Unique Presentation Identifier:
V17
Program Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Advisor
Cathi Mcmahan
Document Type
Presentation
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Location
Online
Start Date
29-4-2025 8:00 AM
Abstract
This study is focused on the area of wilderness survival skills. These skills are important because they can help everyone from day hikers to mountaineers survive austere situations that they could find themselves in. A common problem park rangers face is a rolled ankle. This situation leads to multiple rangers having to make often several-mile hikes carrying equipment that is cumbersome to any hiker, only to then have to carry said hiker back out to a secure place. This could be mitigated by a class that is sanctioned by park staff or other instructors on how to fashion a splint of natural materials. The problem is that people who want to practice these skills do not know where else they can practice and are afraid of being kicked out of parks or prosecuted for what’s considered unlawful behavior. They don’t know where they can practice these skills, and this project aims to help change that. My work is meant to do two things. First, I want to provide practitioners with a list of parks that are receptive to practicing these skills in a controlled environment. Second, I want to let the park staff know which skills visitors want to practice and how they can facilitate these activities. What I believe to be the best method of gathering information is creating a questionnaire that asks about park staff's knowledge of survival skills and ways to practice these skills. Park staff can then modify a second questionnaire to ask visitors about their interest in practicing these skills. This study can help park goers be better prepared in case something goes wrong during their trip. This research can also provide park staff with a method to bring together average day hikers and experienced campers, which could increase park attendance for multiple parks.
Recommended Citation
Hobbs, Colton, "What Should Park Guests Do in An Emergency Situation" (2025). ATU Student Research Symposium. 11.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_rs/2025/2025/11
What Should Park Guests Do in An Emergency Situation
Online
This study is focused on the area of wilderness survival skills. These skills are important because they can help everyone from day hikers to mountaineers survive austere situations that they could find themselves in. A common problem park rangers face is a rolled ankle. This situation leads to multiple rangers having to make often several-mile hikes carrying equipment that is cumbersome to any hiker, only to then have to carry said hiker back out to a secure place. This could be mitigated by a class that is sanctioned by park staff or other instructors on how to fashion a splint of natural materials. The problem is that people who want to practice these skills do not know where else they can practice and are afraid of being kicked out of parks or prosecuted for what’s considered unlawful behavior. They don’t know where they can practice these skills, and this project aims to help change that. My work is meant to do two things. First, I want to provide practitioners with a list of parks that are receptive to practicing these skills in a controlled environment. Second, I want to let the park staff know which skills visitors want to practice and how they can facilitate these activities. What I believe to be the best method of gathering information is creating a questionnaire that asks about park staff's knowledge of survival skills and ways to practice these skills. Park staff can then modify a second questionnaire to ask visitors about their interest in practicing these skills. This study can help park goers be better prepared in case something goes wrong during their trip. This research can also provide park staff with a method to bring together average day hikers and experienced campers, which could increase park attendance for multiple parks.