Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
critical days of their epic struggle to survive. Expecting a speedy rescue, they freely ate and
drank from the plane's supplies. Up until the third night, they failed to conserve precious heat
and energy, allowing the icy winds to blow unchecked through the plane wreck. It was several
days before they decided to ration food and water. Their food ran out on the tenth day, and after
that some starved, while the rest sooner or later resorted to cannibalism. Finally, realizing that
no one was going to find them, two of the survivors spent eight days climbing and hiking out of
the mountains to a remote ranch, where they were fed and the authorities were notified about
the crash site, where a number of survivors were still hanging on to life sheltered by the wreck-
age of the plane. Of the original twenty-eight survivors, only sixteen made it out alive.
Rex Lucas, in
Men in Crisis: A Study of a Mine Disaster
, relates similar wasteful actions in
the first two days of a mining disaster. Trapped 12,000 feet underground in a major mine col-
lapse and expecting a speedy rescue, the survivors freely drank from their canteens and wasted
valuable physical reserves trying to dig themselves out. On the third day, once they realized
that rescue might take many days, they began conservation efforts that allowed them to survive
for several more days until they were rescued.
Basic Strategies
First Things First
Quickly scan the situation. If you are in immediate bodily danger, you must deal with this first,
and you might have to act with lightning speed. But, if you have the time, don't rush into a de-
cision. In
Survive the Savage Sea
, Dougal Robertson credits his wife's quick thinking with sav-
ing his family's life. After whales rammed a large hole in their sailboat, Dougal wasted pre-
cious time examining the hole in their hull, but his wife used their remaining three minutes to
gather the necessary survival gear into their life raft. Expect that there is some positive action
that you can do, and be willing to consider
any
possible action or reaction that might promote
your survival.
Don't Panic
In an emergency situation, try to remain calm, but do not become paralyzed. Action will most
likely be required to see you through your ordeal, but it must be the right kind of action. When
you are unable to think clearly, it is a poor time to make major decisions. It is important not to
waste precious energy and resources doing the wrong things or going to the wrong places.
When you are tense and bound by fear, try breathing deeply and repeating a simple word or
