If you’re like us at tentree and enjoy spending time in the outdoors, it’s absolutely imperative to brush up on your survival skills and knowledge. Chances are, you’ll eventually be faced with an unexpected situation that might put you in a tight spot. The better prepared you are, the more likely you’ll be able to pull through and head home in one piece. Remember, you don’t need to fear the wild, you just need to have a healthy respect for the power of Mother Nature.
1) Planning Ahead
2) Pack a Survival Kit
3) First Aid
If you or a group member are injured, quickly address this first. If you don’t have a first aid kit on you, improvise. Stop any bleeding with extra clothing, make a quick splint out of a sturdy branch. No need to be fussy at this point. If you do have open wounds, try to keep them as clean and sterile as possible. Pain meds are a good thing to pack in your survival kit too.
4) Fire
If you ever find yourself in a survival situation, starting a fire could arguably be the most important thing you do- especially if you live in a colder climate. Stop packing lighters, if they get wet it’s hard to get them lit and they can potentially run out of fuel. Instead, stick a flint and steel in your survival kit along with some waterproof matches.
5) Shelter
6) Water
7) Keep Dry
8) Stay Put and Signal
Many people panic when they realize that they are lost (it’s a scary feeling), however, the most dangerous thing you can do is continue on in hopes of finding your way back. The sooner you stop and stay put, the faster the search and rescue will be able to find you. Speaking of rescue, you are going to need to devise a plan to be spotted either from the ground or by air. Lay out any bright material you might have (a rain fly on your bag for example), spell HELP out of rock or logs, build a smoky fire or use a whistle to blast out SOS (3 sharp notes).
9) Stay Positive
Your attitude is ultimately going to help decide your fate. You’ll likely be experiencing some pretty intense emotions, but try and keep things together. Keep yourself busy to take your mind off of things. Help any group members. Build a fire to help keep animals away if you’re afraid at night. It’s going to be the little things that help get you through.
10) Practice, Practice, Practice
Before we find ourselves in a survival situation it’s a smart idea to practice your bush skills from time to time to help keep you prepared in an emergency. Learn how to build a fire in the pouring rain using a flint and steel, build a few different styles of emergency shelters, read up on your first aid, ect. You never know, it could help save your life one day.
