You find yourself lost. Perhaps you were a passenger in a light aircraft that forced landed. The pilot was killed and you don't know your exact location. What's painfully evident is that you're alone and cold. You are without the equipment that you're use to and may be overwhelmed. What steps do you take and when?
You want to live and SURVIVE. The word itself is your plan of action:
S: Size up the situation.
Environment: Is it grassland, forest, jungle, or desert? Are potential sources of water apparent.
Your present condition: Take a moment to check yourself for injuries and provide first aid as necessary. At times like this when your adrenaline is high, you may not notice an injury that needs medical attention.
Things that you can use: Search the area and make a mental inventory.
Think things through. Don't waste resources
U: Undo haste makes waste
Chances are if you don't get organized, you may not survive. Keep busy and stay on task.
R: Remember where you are
If you have a map, find your location and relate it to the terrain around you. Attempt to identify areas that can provide potential shelter, sources of water, etc. If you don't have a map, be aware of where you are in relationship to the physical indicators around you. I can see a river to the south, a mountain to the north, a group of rocks and broken trees to the east. When possible note these and draw a map. This will be the centre of your world.
V: Vanquish Fear and Panic
Focus on what you need to do in order to survive. Try not to let fear and panic overwhelm you. Calm yourself down and think clearly. This will make a positive difference to your situation.
I: Improvise
Open your mind. Think outside the box. Items can be successfully used for a purpose completely different than they were designed. Look to what you have on you, wreckage and the natural world for useable items.
V: Value living
Remember who you are, your family and loved ones. They're waiting for you. Don't give up. Take one step at a time. Most of the people that don't survive, just stop trying to live. Know that it will be difficult but don't give in to discomfort, pain or loneliness.
A: Act like the Natives
Observe the actions of birds and animals. Watch what they eat, where they drink.
L: Learn basic skills
Hopefully you have learned what needs to be done and how you do it before you find yourself in this situation. If not, you can still learn from the actions you take. Learn by doing and remember how it was accomplished.
You will need to address the needs of Shelter, Water and Food. Remember the rule of threes. In most circumstances, the most important of these is Shelter.
None you improvise, one (or more) is luxury.
I never like those stories that involve plane crashes and pilot dying.... ;p
Thanks for sharing this Wayne, I’ve seen different iterations of this mnemonic during previous survival courses. One of the key one that keeps standing out for me is Value Living. This is often what makes the difference in extended survival situations and is usually the common theme when reading POWs stories. Keeping a positive spirit, visualizing positive outcomes (the rescue, the reunion, the meals to come) all help getting through the rough times.
I never like those stories that involve plane crashes and pilot dying.... ;p
I don't particularly like that part either... 😉
...One of the key one that keeps standing out for me is Value Living. This is often what makes the difference in extended survival situations and is usually the common theme when reading POWs stories. Keeping a positive spirit, visualizing positive outcomes (the rescue, the reunion, the meals to come) all help getting through the rough times.
Yes, it really is remarkable how many people when faced with adversity, just want to lay down and die. From teaching quite a few military and civilian survival courses over the past 38 years, it seems to me that this attitude is becoming more prevalent in Society.
There seems to be an ever present sense of entitlement and a number of people just don't want to do hard things and persevere. I see this in my own Grandsons and I don't know how well they would make out...
In contrast, my Dad grew-up on a farm on the prairie with eight brothers and sisters, an outhouse, no electricity and no indoor plumbing. Walked 2.5 miles to school when he was 6 in the blowing snow and -30F. It just seems that he was a lot tougher than me and the generations that followed.
I can't help but wonder that if things go bump-in-the-night, how many will be up to the challenge? An interesting thought...
None you improvise, one (or more) is luxury.
One of the things that is worth noting, is that when things like this happen or if a bump in the night.. you would most of the time, lose all the things that take your time. I know its a strange way to look at it, but no phone, no text, no facebook, no commute, no friends visiting, no full time work.
When it comes to times like this.. there is suddenly all this time to DO.. yes I know that there are some that would find that time in fact a issue but time and time again, when you look at history in so many ways.. its truly amazing what a person can do.. when they do not have all the rest to take up their time.
Granted, I could also point out all the things that could stop the above, weather, time of year, injury and more.. but my point stands.. Its a lot easier to get things done when you have time to devote to it.
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
Based on observations of people, i see the following. People who have their stuff together and can immediately assess a situation and start adapting. Those that freeze up and believe that help will be coming shortly. They eventually wake up but often to late. Then there are those who go comatose and just give up. The middle group are the real danger, once they wake up they usueally are all over the map and lord of the flies mentality kicks in.
I plan on teaming up with group one and putting as much space between me and the other two groups as possible.
PS, Good description Wayne in your survival breakdown and every point must be remembered. Especially when alone and fear kicks in.
Last summer I started doing orienteering. We do courses that range from "novice" to "long advanced" (difficult), lasting anywhere from 1 hr to 4 hrs, in local woods/gatineau park/off-season ski hills, etc. I found that it really helpful for me, not just for the obvious learning to navigate & observe, but also to simulate (to a certain extent) how being tired/thirsty/wet/slightly injured or panicked can affect you mentally - because you never think that you would ever get lost, until you do. So far I have become lost once, for around 30 min - I eventually found my way out, after a lot of cursing myself 😉
HopeImReady
"The thing about smart mother f*ckers, is that they sometimes sound like crazy mother f*ckers to dumb mother f*ckers." -Abraham .”
Last summer I started doing orienteering. We do courses that range from "novice" to "long advanced" (difficult), lasting anywhere from 1 hr to 4 hrs, in local woods/gatineau park/off-season ski hills, etc. I found that it really helpful for me, not just for the obvious learning to navigate & observe, but also to simulate (to a certain extent) how being tired/thirsty/wet/slightly injured or panicked can affect you mentally - because you never think that you would ever get lost, until you do. So far I have become lost once, for around 30 min - I eventually found my way out, after a lot of cursing myself 😉
That's great practice; good for you! I use to think if I didn't know where I was, I was lost. The military however believe that if you keep in-mind where you are in relationship to the landmarks around you, you're not lost, but temporarily displaced. 🙂 Your circle of known area will increase and it's just a matter of time before you return to that which was previously familiar.
'Lost' is the past tense and past participle of lose. If you are confident in your ability, you cannot lose yourself. You simply are. Where that is doesn't define who you are. Remember who you are and those waiting for your return. Self-confidence is critical if you are to survive.
None you improvise, one (or more) is luxury.
Last summer I started doing orienteering. We do courses that range from "novice" to "long advanced" (difficult), lasting anywhere from 1 hr to 4 hrs, in local woods/gatineau park/off-season ski hills, etc. I found that it really helpful for me, not just for the obvious learning to navigate & observe, but also to simulate (to a certain extent) how being tired/thirsty/wet/slightly injured or panicked can affect you mentally - because you never think that you would ever get lost, until you do. So far I have become lost once, for around 30 min - I eventually found my way out, after a lot of cursing myself 😉
I know the feeling of wondering where the heck you are, heart rate goes up and things close in on you. Panic leads to just stampeding in one direction, risk of injury, burning calories and not preparing a shelter to fend off the night with its sounds and dropping temps. Courses like you took and our military were fortunate to take are great. Good for you and the Gatineau park is good because of the varying terrain, creeks etc
I have gotten turned around in our local bush while out riding a few times alone an with friends, those are the days that our hour or two ride turns into, where the bleep-bleep are we and riding with head lamps after dark lol.. hubbies make us take cells now but only parts of the bush have bars..
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/