Siapa sangka trip ke USA bagi Faiz Najmi, seorang pemuda dari Kuala Lumpur ini akan bakal memberi pengalaman yang sangat berbeza bagi dirinya. Bekas doktor yang pernah bertugas di jabatan kecemasan tetapi kini menjadi ejen insurans sepenuh masa ini telah di taja oleh syarikat insurans yang beliau sertai untuk ke Star Club Los Angeles.
Alang-alang sudah ke USA, Faiz mengambil keputusan untuk menyambung percutiannya secara sendiri ke beberapa lokasi lain antaranya Grand Canyon, Utah, Las Vegas dan beberapa tempat lagi.
I like to stare into the vastness of emptiness
Sewaktu di minggu ke 2 di USA, Faiz telah berkunjung ke Valley of Fire, Nevada dan di sini beliau telah tersesat seorang diri di gurun.
Haha baju hijau tu pun ada “lost somewhere”.
Pengalaman diselamatkan oleh 911 di padang pasir Nevada, USA.
I hiked a desert, I got lost. The trails were poorly-marked. I brought water, it finished. Whatever desert-hiking precaution they told me to do, I did just as advised.
It was really dark. I was scared, lost and dehydrated.
I really thought I was going to die out of extreme dehydration running around the desert finding the way out. There were dangerous snakes, spiders and scorpions too. There was no cellular reception in the desert.
I went up hill to find cell reception. 670m elevation. Got a small place I have to sit still to get a good reception. So I called 911.
Sandy the ranger texted me to save my phone battery. Alhamdulillah, a second chance to life.
Berikut adalah sebahagian dari sms antara Faiz dan ranger Sandy yang telah membantu menenangkan beliau sambil memberi beberapa tips keselamatan.
Lepas paramedic dan rescue team bagi minum 4 botol air kecil (0.5liter), saya rasa lebih baik. Sekarang alhamdulillah fully recovered.
Berjalan pukul 3.30pm. Sesat pukul 5pm. Diselamatkan 10.30pm
I do love the beauty and the real color contrast of this desert. Especially between the white and red sandstones. The Fire Wave is absolutely awesome. Unfortunately, I was lost hiking here until after dark. I am your cute little lost hike.
Allah gerakkan hati saya utk beli iPhone baru pada hari yang sama. Samsung Note 3 saya baru je rosak ingat nak repair kat Malaysia. Rupanya ada hikmah juga.
It helped the 911 officer Suzy and the rangers to locate me with the coordinates. I didn’t know there was a compass until Suzy said it has.
I guess Allah really loves me. Imagine if I was in the vast desert with a nonfunctioning phone (which i had planned to repair in Malaysia) and no water.
I have to evaluate back how much I love Allah, am I doing everything I can to be a good Muslim?
Thank you ya Allah Syukur ya Allah. Kau telah menyelamatkan nyawa ku. Special credits and thanks to 911 officer Suzy and Sandy the Ranger for saving my life. I was moderate to severe dehydrated. Had to be rescued by a heli. Syukur ya Allah…
Adakah Faiz akan serik untuk ke gurun lagi selepas kejadian ini? Ini jawapan Faiz:
Tak serik. Saya akan hiking lagi. Tapi lepas ini tak ada plan perjalanan ke gurun dah. Perjalanan tetap diteruskan. Ada cabaran, atasi sahaja.
Berikut adalah 7 tips dari Faiz jika anda juga berada dalam situasi sesat seperti beliau:
Panggilan 911 di Valley of Fire Desert.
1. Sewaktu membuat panggilan kecemasan, beritahu dengan jelas jenis bantuan yang anda perlukan.
“Hello my name is Faiz. I am 29 years old male from Malaysia. I need medical and evacuation help.”
2. Berikan alamat lokasi anda. Jika tiada alamat, berikan koordinat GPS.
“I am at Valley of Fire. My car is parked at The White Dome Rock parking lot. I have been hiking for almost 6 hours. My coordinates were such and such. Initially i ran around this desert and saw a road, but it was still too far. that was half hour ago and there was no cellular reception. I had to climb into high elevations to get a good reception and call you”.
3. Jelaskan situasi semasa anda – dari segi kesihatan dan keadaan semasa.
“I am very thirsty and out of water. I hit my head and my right foot after running around. I didn’t lose consciousness, I don’t see any wound or bleeding. I can’t move and my vision is compromised. I am very thirsty.”
4. Beritahu apa yang anda lihat atau dengar bagi memudahkan mereka mengesan lokasi anda.
“There are red sandstones all around me. I am at a slightly high elevation I can see bright white lights blinking from the cell towers from here. I am still on the trail but I am at lost with directions”.
5. Maklumkan situasi bekalan makanan / minuman anda. Ini boleh membantu pasukan penyelamat menyediakan bekalan yang diperlukan untuk anda.
“I am out of water. I didn’t bring any food as i thought this was an easy hike. I have two cellphones. One that I just bought this morning, using to call you. The other one is not functioning, and can use as a flashlight”
6. Elakkan dari menangis agar badan tidak terhidrasi dan kehilangan air. Ini yang telah diberitahu oleh officer 911 bernama Suzy.
“Hey hey dont cry. I know the desert is big and it’s dark now. I know you are scared. We will locate and rescue you okay. I don’t want you to cry. I want you to save your tears so that you are not dehydrated, okay? I need you to be strong for me, okay? Tell me Faiz, was the desert beautiful?”
It was indeed beautiful, the moon and the stars were bright.
7. Menunggu pasukan penyelamat merupakan saat yang mendebarkan apatah lagi apabila perlu menunggu lebih dari 1 jam setengah untuk pasukan penyelamat sampai ke lokasi di mana saya berada. Bagi Muslim, gunakan masa ini sebaiknya dengan solat dan mengaji.
Alhamdulillah saya membaca surah al-kahfi, surah Thoha dan surah yaseen. Saya tak gunakan handphone untuk jimatkan baterinya. Alhamdulillah saya hafal surah-surah ini. Ia sangat membantu untuk saya kekal tenang sementara menunggu pasukan penyelamat menemui saya.
Terkini sewaktu kisah ini ditulis, Faiz sedang dalam perjalanan ke Yosemite dan seterusnya ke San Francisco dan New York City. Di kesempatan ini TheVocket ingin mengucapkan selamat bercuti, travel safe and take care Faiz!
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