File photo.
The news that Ren An’er, a female college student from Guangzhou, went missing and later lost her life during a trekking trip in Xinjiang moved many to sorrow. As outdoor activities, which have gradually gained popularity amid the national fitness boom, once again sparked heated discussions due to safety concerns, how to enjoy outdoor fun while ensuring personal safety has become a topic of public interest. Recently, Information Times reporters conducted exclusive interviews with two outdoor sports coaches, Luoyang and Fengyue, as well as Zheng Danwen, a doctor from the Emergency Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, on the correct way to perform first aid in outdoor sports. Special feature planning by Zheng Shaoshan. Article by Information Times reporter Yang Xingping.
[Getting Lost]
In outdoor activities, especially those carried out in the wild such as hiking, orienteering, and mountaineering, getting lost is one of the most common accidents. Outdoor sports experts Luoyang and Fengyue noted that after getting lost in the wild, the key is to use the correct method to call for help, which will significantly increase your chances of being found.
Correct Ways to Call for Help:
Once you realize you are lost, do not panic—stay calm.
Call for rescue by phone as soon as possible. If you can’t accurately describe your location, provide as much detail as you can about your starting point, direction, time spent walking, and surrounding scenery to help rescuers estimate your general area and improve search efficiency.
While waiting for rescue, do not move again. Stay put until search and rescue personnel arrive. If you must leave due to uncontrollable factors (such as bad weather, wildlife, or other life-threatening dangers), try to inform rescuers of the direction you’re heading in and leave clear markers along the way.
Keep your emotions calm and pleasant. Avoid anxiety and panic. Distract yourself by talking, eating, or sleeping (but not in snow, rain, or bad weather), avoid unnecessary activity, and conserve energy as much as possible.
If you can’t notify the outside world by phone, use sound, light, or smoke signals to continuously send out distress signals. Follow the principle of “regular and continuous” signaling—such as knocking three times, pausing, then repeating—to attract the attention of passersby and create more opportunities for rescue.
If the whole group gets lost, do not split up to look for a way out. Under no circumstances should anyone act alone. If someone must go for help, divide the group as evenly as possible, preferably ensuring that each subgroup has at least one male member. Once the rescue-seeking group departs, the remaining members should stay put and wait for help.
Expert Tips:
Fengyue: When venturing into sparsely populated areas like the wilderness or snowy mountains, never go alone. Travel with people you know well—don’t form a team on the spot when you arrive. A team should consist of at least four people, including at least one male and two or more individuals with exploration experience.
[First Aid]
Injury is the last thing we want to see but can’t always avoid, so some basic first aid knowledge and skills are undoubtedly essential for everyone. These first aid methods are even more important during outdoor activities.
Basic First Aid Methods:
Minor Skin Injuries
When you encounter minor outdoor injuries such as abrasions or scrapes, first clean the wound and stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. If you don’t have specialized medical disinfectants, rinse the wound with cool boiled water. If you must use natural water sources, boil the water and let it cool before use to avoid bacterial infection.
For small wounds that have stopped bleeding and won’t be re-injured, avoid using adhesive bandages. For larger, deeper wounds or cases of persistent bleeding, definitely do not use adhesive bandages—apply medical gauze to the wound and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Food Poisoning
If you feel unwell after accidentally eating wild food, induce vomiting by gagging as soon as possible. After vomiting, drink plenty of water and seek medical attention quickly.
In the outdoors, avoid picking and eating anything unless absolutely necessary. If you must eat, prioritize berries.
Snake Bites
If bitten by any snake, call 120 for help immediately (be sure to emphasize that it was a venomous snake bite), stay where you are, avoid moving the injured limb, and wait for rescue.
You may take snake medicine (available at pharmacies). It has heat-clearing and detoxifying effects and can aid treatment, but it is not decisive. Take it strictly according to the dosage instructions—do not overdose blindly, as this could cause adverse reactions and worsen the situation.
If conditions allow, use a suction device (like a syringe with the needle removed) to draw out blood from the wound—never suck it directly with your mouth.
Try to remember the appearance of the snake that bit you and inform the rescuers.
The above methods also apply to treating insect stings.
Expert Tips:
Zheng Danwen: If you are not sure about your professional rescue skills, it's best not to attempt any treatment blindly, and never try to save yourself or others using methods you've seen in TV dramas. In many cases, doing more can lead to more mistakes.
[Natural Disasters]
In the face of natural disasters, life is extremely fragile. Avoid traveling in severe weather as a sign of respect for nature and for the value of life. Checking the weather conditions and geographical features of your destination before your trip is an essential preparation step.
Self-rescue Methods for Sudden Natural Disasters:
Thunderstorm
When a thunderstorm strikes and you are in open flat areas, forests, or other lightning-prone zones, stop moving immediately, discard all metal items on your person, and quickly crouch down (if your backpack is made of waterproof material, you may sit on it but do not sit on the ground). Cover your head with both hands and curl your body as tightly as possible. If possible, take measures to protect yourself from the rain to avoid getting your clothes wet.
Wait for about 15 minutes after the sound of thunder has moved far away before standing up, and move to a safe area as soon as possible. When traveling in a group during a thunderstorm, members should spread out.
Moving Water
In most cases, staying on flat ground is safer than entering water bodies. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid crossing water. If you must cross, remove your clothes before entering the water and put them back on once you’ve crossed to prevent hypothermia caused by wet clothing. Before crossing a river, try to find a thick, long stick — it can help support your body and reduce the risk of slipping, as well as test water depth to avoid stepping into sudden deep spots.
Expert Tip
Luoyang: We have a saying — “The mountain will always be there.” Never try to fight bad weather. No trip is worth risking your life.