‘From Social Media Lure to the Roar – Take a Beacon!’Police and Southland Search and Rescue leaders are urging everyone from the growing groundswell of Instagrammers and other hikers taking risks beyond their ability to hunters during the Roar, to do their research, carry a distress beacon and be prepared.Heli rescuers have been busy throughout the Southern region these past few months sparking major concerns that people are venturing into stunning, but sometimes treacherous terrain in pursuit of that perfect post.They’re also warning hunters to be prepared and well-equipped with the full-scale overnight rescue of a hunter missing on Stewart Island overnight on Sunday (16 March).He eventually activated his personal locator beacon the following morning, but Southland Police’s Search and Rescue Sergeant Ian Martin says his ordeal could’ve been avoided if he was better prepared.He’s urging hunters and others heading into the outdoors to definitely take a PLB, but also a GPS, and a map and compass as good back up “for when other things don’t work”.“So many people get tripped up because they’re lost, caught in fog, and don’t know where they are,” Martin says. “That’s when things turn pear-shaped.”Aviation SAR spokesman Richie Hunter, of Southern Lakes Helicopters, also urges people to carry beacons, as well as a light source, preferably a headtorch or spotlight, but in an emergency a mobile phone torch or lighting a fire can be used to alert their attention.“Even if they don’t have a beacon and they’re overdue we can spot these with night vision goggles depending on the terrain and canopy cover,” he says.“It’s amazing how many people don’t take a light source or beacon, even for a two-hour walk.” PLBs are only $500 with a seven to 10-year battery life and can be rented, he says.“My message is take a beacon! They’re a really good means of requesting help,” Hunter says.“But they’ve got to be easily accessible and secured so that if you’ve become injured or immobile you can still access them as we’ve encountered some that weren’t.”Police and Specialist Alpine Cliff Rescue teams in Queenstown and Wanaka have expressed concerns about the extreme danger to young, many of them overseas, hikers venturing into highly technical and inherently dangerous territory to capture a spectacular photo.Multiple social media posts sharing these are then luring highly inexperienced and ill-equipped hikers into danger.A young French woman died tragically when she fell several metres trying to get from Brewster Hut near Wanaka to the spectacular Brewster Glacier over dangerous terrain where there’s no marked route on 20 February. The Coroner is investigating.Then on Saturday (15 March) another young overseas visitor lured by the stunning, but highly dangerous glacier fell 5m to 6m nearby in steep rocky terrain, adding another to the more than half a dozen or so helicopter rescues there alone this summer.Gertrude Saddle viewed from the carpark. Photo: SuppliedSergeant Martin says Fiordland’s beautiful Gertrude Saddle is one such spectacular lure with several hikers killed there after slipping in a particular spot and down a waterfall.“We’ve had quite a few rescues on the Gertrude Saddle. It’s very popular but for some it’s quite challenging,” he says. “It can be extremely dangerous at times with lots of steep, wet rock and avalanches, risking falls and hypothermia.”While Hunter says he can’t comment on any social media interest in Gertrude Saddle, it’s an extremely, dramatic environment and very popular with “a real risk of slipping”.People generally ignore signs, but rescuers rely on them to be prepared and know the terrain and their own ability. “When people choose to socialise with the hazard itself that creates risk,” he says.A joint Police, LandSAR, Mountain Safety Council, DOC interagency taskforce is researching why there’s been such a huge spike in interest in a number of now increasingly popular wilderness hikes, all tricky to get to but with spectacular views.Gertrude Saddle is one that’s popular, along with Brewster Glacier, Mueller and Sefton Bivvy huts at Mount Cook, Wanaka’s Roy’s Peak and Ben Lomond in Queenstown, now attracting several hundred a day.Mountain Safety Council Senior Partnerships and Insights Advisor Bevan Smith says they want to know where all these hikers are coming from and where they’re getting their information, and what sites they trust for that. Researchers have been interviewing throughout summer, surveying people on what equipment they’re carrying, with the results due by the end of June.Police Warn ‘Lock Up’ as Burglars Target Rural SouthlandBurglars have been targeting the outskirts of Invercargill and rural properties around Southland in the past few months helping themselves to thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and property, including vehicles, prompting Police calls to ‘lock up’.Inspector Stu Harvey says there’s been a definite trend in recent weeks with organised burglars specifically targeting rural properties where homes, garages, sheds and vehicles are left unlocked.“This group, or these groups, are targeting rural properties around Southland and the outlying areas of Invercargill on the hunt for anything of value,” Harvey says.Police had noticed an increase in these rural burglaries specifically with a wide range of property targeted. “We’d like homeowners to be aware of this trend and to take some precautions in regard to security of their property.”Harvey says CCTV footage is always helpful, and he understands it’s particularly difficult to lock up everything on a farm or rural property, but the thieves are going for easier stuff to steal like vehicles.Police Eastern Southland Area Response Manager Senior Sergeant Gary Iddenten is also urging property occupants and vehicle owners to “stay vigilant and not to leave expensive or sentimental property in full view”.“About two-thirds of rural burglaries and thefts occur at properties with no or little security in place,” he says. “The biggest deterrent is prevention.”‘Target hardening’ can be as simple as locking gates or sheds, he says.Police are urging people to please tell them when they’ve been targeted.“This gives us a valuable picture of where crime is occurring, what’s being targeted, and gives us the opportunity to act,” Iddenten says.“This goes for illegal street racing too, and any suspicious activity.”If it’s happening now, call 111 immediately. If it’s after the fact make a Police report online at 105.police.govt.nz, or by calling 105.HOME PREVENTION TIPS:• Use of security cameras linked to an app on your smartphone so you can monitor your property remotely.• Frosting or covering garage windows to prevent someone looking into scope out valuable items such as boats, jet skis, kayaks, surfboards, bikes and fishing gear.• Ensure all doors and windows are locked when you’re not home, including when taking short trips.• If you’re leaving home for some time leave some curtains open and/or set a light timer to come on at night to avoid being targeted• Ensure holiday home doors and vehicles and boats are kept locked. Opportunist offenders routinely try door handles to check if they are locked and quickly move on if they’re secure.• Don’t leave bikes, kayaks, surfboards etc on the lawn or on a deck to be easily taken.VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION:• Reporting matters quickly on 111 about incidents, like people interfering with vehicles, is really helpful for Police. It allows us to respond and potentially disrupt wider offending.• Secure vehicles, park in well-lit areas if on the street, or park down driveways where they’re less visible from the roadside.• Always remove valuables from vehicles and consider vehicle alarms.• If you see suspicious activity, such as people loitering around vehicles or looking into car windows, please contact Police immediately by phoning 111.For good prevention tips, including serial numbers see: https://www.police.govt.nz/advice-services/personal-community-safety/school-portal/resources/responsible-citizens/burglary-6A British tourist attempts to match up her broken window wiper arms, after vandals targeted vehicles at the Kepler Track carpark. Photo: Southland AppPolice Still Hunting Kepler VandalsTe Anau Police are still investigating a spate of vandalism targeting vehicles parked at the Kepler Track carpark last week with dozens of wiper arms smashed on parked cars and campervans causing potentially thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.They still want to hear from anyone whose vehicle had suffered similar damage online via the Update Report form, using reference number 250319/7271.Drivers Miscalculate That ‘Couple of Beers’Police are concerned that drivers are miscalculating just how much tipple they’re allowed to safely get behind the wheel – a trend at checkpoints around the province.Harvey says because the safe and legal amount varies for individual people and circumstances, it’s best to drink zero alcohol before driving.“People always say they’ve only had ‘a couple of beers’,” he says. “To be sure you shouldn’t drink anything before driving. The risks are too high.”Southland Police were busy on the roads last week with 1100 breath tests conducted, resulting in 11 drink drivers processed. Most were apprehended at checkpoints with seven dealt with for driving with an excess breath alcohol of between 250mcg and 400mcg.“This shows that some people are underestimating the amount that they can drink before getting behind the wheel,” Harvey says. “People should be aware that they could be stopped by Police anytime in any place.”Police remind drivers to have a plan to get home after drinking and that the consequences of driving after drinking alcohol can be life changing.Signatures for Firefighters Petition surpasses 24,000More than 24,000 people have signed a national petition, inspired by the plight of former Kingston Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Pete Ottley, calling for Kiwi volunteer firefighters suffering mental or physical harm to qualify for ACC while off work recovering.Queenstown Fire Brigade Secretary Katherine Lamont wants to see NZ’s hugely unfair ACC laws changed and says she’s been really heartened by the great response to her petition which still has 37 days to run.“I didn’t think it would take off this quickly,” she says. “On the first day (17 March) we had 10,000 signatures.” Four days in she’d surpassed her 20,000 target with 21,816. “It shows the depth of feeling about this issue.”Ottley has been denied ACC support while recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder, after a horrendous bus and car crash near Kingston in December.He’s not entitled to ACC for his wages and other benefits because he’s classed as a non-employee.The petition closes on April 30.Link to petition- https://petitions.parliament.nz/5872f736-ed2f-443c-f919-08dd5b668762Link to givealittle page- https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/lets-support-volunteer-firefighter-pete-ottleyTramper Flown out of HollyfordA patient with minor injuries was flown out from Lake Alabaster Hut in the Hollyford Valley in Fiordland National Park by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter around 10am on Friday (21 March), a St John Ambulance spokesperson says.New Emergency Helipad for WaikaiaThe Waikaia community in Eastern Southland has welcomed the opening of a new helicopter pad there which Police says is great news and will support local emergency services in rural areas as and when it’s required.
