Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Survival Tips..

So I have compiled a list of 20 or so of my favorite pieces of Survival Advice and some first aid tips..

1. When lost.. STAY PUT! If you move around, help can't find you!

2. Keep you teeth, body and clothing as clean as possible. Laying clothing out in the sun can help with Body Odors trapped in the fabric..

3. IF you manage to catch a fish.. save the entrails to bait traps, and use them to catch other fish.

4. Tourniquets.. Forget you know the word..

5. ALL patients can go into shock. Treat by elevating the legs 12 inches, and cover with a blanket.

6. Cool burns IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT use burn salves, ointments, or creams.. These will trap the heat and actually make the burn worse!

7. Moss grows on the NORTH side of a tree.. and the east side.. and the west side.. and the south side.. Never use that as a reliable means of telling direction.

8. Never move a person who has a suspected back or neck injury unless burning, drowning, etc..

9. Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

10. There is NO pure water in the wilderness anymore.. Purify ALL the water you find. 2 drops of Bleach per quart, 2 drops of Iodine per quart, or bring the water to a rolling boil.

11. STAY OFF THE ICE!

12. Red and Yellow kill a fellow.

13. Camp away from hilltops, valleys, and bodies of water.

14. Have a plan! Since the initial plan rarely survives first contact.. Have a back up plan!

15. Get your bearing BEFORE you strike out! Always carry a map and compass of the area you are in.

16. Use Cedar and Birch bark for tinder. Avoid wood that's on the ground, it's too wet.

17. Never try to set a broken bone, stabilize it and wait for help.

18. When caught in a rip current or undertow, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current.

19. Cuts, blisters and other small injuries can become infected. Clean and bandage all wounds.

20. Never conserve water. Many people have been found dead of dehydration with a full canteen of water.

21. Priorities.. You can survive 30 seconds with severe bleeding, 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter/fire, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food, 3 months without human contact.

1 comment:

Jamie said...

Gotta like those, my fellow rescuer. Esp #11 - we lost a young kid up here just last week in Martha Lake after he walked out onto the ice. Good to see that things are well with you (following your wife's progress too ~ congrats to both of you!).
Big hug from your favorite crew chief in Snohomish County