Hikers Need To Over-Prepare Before Hitting The Trails

Upper Cumberland hikers are being urged to practice pre-emptive safety measures before exploring this season.

The warning comes following an incident in White County this past weekend in which a hiker was in need of rescue. Bryce Barett is White County Public Safety Information Officer. He said that the most important thing hikers can do is bring their cellphone.

“Make sure your phone is charged and make sure that if you have battery backups to take those with you,” Barett said. “Because if something were to happen or you were to get turned around, of course, the first step is call 911.”

Barett said that the most important piece of advice he can give hikers is to over-prepare before exploring. He said that familiarizing yourself with the proper steps to take under every emergency situation on the trail is also important.

Barett said that emergency responders are also trained to help citizens give them GPS coordinates that help their search. He said that these coordinates can be important, as they assist first responders in arriving at the scene as fast as possible. Barett said that extra time spent preparing the hiker’s mind before setting out can also drastically help with their safety.

“We urge people to be familiar with the terrain and the area that they’re hiking,” Barett said. “Whether that’s just knowing how long the hike normally takes that way you’re out before dark.”

Barett said that we are currently in the height of the time of year when the most amount of hikers require emergency responders. He said that so far the calls have been mostly routine, though he also strongly encourages hikers to stay cautious. Barett said that White County personnel also train in order to handle more difficult search and rescue.

“Our dispatchers, they’re trained on what questions to ask,” Barett said. “We to familiarization training so that our personnel is familiar with the mountain and better respond in those events and kind of be more efficient when responding.”