In the final part of this three-part series on living in the woods, we’ll be examining safety issues. Several readers have already written in, expressing concern about going off into the woods alone. Many have worried about being abducted, assaulted or even killed while visiting a State or National Park. The good news is that the incidence of crime in parks is often greatly exaggerated. We seem to have an ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ mentality in the U.S. when it comes to reporting news on television and in the press, and this sensationalism has left a false impression of the dangers of public parks.
According to Phil Linsalata of the Detroit News, crime rarely visits state parks. Our parks are usually secure because they are patrolled frequently by wardens and park rangers (You may read Linsalata’s report in its entirety at: http://members.aol.com/femnet/det696.htm). John Winters supervises 350 safety officers for the Department of Natural Resources: the uniformed rangers who oversee 96 state parks and recreation areas and 600 boating access sites.
"Nothing is ever guaranteed," said Winters. "Isolated incidents can happen, but the parks are very, very secure."
How secure? Of about 1,000 incident reports that visitors filed with rangers last year, just 16 were technically classified as assaults. Compare that to the estimated 10,000 annual assaults that occur in homes, towns, and city streets, and you can easily see that the woods are a far safer place to be!
This of course doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the proper precautions before setting off. It’s far better to have a traveling companion for such a journey if possible. And you’ll want to take a cell phone or some other means of communication with the outside world before you begin. It’s a good idea to scout out your location ahead of time to make sure you can get a signal. If you’re planning to visit a state or national park, talk to the rangers ahead of time to let them know your plans. Many primitive campgrounds are constantly patrolled, so it’s a simple matter to get in touch with the local ranger station in case of emergency.
Make sure you include a first-aid kit in your provisions. It wouldn’t hurt to take a basic first-aid safety course at your local Red Cross either. In any case, don’t venture off into the woods without letting someone know where you’ll be and for how long.
The ideal situation would be to own the land upon which you plan to stay. In such a case, you can inform the local authorities where you’ll be so they can routinely patrol the location. If you own the site, you will also be able to prepare it extensively ahead of time, stocking it with provisions, communication equipment, and if needed, personal safety devices such as mace, pepper spray, Tasers, etc.
If there are any natural predators in your area, learn how to look for signs of their presence. Most wildlife will leave you alone if you leave them alone, unless you happen upon their natural habitat by accident. So knowing the territory is imperative. If there are poisonous snakes in your wilderness home, you’ll want to include a snakebite kit in your provisions. Make sure you know how to use it!
Finally, if safety is a major concern for you, and you’d prefer to be around people while enjoying nature, check with a relative who lives in a rural setting. You might also be able to borrow their back yard for a few days. The important thing is to be able to experience what nature has to offer while assuring your own peace of mind.
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