Dealing With An Emergency

1. Stay Calm
   It's important to stay calm and avoid panic. Take a deep breath and assess the situation before taking any actions.
2. Make Sure You Are Not In Immediate Danger
   If you are, try to make the condition safe, or move to a safer place.
3. First Aid
   Provide comfort and first aid to the injured or ill.

     4. Insulate
Stay warm and dry when the weather is cold or wet. Stay cool or find a shade when the weather is
hot.

     5. Determine Your Location
Ask your local guide or use your map to determine your location and consider the following
options:

• OPTION 1: Continue Your Activity
  Has the situation stabilized? How minor is the injury or illness? Can you safely proceed or do you risk worsening it?
• OPTION 2: Stay Where You Are
  Will the situation get better if you stay where you are?
• OPTION 3: Descend To Safety
  Is there a settlement or road nearby? Will the injury or illness get worse when you travel?
• OPTION 4: Call For Help
  Are you or someone in your group is facing a life-threatening situation or a serious injury that requires immediate medical attention?

• Medical Emergencies
  If someone in your group is experiencing heat stroke, hypothermia, severe allergic reaction, heart attack, or any other medical condition that requires immediate attention, call for help.
• Physical Injuries
  If someone in your group has suffered a serious injury, such as a broken bone, severe laceration, or head injury, and cannot safely move or continue the hike, call for help.
• Environmental Hazards
  If you are facing severe weather conditions, such as typhoons and flooding, or if you are lost and cannot find your way back to safety, call for help.
• Dangerous Wildlife Encounters
  If you or someone in your group is bitten by a venomous snake, call for help.

• Your Location
  The most important piece of information to provide is your location. Try to give rescuers as much detail as possible about where you are, including landmarks, trail names or numbers, and GPS coordinates if you have them.
• Your Physical Condition
  Let rescuers know if you're injured or if you have any medical conditions that require medication or special attention.
• Your Clothing And Gear
  Tell rescuers what you're wearing and what gear you have with you, such as a backpack, sleeping bag, or tent. This can help them identify you from a distance and assess your level of preparedness.
• Your Water And Food Supply
  Let rescuers know how much water and food you have left, as this can help them estimate how long you can survive without assistance.
• Your Intended Route
  Tell rescuers which trail or route you intended to take, and where you planned to camp or spend the night. This can help them narrow down their search area.
• The Time You Went Missing (In case you got lost)
  Try to remember the exact time you went missing and tell rescuers when you last saw other people or landmarks. This can help rescuers determine how long you've been lost and where to focus their search efforts.

• Challenges of Calling for Help in the Wilderness
  Be aware that calling for help in the wilderness can be difficult due to lack of signal, obstacles, inaccessibility, limited resources, bad weather, injuries or illness, and dead batteries.
• Two Networks Are Better Than One
  Carrying two SIM cards from different networks (Smart, Globe or Dito) could be beneficial if one network has poor coverage in a specific area, as you could switch to the other network to try and get better coverage. However, it is important to note that there may be areas in the wilderness where neither network has coverage, so carrying a satellite phone or other communication devices could also be useful.
• Save Emergency Numbers Before You Go
  Keep important contacts at your fingertips by storing them in your phone's contacts list. Be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances and act swiftly by having the right numbers on hand in case of an emergency.
• Conserve Cellphone Battery
  Try to conserve phone battery life. Bring a powerbank or a spare phone if you can.
• Assistance From Local Guides
  Hiring a local guide can be a good backup plan. Local guides can assist or carry you if you are too weak or injured, and can go down quickly to seek help if your mobile phone or network fails. However, not all local guides have the necessary skills or resources to handle certain emergencies.
• Delayed Rescue
  Even when a rescue team has been alerted, help might not arrive for several hours or days depending on the weather conditions.