Florida Orienteering
Emergency Rules and Procedures
- Never allow part of your party to leave the group to 'find their own way back',
except in emergencies and then only when they have their own map.
- Never leave an injured person alone in the woods except in an Extreme Emergency.
- Use 3 long whistle blasts - repeated at 1 to 2 minute intervals - to signal for help.
- Use the whistle only in an emergency.
- When you hear voices or answering whistles, continue using the 3 long blasts to
call them to you, rather than shouts or other whistle patterns.
- If you are LOST:
- Ask for help from other competitors. At any regular FLO event, no one
will blame you or disqualify you. (note that in an officially sanctioned
USOF Class A event, you may be disqualified for such assistance)
- Remain calm, as dry as you can, and as warm as you can.
- Remain at a control, even if you don't know where it is, until another competitor or
a control retriever arrives.
- OR -
- Follow the SAFETY BEARING for this event. You can find your way back to the Start/Finish area this way, OR, you can find the nearest road this way – then remain there.
- Do not continue walking if you don't know where you are or where you are going.
- Stop passersby and ask for help. Do not accept a ride with anyone who stops.
Explain your situation and ask them to drive/call for help.