DON’T FALL FLAT

Several years ago, my fellow rescue technicians and I conducted a search-and-rescue operation. We were in the middle of transporting our subject out of the woods when we realized that our transport UTV was getting a flat tire. The escort ATVs were unable to safely evacuate the subject, so we needed to come up with a quick solution to get our subject out of the woods and to a proper ambulance. Thankfully, we had several viable solutions available to us, and we were able to get to safety with only minor delay. What did we do? More importantly, if you find yourself in an austere environment or off-the-grid scenario, what are your options and what can you learn from our event?

First, let’s talk about changing a tire. Some folks out there might not have ever needed to change a flat tire by themselves. While it’s not fun to do when you’re on-road, it’s even less fun when you’re off-road. If you don’t know how to change a tire, learn. Please. It’s relatively easy to do and can save you a disproportionate amount of heartache if you find yourself in this situation. If you do already know how, you’d be remiss not to teach your spouse, children, and friends.

Your preparations need to start by making sure you have all the equipment needed to change a tire and the knowledge of how to do it safely. Naturally, having a spare tire helps a lot. Knowing where