Safety

Yesterday’s trip to Georges Island (NA-148) was great fun. We did lots right--much that had nothing to do radio--including bringing good shelters to keep both me and Sandy out of the sun, bringing enough plenty of water, and not trying to stay too long, especially since this was our first trip of the season.
This brings us to one of the things that has gone into my planning for previous trips and, certainly, for upcoming trips: safety first. The day-to-day safety concerns probably boil down to some simple things like

• Health - take anything adversely affecting your health seriously while away from home including cuts and the danger of infection, food poisoning and resulting dehydration (much more common than you might believe), and keeping your “shots” up-to-date for tetanus and other hazards.
  


• Weather - Lightning, wind, sun, or sudden temperature changes can turn a trip into disaster. With Field Day coming up in just a few days, please take this caution to heart.
  


• Situational awareness - where are you, what is around you, and what could happen? This runs the gamut from climbing safety to knowing to avoid bad areas in a foreign country.
  

On St. John I was just up-the-road from a hospital. Same deal in Hawaii. Even on Georges Island I was only minutes (by helicopter) from some of the best medical facilities in the world. That won’t be the case if I actually make it to some of these places I’ve been considering. Planning, specifically safety planning, will be crucial for these more exotic DXpeditions but all these principles should be applicable to even the most routine operation. Again, with Field Day right around the corner I hope all of you will keep this in mind.