Severe Weather Guidance Note for Outdoor Activities

The Outdoor Recreation Centre Victoria has released a Guidance Note on Management of Outdoor Activities for Severe Weather Conditions.

The document provides guidelines to assist dependant groups engaging in any outdoor activities with recommendations on planning for their activities in relation to severe weather events such as bushfire, thunderstorms, severe wind, lightning strikes and more.

Written as a supplement to the Adventure Activity Standards (AAS), the Guidance Note's recommendations are for voluntary use, along with the AAS, by adventure activity providers and participants.

Greg Andrews, Membership Manager of the Outdoor Recreation Centre, explained "this guidance note is a resource to assist anyone in planning to spend time outdoors, in the many rich and diverse environments that Victoria has to offer."

The document deals with such things as 'severe weather sites' and 'trigger points', as well a specific action for:

• Bushfire
• Severe Wind
• Lightning Strike
• Floods
• Extreme Temperature - hot and cold
• Blizzard

Andrews added "although developed and written with Victoria in mind, the principles and information could be applied anywhere.

"Similarly, although aimed at outdoor activities such as bushwalking, camping, 4WD, cycling and so on, they would be useful to anyone planning on being in our natural environments for any length of time.

"Anyone involved in any outdoor activity, for recreation, education or business will find this document a beneficial resource."

The Guidance Note on Management of Outdoor Activities for Severe Weather Conditions is now available from the Outdoor Recreation Centre Victoria either on-line or as a download at http://outdoorsvic.org.au/activity_standards_resources.php

Image: Grampians National Park.