Mushrooming essentials include a white bucket, topped up phone and warm jacket
North Prefecture Patrol Service Chief Pirko Pärila advised on the "Terevisioon" morning show that when heading into the forest to pick mushrooms, it's essential to bring a white bucket, a fully charged phone, a warm jacket and a water bottle. Pärila also recommended informing your loved ones about which part of the forest you plan to visit.
Statistics show that while the number of reports of people getting lost in the forest during last year's mushroom season was below 200, this year the number has risen to over 200. "People are reporting more and are able to get out of the forest faster," Pärila said.
He emphasized that "every lost hour when a person doesn't call immediately means that the search may take longer, and it could get darker outside."
Pärila urged everyone to overcome the myth that it's shameful to call 112 if you feel disoriented in the forest and don't know where you are. "As soon as someone feels lost and unable to find their way out of the forest, they should call right away. The sooner we get the call, the sooner we can help and locate the person," Pärila said.
When preparing to go into the forest, Pärila suggested keeping in mind a phrase he has often repeated: "If I go into the forest, I should be prepared to stay there overnight." This means knowing how to prepare oneself – if it's warm during the day, temperatures will drop in the evening, so bring a jacket or coat.
Based on his experience in searching for people in the forest, Pärila recommended bringing a white bucket. "A white bucket is the easiest thing to spot from the air, whether by a helicopter crew, drone searchers or even when we're moving through the terrain ourselves. The white bucket is the key item that helps us locate a person very quickly," he explained.
Another piece of advice is to ensure your mobile phone is fully charged. "The most challenging searches are those where the phone battery has died. If we have contact with the person, we can locate them very quickly. A third recommendation is to inform your loved ones about which part of the forest you are going to and where you will enter it," Pärila added.
If you plan to go to an unfamiliar forest, where you're not as familiar with the area, it's advisable to mark your path if possible. "For example, with some tape," he suggested.
A good way to navigate the woods, find even small paths and trails and see where they lead is to use the Estonian State Forest Management Center's (RMK) mobile app and its incredibly detailed map. The app is available through Google Play and the Apple App Store.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Annika Remmel, Marcus Turovski
