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Two Methods:Alone in the WildernessPartnered in the Wilderness


If you find yourself in a survival situation, it's easy to get scared and forget everything you need to do to live. Remember these steps to survive if alone or with someone in the wilderness.

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EditMethod 1 of 2: Alone in the Wilderness

  1. 1
    Think of the acronym STOP. S stands for Sit. Sit down and figure out where you are, how you got here, and how you feel. T stands for Think. Oftentimes, if you get overwhelmed and panic, you'll forget to just think. O stands for Observe. Look at your surroundings and figure out the relative location you are in, and if you might be able to get out somehow. Finally, P stands for Plan. Plan out what you will do for the rest of the day/night to stay alive and feed yourself.
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  2. 2
    Remember the survival 3's of... well... death. It takes 3 seconds to die once you lose your mind. It takes approximately 3 hours to die without shelter/protection. To die from famish, it takes only 3 days. And hunger - well, depending on the size of your body, it takes about 3 weeks.
  3. 3
    Start building a small shelter. If you're a fairly small person, gather about 10 large sticks, 15 small sticks, a large rock, and plenty of brush or shrub to cover the ground in the shelter. Lean the large sticks onto the rock vertically, put the small sticks horizontally across the large sticks, and cover the ground with brush or shrub to make it more comfortable.
  4. 4
    Try to communicate with someone outside. If your phone doesn't work, which it probably won't in the wilderness, build a giant fire (ONLY if there is a very large clearing with NO trees). Using small brush, striking a tool or knife of some sort across a rock and creating sparks is the best way to start it. If you cannot make a fire, find a stick and draw letters across the dirt/sand to spell out "Help". If you really have no clearings around you, climb up a tree and scout the land. Find something at least a little clear and head over there.

EditMethod 2 of 2: Partnered in the Wilderness

  1. 1
    Make sure the other person is okay. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP! You must make sure your new companion in the wilderness is alright. Any injuries must be attended to immediately, because it affects you as well as them. Making a splint is easy if needed, but be careful and only make crutches, splints, casts, etc. if they absolutely NEED it.
  2. 2
    Make sure you're okay. You may have been so caught up in healing your friend's boo-boo that you didn't realize how much you were hurting. Follow the same steps shown above for yourself, and don't move on until both (or more) people are okay to keep going.
  3. 3
    Figure out your general location. Where did you start hiking, how did you get off trail, and what supplies do you have that help you in your current situation? If you weren't hiking and got mixed up in the wilderness,think of where you were going originally. If someone in your group has even a little bit of knowledge of where you are or where the trail is, start by following them!
  4. 4
    If you have no luck in finding somebody or something, camp out for the night. Collect all your supplies and if possible make a shelter. Making a shelter with two or more people is hard, so just make little beds out of brush and extra clothing/jackets.
  5. 5
    The next day, try even harder to contact someone. Have everyone try their cell phones over and over, and draw out "HELP" as large as possible, and in as many spots as possible. If still no response, use the same technique shown earlier and have ONE person climb a tree to lookout for potential life savers.
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EditTips

  • Always stay calm. Panic can be potentially deadly.
  • Carry around with you a first-aid kit and a compass. It helps more than you would ever think.
  • Study up on your survival! Being prepared is always important, and it is not a time waster.

EditWarnings

  • If you're parched, the sight of water may make you want to drink the whole pool up! But don't, I repeat DON'T, drink the water unless you have cleaned it or you know for a fact it is clean water.

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Categories: Merge | Disaster Preparedness | Survival Kits

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