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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mail Tribune announces leadership changes in the newsroom ... Since You Asked: Oregon handles possible data breach differently ... At the ready ... Mail Tribune announces leadership changes in the newsroom ... Since You Asked: Oregon handles possible data breach differently ... At the ready ... OUR VIEW Our View: Successful search almost ended in tragedy Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 31, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Aug. 31, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The entire Rogue Valley breathed a sigh of relief Sunday when Dr. Ashley Laird was found alive and on her feet in Jacksonville's Forest Park after being missing for the better part of three days. Thanks are due to the search and rescue volunteers and others who scoured the Jacksonville area tirelessly. While expressing that thanks, we should all pause to consider the lessons Laird's ordeal may hold for others. Laird, 37, an avid runner and competitor in ultra-distance races, departed about 9 a.m. Friday for a routine run. She didn't expect to be out long, so she didn't take a GPS device she sometimes carried. She also didn't tell anyone what route she planned to take. It's possible she didn't know exactly where she might run when she set out. Details are sketchy because she was disoriented from lack of food and water and a possible head injury when she was found. People who run regularly — especially accomplished competitors such as Laird — are in excellent physical shape. In Laird's case, her high level of conditioning may have made the difference between survival and tragedy. But even the hardiest specimens are no match for time and the elements. Dressed in running clothes and carrying little or no water or food, a lost runner who takes a wrong turn or suffers an injury in a fall can quickly become a statistic. By the time she was found, at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, her husband said, her body had begun breaking down muscles to survive. Here's a checklist for anyone planning to be running or hiking alone in our wonderfully scenic area: Tell family or friends what route you plan take and when you plan to return. If possible, carry water and a quick-energy snack. Do take a cellphone or another device with GPS capability so it can be tracked if you don't return when you planned to. It was a such a device that Laird didn't take this time that helped searchers find her. Ashley Laird didn't do those things routinely, and she had always returned safe and sound. Until Friday. We join her family and the community in celebrating her rescue, and we hope it will be a long time before anyone else goes missing. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 31, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501