Bill Waterhouse provides a practical look at preparation we should all undertake anytime we venture into the backcountry or out on a hike. Bill Waterhouse is an avid hiker living in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. After a fellow hiker fell in 2016, Bill has followed his passion to teach hiker safety. He has developed a Hiker’s Informational Packet that allows hikers to provide pertinent information to Search & Rescue Teams in an emergency. He teaches compass and map skills, finding lost hiker events, and fire starting. Bill is an Eagle Scout, and his main goal is to keep people safe by being prepared and educated. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx