SHR Safety Guidelines –
Carnethy Hill Running Club fully supports the SHR Rules and Guidelines
Scottish Hill Runners (SHR) published a revised safety code in July 2014. All Carnethy organised races (unless stated otherwise) will adhere to these safety rules and all competitors and club members are also expected to adhere to them.
The SHR safety guidelines page contains information and pdf download links for safety rules and safety guidelines. Both documents are easy to understand and should be downloaded and read both for your own safety and for that of your fellow competitors.
The safety rules for hill racing in Scotland were developed in 2014 by a Scottish Hill Runners sub-group comprising Al Anthony, Peter Baxter, Keith Burns, Andy Spenceley and Ronnie Gallagher. This followed the engagement of Scottish Hill Runners by Cumbria CID as independent reviewers of the evidence to the inquest into the death of Brian Belfield at the Sailbeck Race in April 2012. These Safety Rules were also subsequently accepted by Scottish Athletics for hill racing in Scotland and endorsed as best practice by British Athletics for fell and hill racing.
Report for SHR journal
Report of Zugspitze race tragedy
Hypothermia
http://everythingoutdoors.co.uk/hypothermia-facts-causes-treatment/ The possibility of a runner developing hypothermia is not that remote. The Dumyat Dash last year saw the weather suddenly change and at least one runner finished in a mildly hypothermic state. In the SIPR the weather became similarly foul and a runner became hypothermic on Ben More. Fortunately he and his running partner were well equipped with Blizzard packs, food, dry clothing and were knowledgeable. With his running partner providing body warmth he survived the long wait for mountain rescue, and was recovered enough to not need further medical treatment once off the mountain.Downloadable leaflet: FRA-Hypothermia-Guide-V2 |
Stages of Hypothermia chart |
A perspective on gear…
https://testedtodestruction.blogspot.com/2020/02/go-outside-sit-down-wait.html?&m=1
Mobile Phone – EmergencySMS
Since 2009 it has been possible to send a text to the emergency services on 999 or 112 – referred to as EmergencySMS.
The service can be used in times when a voice call is not possible due to poor or intermittent signal, but the signal is good enough for a text message to squeeze through.
A voice call to 999 must always be used in preference to a text.
To use the service you must first register, which you should do in advance:
1. Send the word ‘register’ to 999
2. You will receive a message about the service
3. When you have read the message, reply with ‘yes’ (in a text message to 999)
4. You will receive a further message confirming registration, or that there has been a problem with registering your phone
At any time you can check whether your phone is registered by sending the word ‘register’ to 999.
Note: If you have sent a text to 112 in the past to register, you do not have to register again to be able to text to 999. The service is the same.
Using the Service
Before using the service you must try to make a voice call to 999/112. If that fails or will not stay connected, that is the appropriate time to send an emergency text.
To use the service, send a descriptive text to 999 and await a reply. Do not assume that your message has been received until you receive a reply, which should be in 2 to 3 minutes. A human operator has to relay your text to the 999 service.
Ticks and Lyme Disease
How To Avoid Ticks and Lyme Disease… article here
Ignore at your peril – Cows in the Field
From The Coronethy Journal, Socially distanced Autumn 2020 – by Willie Mykura
As we venture back out to the hills following our enforced lockdown, the dangers of farm livestock will not be at the top of our minds. After all, what is there to fear from a few cows happily grazing in the field?
Recently our President Mark Hartree had a nasty encounter with a cow when he was charged and knocked to the ground, in the Pentlands; he was lucky not to be badly injured. Each year, several members of the public, as well as farmers are injured and killed by cows. It is easy to find ourselves running through a field of cows before we even realise it, and then we might suddenly find ourselves in danger.
As a livestock farmer, I am only too aware of the risk of being in proximity to cattle. I thought it would be worth explaining a little bit about cattle behaviour, and some tips to stay safe when running or walking close to cows, and the farmer’s responsibility.
Cows look nice standing in the field with their calves, or grazing on the grass, making our milk. But remember cows are bigger than us and they can run faster than us – yes even the fastest of us – so they are a threat to us. My basic advice to keep yourself safe would be: if cows are in the field, DO NOT GO INTO THE FIELD. Find another way round. Here’s why:
Cattle are creatures of habit – they know their environment, the field boundaries, and what happens every day. If you run or walk through their field, they know something is different and there is an opportunity or threat. They will usually look up, then look down again and continue grazing. They have assessed the risk and are happy – so you’re probably ok. But they may think you are the farmer who’s going to let them into a new field, and run towards you. Or they might get a fright, or think you are a risk, and start running away. A cow that is running is always bad news – if you see one running, be aware, and get ready to get out of the way.
Accidental incidents
Cows are ‘herd animals’ which means they stay together in groups, and tend to copy each other’s behaviour. If one decides to run, it is likely the others will run also, and you can quickly have a stampede of cows running round a field. A cow weighs half a ton upwards, and they cannot stop quickly so you can be faced with a group of cows approaching over a hill or alongside a fence which are unable to stop, before hitting you.
I remember an incident at the Duns Hill Race some years ago when the runners set off next to a field where cattle were grazing peacefully. The cattle took fright and set off running at speed across the field, some jumped over the fence. The race organisers had simply not assessed the risk of running close to a field of cattle. It was lucky no runner or spectator was injured.
Deliberate attacks
Cattle are herbivores and have no interest in attacking people but they will defend themselves if they feel threatened. A threat may simply be someone approaching them on a path where they are standing. A cow has a separation distance of about 5 meters which it likes to keep from a person if you come closer than that the cow will move away. Do not get closer than this. If a cow is looking straight at you and is nodding or shaking its head or pawing the ground with its hoof, it is considering a CHARGE at you. MOVE AWAY IMMEDIATELY. If a cow gets too close to you, or charges at you, wave your arms above your head (to make yourself as large as possible) and shout as loud as you can, it will generally move away. If you have a stick or using your arm, hit it on the head as hard as you can, this may stop it. It will not be injured or retaliate.
Cows and calves
Cows are at their most dangerous when they have a calf with them, as they have a strong instinct to protect their calves, so be extra careful if there are calves in the field. Dairy cows are usually in large groups without calves, but beef cattle spend most of their year with a single calf, which can be up to a year old – so the calf can be very small, or half the size of a cow. You cannot tell which calf belongs to the cow, but the cow can! If you get between the cow and calf, she will get anxious and prepare to defend the calf. Furthermore, the personality of the cow changes and becomes unpredictable when it has a young calf, every farmer has had the experience of a docile cow which becomes aggressive after it has had a calf.
My advice would be: DO NOT GO INTO A FIELD with COWS AND YOUNG CALVES.
Bulls
We’ve all seen signs saying ‘Beware of the Bull’ and know to be careful of bulls in fields. In fact, bulls are generally no more dangerous than cows, because bulls are bred to be docile and usually trained to be submissive to people. It is their large size and tendency to fight with other bulls which makes them more risky – but cows need to be treated with equal respect.
Dogs
I have left this one to the end because it is so obvious. Dogs are carnivores and are always a threat to livestock. Cattle will regard dogs as a threat even if they are far away, well trained, or on a lead, and this will endanger you. Cows will react by getting ready to defend themselves by running or charging. If they CHARGE at the dog and you cannot retreat, then LET GO OF THE DOG and get away. The dog will probably manage to escape also. The basic rule is DO NOT TAKE A DOG ANYWHERE THERE ARE COWS. Sorry dog owners.
The farmer’s responsibility
Farmers will consider public access and take steps to keep people as safe as possible from cattle. Cows have personalities, and aggressive cows should not be put into fields where the public has access. Fences need to be maintained to keep cows where they should be, and gates and stiles must be easy to open and close, and cross. Where the public are likely to walk, such as footpaths and rights of way, signs should be posted to make the presence and dangers of cattle clear to people.
What about Right to Roam?
The opportunity to run and walk over our countryside is invaluable, welcomed by landowners and farmers, and written into law. I welcome visitors just as I would wish to be welcomed myself when out running. But where it is a working landscape, cattle will often be present in fields and on hills, and visitors must know the precautions to protect themselves – the fact is you are never completely safe when in the presence of livestock. When you know the risks you can minimise them, and be as safe as possible. But to be completely safe when life is ultimately at risk, I’d advise that if COWS ARE IN THE FIELD, DO NOT GO INTO THE FIELD. Find another way round.