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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Experience has taught Sheila Gunderson the importance of being well prepared for boat trips.

A few years ago Gunderson was part of a group returning to Fort Simpson after a trip on the land. The group and their boats got as far as the Mackenzie River directly across from the village when they became stranded.

Sheila Gunderson, left, and Deborah Stipdonk model the free life-jackets they received at a boat safety presentation in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

The Mackenzie was churning with white caps and everyone was short gas, Gunderson recalled. To make matters worse, it was cold and raining.

"It was so horrible," she said.

Everyone spent the night in their boats. Gunderson's boat had a tarp covering it but gaps allowed water to come in and soak the sleeping bags.

Soaking wet and cold, Gunderson knows now that she started to display early signs of hypothermia. The trip taught her some lessons - including always having to pack a flashlight, waterproof matches, candles and rain gear.

Even if you've been on the water all your life you can still forget things, said Gunderson, which is why she attended a boat safety presentation in Fort Simpson on May 27.

Seventeen people attended the presentation by Bernice Hardisty, a health promotion officer with Dehcho Health and Social Services. The purpose of the presentation is to prevent drownings and accidents on the river by reminding adults and youth what to do when they go boating, Hardisty said.

"It's good to refresh the memory," she said.

The two most important things for boaters to remember is leave all alcohol at home and know the signs of hypothermia, Hardisty said. Alcohol and boating don't mix, she said. Drinking affects judgment, vision, balance and co-ordination which can be dangerous on a boat.

The physical sensation of warmth created by alcohol can also mask signs of hypothermia. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, confusion, slurred speech, drowsiness, hallucinations, slowed breathing and cold, pale skin.

Hypothermia is particularly dangerous for elders who may have other health problems that limit their ability to regulate their body temperature and infants because they're less efficient at generating heat, Hardisty said.

People with signs of hypothermia should get into a warm, sheltered area, remove any wet clothing and warm the core of their body first, Hardisty said.

During the presentation Hardisty also covered basic survival skills and the proper care and use of life-jackets. Every participant received a free life-jacket, a first aid kit and a survival dry bag.

The presentation was very good, said A.J. Augier.

Augier, who's been around water and boats all his life and who used to work as a commercial fisherman, said he still finds talks like this interesting and a good refresher.

"You don't take the river or the water for granted," Augier said.

Hardisty is also sharing boat safety with other Deh Cho communities. She was in Wrigley on May 27 and is scheduled to be in Jean Marie River on June 15.