Hiking safety tips to help first responders if you get injured or lost

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Central California's beautiful national parks and forests can hide the dangers.

In a matter of days, a man died while hiking in Sequoia National Park.

Another man was found dead after getting separated from his group near Courtright Reservoir in Fresno County.

A woman was airlifted off Lewis Creek Trail near Oakhurst after she hurt her ankle while hiking.

During the warmer months, first responders in Central California respond to dozens of search and rescue calls.

In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, they have already seen 60 calls this year and five deaths.

"That is a lot," said Holly Streit, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. "That's a lot for our teams to manage, and it can be anything from a separated party at the giant forest to something more extreme, like what happened this past weekend up in Mineral King."

That's up from 40 calls in the same time last year and three deaths.

When calls come in for accidents or overdue hikers, rescuers can arrive on foot, or helicopters can be dispatched.

The Fresno County Search and Rescue team said you increase your odds of being found by sharing your plan and timeline with someone else or park and forest officials.

"They want to say where they're going to park, you know what trails are planning on taking and and make it clear," said Sgt. Scott Weishaar, Fresno County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue. "So if they do get lost or something happens and the sheriff's office needs to go looking for them, we have an idea of where they may be."

Sgt. Weishaar said to help avoid getting lost, have a map and a GPS device you know how to use.

"Typically, we'll get people who just continue walking," said Weishaar. "And turns out, they're walking farther and farther and farther away from their starting point, so getting into an open area, because there's more likely going to be an airplane or some sort of aircraft looking in addition to the searchers on the ground. And then just staying put."

He said be prepared to stay on the trail longer than planned with plenty of water, extra snacks, an emergency blanket and a flashlight.

If going into a remote area, you may also want to consider a satellite texting device.

For the person you do share your plans with, the sergeant says give them a time you expect to return and then a time limit for when they should call for help.

So if you plan to be back by 4 p.m., they can call for help if you're not back by 9 p.m.

He said don't intentionally overstay if you can't warn someone you'll be coming back later.

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