A Safety Selfie to Help In a Search

Alaska troopers are encouraging safety selfies for backcountry travelers.  Now this is a novel idea and good head work.

The idea is that safety selfies can be an important part of your trip planning.

Just in case you are not familiar with the term, a Selfie is defined by Wikipedia as:

“A selfie is a self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone. Selfies are often shared on social networking services such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. They are usually flattering and made to appear casual. Most selfies are taken with a camera held at arm's length or pointed at a mirror, rather than by using a self timer.”

I recommend coupling a selfie with a “Trip Plan” before heading into the backcountry.  A well written trip plan provides search teams the important details necessary to coordinate a search.

The hiker can make their own plan or use the one found on my web site: http://www.outdoorquest.biz/2015/01/a-hikers-trip-plan/

Then at the trail head, a parked car, or next to a sign take a selfie that would help to further identify the start of a trip into the back country.  Email or text the image to family, friends or that person responsible for calling 911 should the hiker be late returning.

The following is a fine article by Alaska Despatch News writer Megan Edge.

"Alaska State Troopers are looking for your selfies -- those ubiquitous self-portraits, usually snapped with smart phone cameras, that make up countless Facebook profile pictures and online avatars.

But they don't want selfies snapped in bedrooms or bathrooms, in the privacy of your own home. They're suggesting Alaskans take a selfie right before heading out into the backcountry, as a way to account for their whereabouts."

Consider using pictures that leave now doubt about where you started such as the wilderness boundary sign shown at left.