One of my volunteer associates at the Information Office at Rocky Mountain National Park asked me in jest after a busy morning, “How many lives did you save today?” We like to think that what we tell people helps them to think through their park plans and assure they are prepared for their visit and especially for hiking. You never know if you made a difference and saved a life.
I think about the importance of prevention since I had a career in a field that was about enjoying life in healthy and safe ways. A story I told my students illustrated the difference between prevention and treatment. A beautiful cliffside was on the outskirts of a city. People loved to hike to the top but there was a problem. People sometimes fell off the cliff and needed medical attention. One solution was to station an ambulance at the bottom of the hill so immediate treatment would be available. There are, however, interventions to prevent these accidents. One radical means was to close the trail and not allow anyone to the cliff. That solution would deny the beauty of the experience to people. Other interventions might be better such as constructing a low fence at the top with appropriate signage to warn against falls. Educating people about the safe enjoyment of the area was also an option. This example illustrated the difference between treatment (having an ambulance available), and prevention (helping people enjoy safely).
Most parks have Search and Rescue (SAR). The idea of Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR), however, is more important. My volunteer jobs in the park are PSAR—to give people information so they know conditions and to recommend appropriate options and gear to thwart possible negative incidences. All accidents are not preventable, but steps can mitigate them.
An issue with deterrence is that it is difficult to measure prevention. Unfortunately, prevention does not lend itself easily to experimental and control group designs. We cannot give some people safety information like teaching them how to swim, and not give it to others, and then compare the difference in terms of who survived and who did not. Therefore, we do the best job to encourage people to gain skills and information to make good judgments and not drown or fall off a cliff. Positive recreation experiences can enhance mental and physical health.
I am thankful that volunteering and working as an educator has had the potential to heighten the quality of life for people by minimizing negative experiences. I hope every day that my PSAR efforts offer an “ounce of prevention” to save lives even if I cannot prove it. As ordinary people, we often do not know what positive influence words and actions may have on others.