Carrying a whistle

[+sonatellas]

As we walk on Dartmoor on a very regular basis we have been thinking of our safety and being a bit more careful when out and about. We looked on the Dartmoor Rescue website and there is some very very useful advice on there. Dartmoor Rescue Group

 

We do carry everything we need for any incidents we might come across but I did not know that there is a distress signal for you to use on your whistle. Sorry for all you people who already know this information but I am going to let others who don't know what to do. If you already know then shut your eyes now.

 

If you are in distress on the Moors you should blow into your emergency whistle, six blasts every minute. This is the recognised distress signal. If you do not have a whistle you can flash your torch six times every minute. The Dartmoor Rescue Group will respond with a horn or torch 3 times per minute back to you. Gosh I hope I am making sense. If not go to the link above and read it. You never know when you might need it or find someone else you needs you.

 

What a good bit of info.

[+PopUpPirate]

Them SARDA dogs are ace!!! Obv take your mobile too, and understand how to convert your GPS to show OS GB grid references, because this is what Mountain Rescue use by default.

[+Wadders]

Yep I always carry a loud whistle on Dartmoor, would be so easy to break a leg and not be heard up there. I also carry a flourescent vest too.

You never know!!!

 

Wadders

[+Realmofchaos]

Yep I always carry a loud whistle on Dartmoor, would be so easy to break a leg and not be heard up there. I also carry a flourescent vest too.

You never know!!!

 

Wadders

 

I never carry a whistle, 1 blow and i'm surrounded by doggers!

[+fat boy slow]

A whistle and compass are regular parts of my kit along with a proper paper map, it dates back to my love of riding my mountain bike in pretty remote areas.

 

Another standard signal a lot of people do not know is how to attract in an air ambulance (or ground one for that matter )

 

If a helicopter approaches you and you know it is looking for you please DO NOT WAVE AT IT, rather you should stand still with your hands spread above your head making a Y shape, fortunately I have not yet had to use this out in the wilds.... but a day may come

[fraggle69]

sounds like a stab in the heart situation with the helicopter advice.

I think I'd probably try heading for the nearest PH, if I couldn't make it before closing, I'd keep my heading and kick the bloody door down.

 

Whistles are good fun, but the best part of it is keeping warm and if you don't know how to do that there's no point in living.

 

blow me whoot whoot

[+The Forester]

Remember also that SOS in Morse Code is ... --- ...

Three shorts; three longs; three shorts.

 

That works in any medium, not only whistles, but also by light. I learned it at the age of 7 aboard an overnight London to Edinburgh coach which got stuck in a deep snowdrift at Soutra in the winter of '61 (whoops, I just gave away my age). The driver flashed the bus's headlamps that way for what seemed to me to be ages. It was noticed, through the snow flurries, by the local farmer who came to our rescue with a tractor which had a front digger and towing chains.

 

I also carry an old CD as a sun-reflector. It's ideal, much better than the ones issued to aircrews in their emergency kits nowadays, 'cos it's lighter, bigger, and infinitely cheaper. The central hole is perfect for accurately aiming the reflected sunbeam.