Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
6.
Know how to start a fire.
Being able to build a fire is important for cooking, purifying water, pre-
venting hypothermia in cold climates, keeping wild animals away at night (in some areas), and
signaling potential rescuers. Illustrated instructions for building fires are found starting on page
154. Having grown up camping since I was barely out of diapers, I can usually start a fire with
a single match. If you don't know what you are doing, you might go through a whole box of
matches and still not have a fire lit. With bone-dry tinder and practically perfect conditions, start-
ing a fire with a flint-and-steel or a primitive “fire drill” is a difficult task that takes practice and
persistence, and it's practically impossible with wet wood and tinder. Until you have practiced
these skills to the point where you are certain of your ability to build a fire with simple tools, or
just a single match, you may be unpleasantly surprised by your lack of success when the condi-
tions are less than ideal and your life depends upon your ability to start a fire.
7.
Learn how to find and purify water.
Unless you are in a cold climate, a single day without water
willmakeyouquitemiserable,andthreedayscouldkill.Beesandbirdscanleadyoutosourcesof
hold chemicals, and offer my specific recommendations for portable water filters and purifiers.
Having designed a number of water filters (both backcountry and residential) over a span of more
than twenty years, water quality and treatment are fields in which I have considerable expertise.
8.
Develop a survivor personality.
Developing the mental traits of the “survivor personality” will
help you to navigate and thrive in spite of life's challenges. The best survivors are flexible, tend
to keep their cool in stressful situations, don't give up, have a playful curiosity, have a good sense
of humor, don't tend to “cry over spilled milk,” follow their “gut feelings,” and are often “bad
patients” and poor rule followers. In
chapter 7
,
I discuss these traits and how to develop your own
“survivor personality.”
9.
Learn the “plant edibility test.”
Most people will not happen to have a guide to wild edible plants
on hand when they are thrust into a survival situation. If you know how to perform the “plant ed-
ibility test” (see
"Edibility Test
), you will always have a safe way to test local plants for potential
edibility. The full test takes a couple of days to complete, but most inedible plants will be weeded
out in the first few minutes. In general, people who can forage for wild edible plants will be much
better fed than others who must rely solely on primitive trapping and hunting skills without mod-
ern equipment (like a gun or fishing gear).
10.
Learn how to make a primitive shelter.
Learn how to make a “scout pit,” “squirrel's nest,” snow
cave, and other primitive shelters. In severe weather a shelter could save your life, and at oth-
large-sized garbage bags, or a compact “space blanket” will provide a welcome shield against a
downpour when no other more substantive shelter is available.
This chapter won't do you much good unless you put it to use. It won't take a lot of time or
money to put together a first-aid kit, 72-hour grab-and-go short-term family survival kit, and a
disaster survival plan for yourself and family. Think of how wonderful it will feel to know you
are able to fend for yourself and family in the event of a disaster, and perhaps even lend a hand
to others who are not so fortunate (and as well prepared) as yourself!
