?
• A recent picture of yourself.

Skills

• Are you a skilled hiker, a novice kayaker, regularly climb 5.13 trad or stick only to trails?
• How much first aid knowledge do you have? What about navigation and survival knowledge?

Local Agencies

Your emergency contact can always call the local emergency number, but contact information for the Sheriff's office (or appropriate local agency) where you'll be starting your hike may be more useful.

Transport

Are you taking a car, bus, train, plane, or llama to the trailhead? For personal vehicles, the make, model, color, and license plate number are helpful. (If you take a bus, the driver or other passengers might remember you.)

Itinerary

A map with your expected route highlighted is most convenient. Alternate routes, expected campsites, and potential side trips should also be noted. You should have a rough idea when you'll start, when you'll return, and generally how quickly you cover ground.

Communications

What navigation or signalling equipment do you have? If a PLB, is it registered? If a cell phone or two-way satellite messenger (InReach, Spot, etc.), what type is it and what's the contact information? Is there a URL where it displays its location?

Equipment

You don't need to list every item, but larger items are easier to spot and smaller items may be found by searchers. An easy way to inventory is to simply lay everything out on the floor and take a picture. While you're doing this, it's also good to note your shoe size, model, and include a picture of the soles.

posted about 10 years ago

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requiem‭

261 reputation 0 69 26 0

These two you mentioned are very important.

• Expected departure and return
• Date & time to consider overdue

Just saying what time you're expected back isn't enough. If I'm going in an area that has any level of danger, I tell people when I expect to make contact, and when to call 911.

posted about 10 years ago

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Tom Collins‭

111 reputation 0 26 11 0

Obviously, the more specific you can be about what route you'll actually be taking the better, but the most important detail is nailing down the trailhead or launch point you're going to begin your trip from. This usually establishes a good starting point to work from in any kind of emergency.

You should establish the time that you expect to return, your emergency contact should use good judgement to determine wether or not you're overdue. If you're going on a seven day backpacking excursion, it wouldn't be unreasonable for you to end up needing an extra day. But if you're just doing a 2 hour loop on a Sunday morning and you're nowhere to be seen come dinner time, then it's time to sound the alarm now isn't it.

Other than that, just the usual list: itinerary, colors of clothing and equipment, whether or not you have a GPS or a radio, etc ( which you probably should ). You get the idea. The more accurate your information is, the better your chances of receiving help in an emergency.

posted about 10 years ago

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Scott Hillson‭

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