The Basic rules of Survival

 

Some other important points

Panic

If you have just been a victim of an accident you will be feeling very disorientated. For sure you will have had a big fright . Try to do the following things immediately :

Get away from danger as fast as you can. Typical dangers include :

  • Fires
  • Explosions
  • Wreckage
  • Flammable liquids such as petrol or aviation fuel

Once you have got out, stay out. DO NOT go into unknown territory, especially at night. Sit down and analyze your situation carefully.

Assessing emergency situations

When you have found a sheltered area sit down and think. Evaluate the environment you have found yourself in. Is it a desert, woodland, a jungle. Every environment has it's own characteristics and you must tailor your future needs to these characteristics.

Then perform a check on your physical condition. Are you hurt ? Is your clothing enough ? How about food and water. Then see what extra equipment have you got. Is there anything really useful in the wreckage.

 

IT IS ALWAYS EASIER TO MAKE AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION IN DAYLIGHT.

What's next?

In one way or another you must devise a plan for your personal and other people's survival. What happens now depends on many factors such as the following :

First of all one must weigh the situation that he is in using the above points. For survival one must rely on himself not waiting until other people start doing things for him. Someday you will be alone surrounded by nature.

Travel or stay where you are

This is an important question you must ask yourself in a survival situation. If you have just survived an airplane crash, then the authorities will know your last position/s and rescue squads will be speeding to that area. If you are part of a natural disaster then help will be on it's way.

On the other hand if you have been on an camping expedition or just traveling then you may have found yourself lost.

NOTE : If you are on an expedition it is a very good idea to inform the relevant authorities your intended route and the expected date of arrival. In this case the relevant authorities may be the police, coast guards, park authorities in the case of a nature park in Africa. If you are in a foreign country you may also advise the relevant embassy of your country. For example and an American in Kenya should notify his embassy. Also embassies may provide a list of places where it is not advisable to go.

THIS MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE.

 

So the question of travel depends mostly on the following:

  1. Probability of being rescued in a short time.
  2. Someone sending out a search party to find you.
  3. Number of casualties, especially the ones that cannot walk.

If you decide to walk then

  1. Formulate a plan and stick to it.
  2. Leave a copy of it at the site of the accident.
  3. Make sure you have enough food and water
  4. A good signaling system
  5. A map of the area. What the use walking towards nowhere.

When traveling your body consumes a large amount of calories. These must be replenished daily or else fatal consequences are sure to arise. In the case where you do not have a large amount of food and there is a good chance of being rescued then stay where you are.

 

After giving you the basics and some rough ideas on survival then next chapters will focus on different aspects.

 

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