520 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
520 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
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The following are excerpts from notes on survival training that I used while
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an instructor at the Special Forces School (1983-1985) where I was fortunate
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enough to serve under LTC James N. (Nick) Rowe, and the US Army Ranger School
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(1986-1988). They reflect my opinions and understandings of survival
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techniques and in no way should they be accepted as "gospel." If you have a
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need or interest in wilderness survival, I suggest you research the subject by
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reading any of the many excellent sources on the market to include: FM 21-76:
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Survival, The Boy Scout Handbook, Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen,
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Bushcraft by Richard Graves, or Bernard Shanks' Wilderness Survival.
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Carl J. Archer
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MAJOR (USAR), Special Forces
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Key Word "SURVIVAL"
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The key word "SURVIVAL" is an acronym to be used as an "immediate action
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drill" to be performed at the outset of a wilderness survival situation. Use
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this simple phrase to plan measures that will assist you in surviving in the
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wilderness and returning to civilization. The Key Word "SURVIVAL" will
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provide you with two of the most important survival skills--the ability to
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organize yourself and the ability to stay calm.
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A. "S" stands for "Size up the situation."
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(1) Consider your physical condition and perform any first aid required.
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(2) Concentrate your senses on getting a feel for the area.
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(3) Conduct an inventory of the equipment you have.
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(4) Begin planning.
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B. "U" stands for "Undue haste makes waste."
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(1) Reacting without thinking or planning can result in faulty decisions and
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could result in your death.
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(2) Acting in haste, just for the sake of action, will make you careless.
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The natural tendency in a stressful situation is to run. You must overcome
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this tendency and think of your objectives.
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(3) If you act in haste, you may lose or forget equipment, you may not make a
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survival plan, and you may become disoriented and not know your location. As
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a cultural group. Americans have little patience. Know this weakness if it is
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your own particular Achilles' heel.
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C. "R" stands for "Remember where you are."
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(1) Always knowing where you are on the map and how it relates to the
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surrounding terrain is a principle no outdoorsman should violate.
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(2) If in a group, always know the location of the maps and compasses.
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(3) Guard against the natural tendency of allowing someone else to be
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responsible for navigation. Always be aware of your route, regardless of the
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mode of travel.
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(4) Whether you are in a base camp or on the move, you should always know the
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following things:
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(a) Direction or location of the nearest populated area.
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(b) Direction or location to the nearest major transportation artery
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(river, highway, railroad track, etc.)
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(c) Location of local water sources.
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D. "V" stands for "Vanquish fear and panic."
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(1) Fear and panic are two of the greatest enemies in a survival situation.
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These are not unusual emotions. The secret is to recognize them and control
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them.
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(2) Fear, panic, and anxiety take their toll on the body. They divert needed
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energy.
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(3) Many people have never been alone and without diversion. This could
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subject them to anxiety.
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(4) The best way to control fear in a survival situation is preparation,
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prior planning, and training.
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E. "I" stands for "Improvise."
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(1) Make the wrong tool and do the right job.
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(2) Make an object do more than one job.
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F. "V" stands for "Value living."
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(1) A man's will to survive, to endure, to live, is the key to survival.
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Maintaining a positive mental outlook and a desire to live will allow an
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individual to overcome tremendous odds.
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G. "A" stands for "Act like the natives."
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(1) Many situations we would consider to be "survival situations" are dealt
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with on a daily basis by primitive peoples all over the world. To them, these
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situations are a way of life and hold no specific danger. Read about these
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people and our own ancestors. They survived in a world without electricity,
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stores, or fast food; you can too.
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H. "L" stands for "Learn basic skills."
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(1) Learn to put together a survival kit that will meet your specific needs
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and probable survival situations. Learn to use your survival kit.
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(2) Learn to make fire in different environments with different materials.
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(3) Learn to build shelter from natural materials.
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(4) Learn to find and purify water.
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(5) Learn first aid and the treatment of most common survival dangers such as
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insect stings, snake bites, climatic injuries, etc.
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(6) Concentrate on "doing" as opposed to "knowing". Many people know how to
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build a fire, but cannot build a fire in a rain storm with damp tinder. That
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is the fine line between surviving or dying.
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Physiological and Psychological Aspects of Survival
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The physiological and psychological aspects of survival and their significance
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on an individual in a wilderness survival situation is very subjective. Know
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your mental, emotional, and physical limitations and prepare for their impact
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on your ability to survive.
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A. Fear is a normal reaction to a threatening situation. Acceptance of this
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fear will lead to purposeful rather than random behavior. This way will
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greatly increase chances for survival.
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B. How a person will react to fear depends more on himself than on the
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situation. Timid and anxious persons may respond more coolly to fear than the
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physically strong or happy-go-lucky.
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C. Two factors frequently reported to decrease or help control fear are:
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(1) Having confidence in your abilities and your equipment.
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(2) Concentrating on the situation at hand and the job to be done.
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D. The seven "enemies" of survival are pain, cold, thirst, hunger, fatigue,
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boredom, and loneliness. They are mental distractors and difficult to
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overcome.
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(1) Pain is uncomfortable but in itself is not harmful or dangerous. It is a
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symptom of underlying problems and should be monitored. It can be controlled
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and can become subordinate to efforts to carry on.
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(2) Cold numbs the mind, the body, and the will.
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(3) Thirst dulls the mind. Serious dehydration may occur in a survival
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situation even when there is plenty of water available.
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(4) Hunger lessens your ability to think rationally.
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(5) Even a moderate amount of fatigue can materially reduce mental ability.
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Fatigue can make you careless and promote the feeling of hopelessness.
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(6) Boredom and loneliness are two of the toughest enemies of survival to
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overcome.
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E. Everyone has experienced pain, cold, thirst, hunger, fatigue, boredom,
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and loneliness, but not to the extent that their survival has been threatened.
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The more you know about these and their effects on you, the better you will be
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able to control them, rather than letting them control you.
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F. One of the most important psychological requirements for survival is the
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ability to accept immediately the reality of a new emergency and react
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appropriately to it.
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G. Much of the available evidence demonstrates the importance of having a
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"preparatory attitude" for whatever emergency may occur. Knowledge and
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rehearsal of survival and emergency procedures bring about a feeling of
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confidence and preparation for survival. While you can't prepare for every
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situation, you can prepare for the most probable situation.
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H. Survival may depend more on personality than upon danger, weather,
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terrain, or nature of the emergency. A person is more prone to survive if he
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can make up his mind; can improvise; can live with himself,; can adapt to the
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situation; can remain cool, calm, and collected; hopes for the best, but
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prepares for the worst; has patience; can take it; and knows where his special
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fears and worries comes from. The will to survive, along with a positive
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mental attitude, are key ingredients to surviving.
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I. In summary, development of self-sufficiency is the primary means of
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protecting yourself against the physiological and psychological stress that
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could affect you in a survival situation. If you have not learned self-
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sufficiency, it is not too late to begin.
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Survival Planning and Kits
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Preparedness for a survival situation is the cornerstone of success. You
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should build a personal survival kit based on your own needs and the probable
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situations you will encounter. This kit should be carried whenever you could
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be placed in a wilderness survival situation.
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A. Survival planning begins with realizing that you may be placed into a
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survival situation at any time. Realizing this, you must take steps to
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enhance your ability to survive. Be aware of your environment, whether you
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are entering a strange building or leaving your camp for a short hike.
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B. A person's ability to survive cannot be fully judged prior to actually
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being involved in a survival situation. Training, practice, and preparation
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may mean the difference between life and death.
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C. Become familiar with the contents of any survival kit you have access to.
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Practice using the contents of your personal survival kit under differing
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conditions.
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D. Carry some forms of survival kit with you at all times. This could range
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from spare cash on a trip to the city; extra identification, credit cards, and
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medicine on a trip overseas; or a wilderness survival kit that you carry on a
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backpacking trip.
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E. Before constructing a survival kit, consider your skills, the environment
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you are working in, and where the kit will be carried.
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F. When selecting items for your kit, avoid redundancy and look for items
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that will perform more than one function. Build flexibility into your kit.
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G. The container for your kit should be water repellent, accept components
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of varying shapes and sizes, and be durable. Your kit should be small enough
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to fit comfortably in a pocket. A survival kit doesn't do any good if you
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don't carry it.
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H. As a minimum, your wilderness survival kit should allow you to make a
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fire, build shelter, and purify/carry water. Also consider first aid,
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signaling, and food procurement.
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I. Do not delay the completion of a survival kit to support you in various
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situations. Do not buy "high speed" components. Concentrate on sturdy,
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inexpensive components that will perform the required functions.
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J. Maintain a survival log in a survival situation. Entries into the log
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should be clear and concise. They should explain who you are, how you got
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into a survival situation, and an inventory of your equipment. Further
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entries should include your activities, what you eat/drink, amount/description
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of urine/feces, and physical/mental state.
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K. Draw a map of the local area. Include a legend, north arrow, location of
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your shelter, water sources, game trails, your traps and snares, major terrain
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features, roads, latrine area, and an alternate camp site.
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Fire Building
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Fire building is one of the three critical factors in a wilderness survival
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situation. A fire can improve your mental well-being, keep you warm, purify
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water by boiling, be used as a signal, and cook your food.
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A. Selection of a site takes into consideration the possibility of grass or
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forest fires, wet or flooded ground, rain, and snow.
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B. Heat, fuel, and oxygen are needed to build a fire.
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C. Heat can be obtained by matches, lighter, magnifying glass, friction,
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battery, or the discharge of a weapon.
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D. Fuel falls into three categories:
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(1) Tinder ignites with a minimum of heat. Examples of tinder are birch
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bark, wood shavings, dry straw/grass, sawdust, waxed paper, bird down, hemp
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rope/twine, a candle, cloth squares dipped in paraffin/wax, or gasoline mixed
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with dirt.
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(2) Kindling is readily combustible fuel that is added to tinder once
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sufficient flame is obtained. Examples of kindling are small twigs,
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cardboard, and split wood.
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(3) Sustaining fuel is added to maintain the fire once it is started.
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Examples of sustaining fuel include deadwood, logs, and split green wood.
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E. Holly and fir should not be used for fire building since they can explode.
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F. To build a fire, place a small amount of tinder on a clear dry surface;
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ignite the lower windward side of the tinder; slowly add kindling after the
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tinder has ignited; slowly add sustaining fuel after the kindling has ignited.
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Build your fire "loosely" to ensure oxygen can circulate around the fuel.
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Shelter
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Exposure to the elements is the biggest killer of people in a survival
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situation. The ability to shelter yourself from the extremes of the elements
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will go a long way to improve your chances of survival. Shelter can be
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portable and carried as part of your kit or built from natural material.
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A. In selecting a site for a field shelter, consider what the shelter will
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protect you from. Ideal sites in winter and summer will differ. Select a
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winter site near fuel and water that will offer protection from the wind. In
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summer, choose a site that will protect you from rain, sun, and insects.
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Evaluate your environment.
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(1) In coastal areas, consider high tide levels.
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(2) In foothills, avoid flash flood (low) areas.
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(3) In mountainous areas, avoid potential avalanche sites.
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(4) In all areas, choose a site that is well drained.
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B. Ponchos and tarps can be used to construct quick, effective, temporary
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shelters. Using a poncho or tarp, you can construct a lean-to, pup tent,
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hammock, or envelope.
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C. A timber lean-to is similar to a poncho or tarp lean-to, but it is made
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from locally procured, natural materials (brush, pine needles, etc.).
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D. When building a shelter in snow, insulation from the ground is extremely
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important.
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E. A simple, effective dessert/beach shelter can be made by digging a man
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sized hole approximately 18 inches deep in the sand and covering it with two
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layers of shade producing material (poncho, tarp, etc.). There should be an
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air space of approximately six inches between the shade layers.
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Water Procurement/Purification
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The ability to procure and purify water in a survival environment is one of
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the most critical and difficult tasks to accomplish. Dehydration is second
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only to exposure as a killer in survival situations. Many survival manuals
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and kits emphasize food procurement, but water procurement is much more
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crucial. A person can go weeks without food but only several days without
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water.
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A. Seawater, blood, urine, or alcohol should not be used as a substitute for
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water. Your body will expend more fluid purifying them than it will derive
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from them.
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B. Snow and ice are an excellent source of water but must be melted prior to
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use.
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C. Rainwater or dew may be collected in waterproof material such as a poncho
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or tarp. It may be soaked up in cloth and wrung out. Shallow wells may be
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dug to collect rainfall and run-off. Water may be obtained from hollow trees,
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puddles, crevices, and leaves.
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D. Water may be condensed from the steam of boiling seawater.
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E. The basic water still will provide water in almost any environment. The
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water still can be in ground (a sheet of plastic, weighted in the center,
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spread over a hole in the ground, with a collection vessel underneath), above
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ground (a plastic bag filled with non-poisonous green vegetation and placed in
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the sun), or a transportation still (a plastic bag, tied over the end of a
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living, non-poisonous plant or tree branch). The in ground still is the best
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expedient way to purify water in a contaminated environment.
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F. Muddy, stagnant, or polluted water should be made clear by filtration
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through layers of sand, gravel, and charcoal; or by settling prior to
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purification.
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G. Water must be purified by boiling for 5-10 minutes; adding purification
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tablets per package instructions; adding 5-10 drops of 2% tincture of iodine
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per quart of water (let stand for 30 minutes); adding 5-10 drops of chlorine
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bleach per quart of water (let stand for 30 minutes); or using a portable
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purifier available commercially.
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X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
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Another file downloaded from: The NIRVANAnet(tm) Seven
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& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Taipan Enigma 510/935-5845
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Burn This Flag Zardoz 408/363-9766
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realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510/527-1662
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Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 801/278-2699
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The New Dork Sublime Biffnix 415/864-DORK
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The Shrine Rif Raf 206/794-6674
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Planet Mirth Simon Jester 510/786-6560
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"Raw Data for Raw Nerves"
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X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
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