On Friday, July 12th, Fillmore Library hosted Ventura County Search & Rescue K9 Team (VCSARK9) Members Lisa Hammond and Virginia Feyh (and her K9 Huck) as they spoke with the kids enrolled in the Summer Reading Program about “Hug A Tree and Survive”. Photo credit Angel Esquivel-Firephoto_91.

On Friday, July 12th, as part of the Summer Reading Program at the Fillmore Library, Team Members Lisa Hammond and Virginia Feyh (and her K9 Huck) of the Ventura County Search & Rescue K9 Team (VCSARK9), came to talk to the kids (and adults) about the program “Hug A Tree and Survive”. VCSARK9 is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the development, training and deployment of high performance, volunteer canine teams which will in turn effectively assist in the search and rescue or search and recovery of missing persons.

Hug-A-Tree and Survive was developed in the United States following the search for Jimmy Beveridge in 1981 and was first adapted for Canadian use by the RCMP. It was updated by the National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) and the SAR Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC) in 2015 with new videos and activities to support program delivery. Hug-a-Tree and Survive is an AdventureSmart program that helps lost children survive in the woods. It teaches children how not to become lost in the woods, and what to do should they become lost. If a child should become lost in the woods, hugging a tree can help them stay safe, and be found. Staying near a tree offers some protection from the elements, and keeps lost children in the same place, which makes it easier for searchers to find them. The presentation included a short video presentation, discussion about the 4 rules to help keep children safe, and a demonstration with one of the dogs training to be on the VCSARK9 Team, Huck, a Redbone [!@#$] Hound.

The Hug-a-Tree Rules

Hug-A-Tree and Survive emphasizes four key rules to keeping children safe:
Always tell your parents, or another trusted adult where you are going, who you are going with, and when you will be back. You can do this in person, over the phone, through a text message, or by leaving a note in a place they will see it.
HUG-A-TREE” AND STAY PUT

A tree can help protect you from the elements while you’re outdoors, and most importantly, keep you in one place. Depending on where you are, there may not always be a tree. Perhaps your tree” can be a large rock or bench at a park, or a sales counter at a mall. No matter what your landmark is, it is important to stay put, in order to stay safe.
KEEP WARM AND DRY

Temperatures change throughout the day and can drop at night. Even if you are warm during the day, keep your jacket handy for nighttime. If you get cold, put on an extra layer, pull up your hood or put on your hat if you have one, tuck your shirt in, tuck pant legs into your socks, and zip up your jacket. You can also keep warm by building a nest to keep you off the ground, or by using an emergency shelter.

Whether searchers are parents, police officers, or SAR volunteers, remember they just want to get you home safely. Answer back to their calls by making noise and signaling (remember that whistle!), so you can be heard and seen. Make sure to leave lots of footprints and clues, so searchers can follow your tracks to find you.

While designed for the outdoors, these rules are easily transferable to other places including sporting events, shopping malls, public parks, urban areas, and much more! Together, these core points work to ensure kids have the knowledge and training needed to safely enjoy the outdoors, and their communities.

For more information about the “Hug A Tree and Survive” program go to https://www.adventuresmart.ca/programs/hug-a-tree-and-survive/.

For more information about VCSARK9 go to www.vcsark9.org. This presentation was funded by a grant from the California Fire Foundation https://www.cafirefoundation.org/what-we-do/for-grant-seekers.