New Zealand Outdoor Safety Code

The New Zealand Outdoor Safety Code is a five step code that has been written by NZ tourism industry and rescue agencies and will be the guide that's promoted to tourists and Kiwis alike who are planning to spend some time in the outdoors.

These five basic safety messages will help you prevent yourself from coming to any harm while on bush walks and hikes, or while taking part in the many outdoor recreations and sports available in NZ.

Many visitors to the outdoors may be experiencing an activity such as tramping for the first time and not all will be regular hikers or outdoors enthusiasts. Lack of knowledge of being in the outdoors can prove to be dangerous when something goes wrong or weather conditions deteriorate. You must consider survival situations before you head out into anywhere in the outdoors, and particularly when you are going to be in an environment that you are not used to such as the bush or mountains.

Be prepared for different outdoor eventualities by following the New Zealand Outdoor Safety Code, it may save your life!

These tips to help you enjoy this beautiful country while still staying safe were written by experts and are provided by the Mountain Safety Council. As this information is freely available I am publishing the five tips word for word on this site so my visitors can benefit from the expert knowledge provided in the New Zealand Outdoor Safety Code.

The links by each tip will take you to the Mountain Safety Council web site for more details.

• Plan your trip
  Seek local knowledge, plan the route you will take and the amount of time you can reasonably expect it to take. (More info)
• Tell someone
  Tell someone your plans and leave a date for when to raise the alarm if you haven’t returned. (More info)
• Be aware of the weather
  New Zealand’s weather can be highly unpredictable.  Check the forecast and expect weather changes. (More info)
• Know your limits
  Challenge yourself within your physical limits and experience. (More info)
• Take sufficient supplies
  Make sure you have enough food, equipment and emergency rations for the worst case scenario. (More info) and take an appropriate means of communication. (More info)

The 5 safety points above have been created through expert consultation and are the core to all outdoor safety practices.

All of the points can be expanded upon depending on your specific recreation and geographic location, so use them as a starting point and make sure you know all you can about your activity before you head out.

Reference: Mountain Safety Council

Outdoor Hiking in New Zealand

There are a lot of outdoor activities throughout this site where the New Zealand Outdoor Safety Code information above will provide extremel useful.

For example...

New Zealand Walks and New Zealand Great Walks, including the famous Tongariro Trek and Northern Circuit treks that are among the many walks listed on these pages.

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