Preparing for an Emergency
No one can know when an emergency will occur. The only thing you can do is plan ahead and train yourself for survival situations, as well as understand how these situations vary by the sort of environment you are forced to survive in.
There are five things that you should be confortable with when forced into a survival situation:
- How to find food and water.
- How to find or build a shelter.
- How to determine your direction.
- How (and when) to travel through various types of terrain.
- Sometimes rest is more valuable than haste.
Navigate through the menu above to find detailed information about each of these subjects.
Understanding Survival Stresses
Understanding how you react to (and the dangers associated with) survival stresses is just as important as your understanding of survival skills and tools. The following are some common survival stresses.
Pain
Pain is simply the way your body tells you that you are injured. By itself, pain is not harmful, so do not let it get in the way of your will to survive. You can learn to tolerate pain by:
- - Understanding its source.
- - Recongnizing it as something that can (and should) be tolerated.
- - Keeping your mind on things you need to do
- - Being proud of what you accomplish in its presence
Cold
The effects of being cold for an extended amount of time are very dangerous. Being cold makes you less efficient, it inhibits your ability to think clearly and your will to accomplish anything but a means to stay warm. You should find (or build) a shelter and build a fire so that the effects of being cold cannot replace your will to survive.
Heat
The most common symptom of being unaccustomed to heat is weakness. However, it is possible to become accustomed to high temperatures. This normally takes anywhere from 2 to 6 days in order for your breathing, circulation, sweat glands, and heart functions to become adjusted. During times of direct sunlight exposure, you should keep your head covered. Also, avoid physical activity during the hottest part of the day whenever possible.
Hunger
Sustained hunger can affect your will to survive. Eventually, prolonged hunder leads to undernourishment (and starvation) which will present the following symptoms:
- - Weakness
- - Weight loss
- - Dizzyness / Blackouts
- - Sensitivity to cold
- - Reduced heart rate
- - Increase in thirst
Most regions provide edible material that you may not think of as a source of food. Also, be aware that in a survival situation you must eat any edible items that are available to you, regardless if you think it is "gross" or not.
Thirst
Thirst and dehydration are two of the most serious problems you can face in a survival situation. Even the slightest sensation of thirst is enough to dull your mind. You should drink plenty of water whenever it is available in large quantities, especially when eating. If you should run into a situation where your water supply is low, you should reduce the amount that you eat. Digestion naturally uses water in your body to remove wastes from food. This can cause you to become dehydrated more quickly. It is almost always possible to reverse dehydration simply by drinking enough water.
Fatigue
Staying in a constant state of fatigue can impair your ability to think. This can make you careless. Obviously, rest is the best way to overcome fatigue. However, keeping a clear goal in mind, a change in activity, or conversation can help fight away the effects of fatigue.