TCC urges Interior travelers to share trip plans before heading out

What travelers leave behind before the trip

Interior Alaska residents should leave a trip plan with someone at home before hunting, fishing, picking berries or traveling between villages, Tanana Chiefs Conference Public Safety Manager David Atteberry wrote Wednesday.

"Many people assume the most important part of a search is the equipment used by responders. In reality, one of the most valuable tools is the information left behind before the trip ever begins," Atteberry wrote.

The guidance asks travelers to share:

• Their route and destination

• Who is along

• Whether they travel by boat, ATV, truck or on foot

• When they expect to return

• When a contact should call authorities

If plans change, travelers should tell someone whenever possible. TCC also recommends packing warm clothing, rain gear, food, water, a first aid kit, a flashlight, fire-starting materials and a satellite messenger or emergency locator beacon. Changing weather, shifting water levels, mechanical trouble, early snowfall or injury can turn a routine outing into an emergency. TCC's transportation strategy notes that warming winters have made Interior river trails progressively more dangerous.

Village Public Safety Officers and Tribal Police Officers respond to overdue travelers across 39 villages spanning 235,000 square miles. Route and return-time details help them narrow the search area.