What would you do if you were lost in the wilderness? You may be thinking, "That would never happen to me." However, it CAN happen to you and it is important that you know how to survive and what to do in this kind of situation. Below are important steps to take if you are lost or stranded in the woods.
Don't Panic. Panic is more dangerous than almost anything else because it interferes with your most useful survival tool - your mind. No matter the situation, take a deep breath and stay calm.
Look around carefully. Memorize your surroundings. Mark where you are with something noticeable (a pile of rocks, paper, piece of clothing, etc). Learn your basic directions from this point. Remember that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
Stay in one place. By doing this you are increasing your chances of being found as well as reducing the energy your body expends and the amount of food and water you will need. If you planned ahead and let someone know where you were going (like we talked about in last month's edition) there is a pretty good chance someone is out looking for you.
Build a fire. Build a good-sized fire that will stay hot for many hours and make sure that you have plenty of extra dry wood. Start the fire even before you think you need it. It is much easier to make one under non-stressful conditions.
Signal your Location. Make noise by whistling, singing, or shouting. The fire you made can also be a great signal because it is visible from the air.
Find water. You can last three days without water, but by the end of the second day you are not going to be in very good shape. This is why finding a good source of water before it's too late is important. The best sources of water are a spring or running stream.
Purify your water. If you have something to boil water in, you can boil it for at least 3 minutes to kill the bacteria. Putting water in a clear plastic bottle and letting it set in the sun for six hours is another option.
Find or create shelter. Without shelter, you will be fully exposed to the elements and will risk hypothermia or heatstroke, depending on the weather. You can build an A-frame shelter by stacking branches along both sides of a fallen tree. Put leaves or other plants on top of the branches. If there is snow, build a snow cave.
Find safe food. Most healthy adults can survive up to three weeks without food. Also, keep in mind that being hungry and healthy is better than being ill. Insects and other bugs that do not bite or sting you can be useful sources of nutrition. If you are near water, fish are a great choice.
Most of all, remember to use your common sense. The more calm and rational you are, the better chance you have at survival.[[In-content Ad]]
