On Tuesday night children ages 4-10 were invited to the Conexus Credit Union for the Hug a Tree and Survive workshop put on by Moose Jaw Search and Rescue.

This workshop was to teach children what they can do if they get lost to keep themselves safe and things they should do that will help people searching and emergency

Children were able to see what tools and equipment a Search and Rescue volunteer has. personnel locate them easier.

"So what were looking at is how we can we help them to be able to stay in one location, that's where the Hug a Tree program starts is staying in one location," said Curtis Temple, Search Manager. "Being able to stay warm and dry because you might be there for a long period of time and how you can direct people to where you are to be able to be found."

Temple noted with summer on it's way in it was the perfect time to pass along this information.

"We've got kids that are all anxious and they're getting out of school in about a month. Their parents are taking them out camping, it's the May long weekend coming up they're going to be at the lake... and yes when activities start going on kids wander away."

Tammi MacNevin, a basic searcher with the group, explained that parents were also given information on what to do in a situation where their child goes missing.

"Let us ask the questions... it's the scariest point when your kid goes missing, we're going to ask some questions that might not even seem relevant, but it's relevant to us. Stress to parents to make sure their kids tell them where they're going, talk to their kids about who we are and what we might look like."

MacNevin pointed out that most children are taught not to talk to strangers, but parents should be teaching them what emergency personnel and search and rescue volunteers wear while they're working.

The night was complete with children creating nests, making arrows pointing out their location of their nest and were also given an emergency kit with essentials like a

Emergency blankets were provided for children to wear to experience how warm they keep you and practiced waving them in the air to aid in aircraft's finding them if they were missing. whistle and an emergency blanket.

MacNevin added that Moose Jaw Search and Rescue can host the Hug a Tree and Survive in classrooms and for local groups to help children keep safe.