They say we need four things to survive: Air, Warmth, Water and Food. The first two are pretty straight forward and normally we can't go long without them. The last two items, water and food, really are not an immediate need like the first two.

Hiking, camping and boating are good activities for active people and families, and in some parts of the country you can enjoy the outdoors for 2 or 3 seasons. In many cases, these activities last all day and involve preparing at least one meal. If the food is not handled correctly, food-borne illness can be an unwelcome souvenir.

Here are some tips to remember when you take water and food into the back country.

Most bacteria do not grow rapidly at temperatures below 40°F or above 140°F. The temperature range in between is known as the "Danger Zone." Bacteria multiply rapidly at these temperatures and can reach dangerous levels within 2 hours.

If you are traveling with cold foods, bring a cooler with a cold source. If you are cooking, use a hot campfire or portable stove. It is difficult to keep foods hot without a heat source when traveling, so it's best to cook foods before leaving home, cool them, and transport them cold. Also plan meals for a long or overnight hike with more thought. You have to choose foods that are light enough to carry in a backpack and that can be transported safely. Advances in food technology have produced relatively lightweight staples that don''t need refrigeration or careful packaging. For example:

• peanut butter in plastic jars,
• concentrated juice boxes,
• dried noodles and soups,
• beef jerky and other dried meats,
• dehydrated foods,
• dried fruits and nuts,
• powdered milk and fruit drinks.
• canned tuna, ham, chicken, and beef.

Powdered mixes for biscuits or pancakes are easy to carry and prepare, as is dried pasta. There are plenty of powdered sauce mixes that can be used over pasta, but check the required ingredient list. Carry items like dried pasta, rice, and baking mixes in plastic bags and take only the amount you'll need.

Bacteria is normally present on raw meat and poultry products and can easily be spread to other foods by juices dripping from packages, hands, or utensils. This is called cross-contamination. When transporting raw meat or poultry, double wrap or place the packages in plastic bags to prevent juices from the raw product from dripping on other foods. Always wash your hands before and after handling food, and don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat, poultry or eggs. Soap and water are essential to cleanliness, so if you are going somewhere that will not have clean water, bring it with you. Even disposable wipes will do.

Getting back to our third need for survival, it is not a good idea to depend on fresh water from a lake or stream for drinking, no matter how clean it appears. Some pathogens thrive in remote mountain lakes or streams and there is no way to know what might have fallen into the water upstream. Bring bottled or tap water for drinking. Always start out with a full water bottle, and replenish your supply from tested public systems when possible. On long trips you can find water in streams, lakes, and springs, but be sure to purify any water from the wild, no matter how clean it appears.

The surest way to make water safe is to boil it. Boiling will kill microorganisms. First, bring water to a rolling boil, and then continue boiling for 1 minute. Before heating, muddy water should be allowed to stand for a while to allow the silt to settle to the bottom. Dip the clear water off the top and boil. At higher elevations, where the boiling point of water is lower, boil for several minutes. Purification tablets -- which contain iodine, halazone, or chlorine -- kill most waterborne bacteria, viruses, and some (but not all) parasites. Because some parasites -- such as Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, and larger bacteria -- are not killed by purification tablets, you must also use a water filter. These water filtering devices must be 1 micron absolute or smaller.

Here are some general rules for outdoor food safety:

• Plan ahead: Decide what you are going to eat and how you are going to cook it; then plan what equipment you will need.
• Pack safely: Use a cooler if car-camping or boating, or pack foods in the frozen state with a cold source if hiking or backpacking. Keep raw foods separate from other foods. Never bring meat or poultry products without a cold source to keep them safe.
• Bring disposable wipes or biodegradable soap for hand- and dishwashing.
• Plan on carrying bottled water for drinking. Otherwise, boil water or use water purification tablets.
• Do not leave trash in the wild or throw it off your boat.
• If using a cooler, leftover food is safe only if the cooler still has ice in it. Otherwise, discard leftover food.

Whether in the wild or on the high seas, protect yourself and your family by washing your hands before and after handling food.

These minutes as published are unofficial and subject to approval at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.

Convened 19:12.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Fran Martoglio, Ken Capron, John Kirkman, Chris Berryman, Gus Bush, Stan Kartes, Bill Weber, Rick Wire.

OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT: Jeff Sharp, Alan Givotovsky, Rod Scott, Jim Andrues, Ed Hrivnak, Phil Pletcher, Tim Greminger, Rick Lorenz, Greg Lang.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Victor Caro

• Monthly report accepted as presented for 5-1-01 through 5-31-01 (Full report is attached to the official meeting minutes.)
• Victor was absent. Fran read the report and it was accepted.

KIT REPORT: Tracy Berryman

• Sales for the month of May are attached to the official meeting minutes.

OPERATIONS REPORT: Gus Bush

• Two operations in May.
• May 1-2 on Mt. Dickerson search for two hikers.
• May 23 search for lost Sheriff's K-9 Unit (lost dog).

TRAINING REPORT: Russ Brinton

• Fran read the report.
• Swift-water training May 11^th-12^th.
• June training will cover Rock Climbing.
• Discussion about the J.P. training with the Chinook helicopters.

EQUIPMENT REPORT: Ken Capron

• Discussion about buying 4 aluminum auto-lock carabiners and replacing the steel auto-locking carabiners.
• Discussion concerning ELTs, might have a bad unit.
• Stock truck with 9 volt batteries.
• Chris made a motion to reimburse Fran for purchase of underwater lights. It was seconded and passed.
• Chris made a motion to purchase 2 new throw bags and Ken made a motion to purchase 2 dry bags for the radios. They were both seconded and passed.
• Ken will make spare keys for the truck.

COMMUNICATIONS: Stan Kartes

• Stan made a motion to purchase a new aircraft radio for $700. It was seconded and passed.
• Stan made a motion to spend up to $300 for a new battery charger for the radios. It was seconded and passed.

SAFETY & EDUCATION: Rick Wire

• June 29 Ed Hrivnak will have the truck at the Fort Lewis Safety Fair.
• June 20-21 an MRA pre-conference Mt. Rainier workshop.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT: Chris Berryman

• New MRA cards are being mailed out.
• Ed Hrivnak reinstated as Rescue Support.
• Jennifer Hrivnak voted in a Field Support.

FINANCE REPORT: Bill Weber

• A new web site was discussed.

SAR-VAC : Fran Martoglio

• No report.

SAR COUNCIL: Wendy Stefaniak

• No report.

MAST: Bill Weber

• No report

OLD BUSINESS:

• Cache remodel still needs to be finished. We need volunteers to help.
• New list of members for High Altitude SAR for Mt. Rainier. See bulletin board for listing at Cache.
• Rick Wire made a motion for $300 for a hard drive for the computer. It was seconded and passed.

NEW BUSINESS:

• Chris made a motion to allocate $200 for Tegner & Simac's expenses at the MRA conference which is being held at Snoqualmie Pass.
• June 19^th at 7 PM Rick Lorenz will be hosting a potluck at his home for the International MRA members and Alan made a motion to spend $100 for supplies for the dinner. It was seconded and passed
• June 2^nd Volcano Mountain Rescue team is hosting the WMRA meeting in Woodland, WA.

Meeting Adjourned at 21:00

Respectfully yours,

John Kirkman, Secretary.

The following members attended the Kit Party 6/06/01:

John Simac,
Tyler Severy,
Phil Fortier,
Tim Greminger,
Bill Weber,
Talis Abolins,
Rod Scott, and
Chris & Tracy Berryman

Ed and Jennifer Hrivnak came in for the ninth inning to clean up. The Kit parties are held from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M., the first Wednesday at the Cache. If you need directions, call 531-2120. We need your help.

The Component Party was attended by:

Chris & Tracy Berryman,
Gus Bush and
Rod Scott.

©Copyright 2000 Tacoma Mountain Rescue