Be it traveling or for an emergency, we should know what we will be facing beforehand. During emergencies, one must meet the following 4 basic survival needs. Otherwise, their survival chances are close to none.
Survival priorities :
Fire : Fire is essential for keeping warm, cooking and purifying water.
Always choose a dry surface, away from flammable substances to start fire.
Collect dry and flammable tinder such as dry wood, bark, leaves, twigs, and paper.
Create a fire structure as shown in the above image and start the fire with a match, lighter, or flint or
use the primitive way as shown below.
Rub dry wood together or use the hand drill method and blow gently to transfer the fire as shown
below:
If you want to put out a fire, do so 20 minutes in advance as it takes time to extinguish. And don’t leave
the fireplace until the ashes are cool to the touch.
Water : Safe drinking water is rarely found in the wild. Therefore, one needs a water filter or purification
method to remove any impurities. Although some water sources may appear clear, they might be
contaminated with various microscopic impurities.
If water filter is unavailable, you can use a container to boil water from any source for at least 3 minutes
before drinking.
However, if you cannot make a fire, collect rainwater or drink the dew on the leaves.
Food : Plants and fruits may be the easiest choice but many of them are poisonous. If you’re not sure
whether they’re edible or not, use <put link>a universal edibility test<put link>, or don’t eat
them.
Cattails, plantains, dandelions, acorns, wild onions, garlic, and walnuts are examples of
common edible plants. Making tea with pine needles can also help your immune system when
you’re sick.
For meat, it is difficult to hunt animals therefore fishing is the optimal choice. Preserve them by
smoking and if possible, prepare dry goods, canned or carbs ahead of time.
Shelter
Location :
Assess the area and choose a place that is naturally wind-sheltered and prevents water from flowing
into the area during storms.
Ground insulation:
Make a rectangular frame with logs. Fill the frame with debris such as pine branches and dried leaves.
The insulation with debris prevents the ground from draining the body’s heat, which is crucial to
preserve body heat.
Structuring:
The shelter is solely for emergency use. So, it should only fit your body size. The most efficient shelter
type is an A-frame. Adjust the shelter sticks to meet at the top and lock them together until the shelter
frame is complete.
Stack debris:
Cover the entire frame with a thick layer of debris (leaves, sticks, twigs). It should be 4 to 8 inches thick
to withstand the rain to keep the shelter dry inside.
The above facts are shared to inform what to do to survive in emergency situations, and help to better
prepare and increase survival rates. However, unexpected situations are inevitable sometimes and you
must always keep calm and decide on the best possible action.
Content Writer by Win Win Maw
