COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL
COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL
A Way of Life
by Frank Heyl with Harley Sachs
The authors are grateful to Willamette Falls Hospital
for permission to adapt the text of their
1993 publication for this edition.
©
2005 Frank Heyl & Harley Sachs.
All reprint rights reserved.
Published by Plant Deck Inc.,
15200 SW Twin Fir Road, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Design and production provided by Gerber Legendary Blades ®
Illustrations by Mark Boucher
C O L D W E A T H E R S U R V I V A L
About the Authors
A Way of Life
Frank Heyl is presently the principal instructor and director
of the contact military survival training school.
Frank has authored “Staying Alive in the Arctic”, a cold
weather training manual used by the petroleum and pipeline
companies working in Alaska and Canada. He has also
supervised a Russian language edition of the manual for the
training of oil field workers in Siberia.
Frank is the coauthor of the following plant identification
card decks; “Edible and Poisonous Plants of the Eastern
States”, Edible and Poisonous Plants of the Western States”
and a Survival Card Deck giving survival tips. From these
three decks, the plant photography and survival tips are
pictured on the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency maps for
worldwide survival.
Harley L. Sachs is a retired professor of technical
communication, an award-winning author of articles, essays,
newspaper columns and several books.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Willamette Falls Hospital for permission
to adapt the text of their 1993 publication for this edition.
©
2005 Frank Heyl & Harley Sachs.
All reprint rights reserved.
Published by Plant Deck Inc.,
15200 SW Twin Fir Road, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Design and production provided by Gerber Legendary Blades ®
Illustrations by Mark Boucher
Table of Contents
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE LOST............................3
YOUR SURVIVAL KITS
Keep in your pockets ..........................................4
Carry in your daypack .........................................5
Carry in your vehicle...........................................6
First aid kit list ..................................................6
WHAT YOU NEED TO SURVIVE
Stay healthy .....................................................7
Rescue Signals .................................................7
Keep warm .......................................................9
Step-by-Step Fire Building...............................11
Fire Building Tips............................................12
Food and Water...............................................12
Shelter...........................................................15
Quinzee ......................................................16
“T” Snow Cave............................................18
Snowblock ..................................................18
Cell phones and GPS .......................................19
Nobody plans to put themselves into a survival situation.
Such crises are always unexpected. The purpose of this
booklet is to help you survive if such a crisis occurs. In
order to survive you must know what to do, when and how
to do it and be able to do it in a variety of situations. The
person who is in an all-out stay alive survival situation has
only one goal: to survive and stay alive until rescue.
This booklet is adapted from one previously published by
Willamette Falls Hospital Foundation in conjunction with
the annual Cold Weather Survival and Wilderness
Medicine Conference.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE LOST
- Avoid panic or letting such thoughts as “I’ve got to get
out of here” cloud your judgment. While many have
walked out in the past, the odds are against it. It could
be the last walk you will ever attempt. - Think. Before attempting to walk out, ask yourself the
following questions:
• Will the weather, snow conditions, wind and
visibility permit the walk? (Usually not)
• Will the hours of remaining daylight permit you to
reach help? (Probably not)
• Is the clothing you have with you adequate
for cold weather travel? (It rarely is)
• Am I physically in condition for walking?
(You probably don’t know)
If you are not positive about all those questions,
stay put. A little time spent evaluating your
situation and applying survival sense to the problem
will go a long way in assuring your health, comfort,
and safety. It may save your life. - Remember: When it does happen, admit you are lost.
Concentrate on survival. Your goal is to stay alive until
you are rescued.
YOUR SURVIVAL KITS
Be prepared before you leave home. Some items you can
carry in your pockets. Others fit in a day pack. Still others
can be stowed in a car, boat, or small airplane.
Keep in your pockets:
- This survival manual and a pencil.
- Knife: Can be used to build a fire or a shelter and
make signals for rescue. There are hundreds of uses
for knives, and two knives are better than one. - Matches: A box of Diamond Strike Anywhere brand
matches is recommended. By shortening them slightly
they can be kept dry in a plastic 35mm film
container. Include a strip of sandpaper for a striker. - Fire starter: Candles are good fire starters. Rub candle
wax into a 4 x 4 inch patch cut from a cotton rag or
handkerchief. Wax cloth burns continuously hotter
than a candle until consumed. Make up a number of
wax fire starters with melted wax before you need
them. Use a double boiler system (two cans: a small
can for the wax and a larger can for water). Dip the
cotton cloth patches in the wax and let them cool.
Place patches in a plastic baggie to keep the wax
from getting on clothing. - Local map: Study it and get a visual idea of the
terrain. Look for and memorize identifiable base lines,
such as a paved highway, a river, an electric power
line, the ocean, etc.
2 - Compass: Two compasses are better than one. Use the
compass to orient the map to north. - Space blanket: This multi-purpose item can be used
in a variety of ways: as a poncho, a shelter, a ground
cloth, a wind break, a rainwater collector or a fire
(heat) reflector. - Sun protection (includes sunglasses and sunscreen):
Many of the sunglasses on the market today are
designed more for style and fashion rather than for
protection from the sun. Generally, glasses with dark
gray-green lenses provide the best eye protection.
Wrap around sunglasses protect from side glare. - Signal equipment (signal mirror and signal whistle):
A) A signal whistle can be heard five times farther
away than the human voice. Blow three sharp blasts
on the whistle (Three blasts means “I need help.”)
and listen for an answer from the searchers, who will
respond with two sharp blasts.
B) A signal mirror is a daylight line-of-sight signal
device that provides excellent ground-to-air signal
capabilities. Read the instructions and practice
signaling on a parked car (in your own driveway). Aim
for the red tail light. A signal mirror can also be used
to assist in the removal of foreign objects from the
eyes. - First aid kit: See kit list on page 5.
Carry in your day pack:
- All items listed in “Keep in your pockets”.
- Clothing: Clothing protects you from the four killers:
wet, wind, cold and heat. Clothing is your portable
shelter. Take spare clothing such as a sweater,
polypropylene long underwear and socks. - Extra food and water: Jelly beans are a recommended
food source because they have a long shelf life, are
easy to carry, provide a varied diet, are nutritious and
require a minimum amount of water to digest. - Flashlight (waterproof): Small AA or AAA cell
flashlights with a halogen bulb are recommended.
After you buy the flashlight, be sure to test your
flashlight by immersing it in water for at least five
minutes. - Nylon cord: (approximately 50 feet): This can be used
for shelter construction, boot laces, gear, clothing
repair and much more. Parachute suspension line is
recommended because there are several core lines in
each suspension line and each pulls out separately.
Use core lines for sewing and fish line. - Aluminum foil (heavy duty): Use as a surface for
building a fire when the ground is very wet or covered
with snow. Fold with an edge up to use as a container
for boiling water or cooking.
4 - A plastic leaf bag or garbage can liner: Makes a
serviceable rain coat, equipment storage bag, ground
cloth and water transpiration collector. (see page 16) - Water: In a large-mouth container that can be refilled
with snow and thawed inside your jacket or sleeping
bag.
Keep in your car, boat, or small plane: - All items listed in “Keep in your pockets” and
“Carry in your day pack” - Long lasting candles, matches and a metal coffee can:
A candle burning in the bottom of a coffee can will
serve as a heater in a stranded automobile or in a
makeshift shelter. - Blanket: The ideal blanket would be a wool or
wool blend. - First Aid Kit List:
• Water purification tablets: Titratable iodine –
to purify drinking water
• Band-Aid ® : to bandage small wounds.
• Chap-Stick ® : to protect lips from wind and sun.
• Betadine ® ointment: an antiseptic/germicide
to prevent infection in minor burns, cuts
and abrasions.
• Insect repellent: to prevent insect bites and stings.
• Aspirin or Tylenol ® : foil or plastic packets – for
headache, fever or pain relief.
First Aid Kit (cont’d):
•
6
Kerlix ® bandage (5-yard roll): for wrapping
and covering large cuts.
• Extra-fine point forceps: for removing splinters
and lifting ticks.
• Antiseptic towelettes: to clean minor scrapes
and scratches.
• 3M TM Steri-Strip TM Elastic Skin Closures: to
close small clean cuts.
• Elastic bandage or Ace ® bandage: to support
sprains of the wrist, elbow, knee or ankle –
also for use a pressure bandage.
• Safety pins: to make a sling or hold a bandage
in place.
• Scrub soap in foil packet: for washing cuts,
abrasions and any broken skin.
• Needles (sewing type): for splinter removal.
• Tape (plastic roll): to hold dressing in place.
• Combat Trauma Wrap (see page 27): To stop
bleeding, especially in extreme cold conditions.
• Personal medication: keep in a labeled
waterproof container.
• Mole skin: for foot blisters.
• Packet of cotton-tipped applicators (Q-tips ® ):
for removal of foreign bodies from the corners
of the eyes.
WHAT YOU NEED TO SURVIVE
Your survival plan includes five essential elements:
- Stay healthy: To survive until you are rescued means
you must be in good physical and mental health.
Protect yourself from the four killers (the wet, the
wind, the cold and the heat). Keep yourself well-
hydrated with pure water and try to prevent injuries to
yourself and others. Treat all injuries, no matter how
minor, promptly. If you disregard the medical aspects
of survival, your chances could be considerably
reduced. - Rescue Signals: You must help people find you.
Emergency signals must (1) be seen or heard and (2)
convey a message.
A) Fires provide warmth, comfort and will ward off
cold injuries. It will also cook a meal, purify water
(boil for ten minutes) and dry your socks. And, while
these activities are occurring, the fire will bring
searchers to you. A fire actively burning with green
foliage placed on it will put up a white smoke that
can be seen for several miles. Oily rags or rubber
will put up black smoke, which is good in snow
country, but be sure to keep the fire under control.
An out-of-control wild fire can end a great survival
story. A spare tire can be burned as a rescue signal.
(See step-by-step fire building.)
B) An SOS stamped out in the snow and visible
from the air has accounted for several rescues in
snow country. The rule of thumb with SOS letters
is that they should be no less than 3 feet wide by
18 feet high.
S.O.S.
8
C) Signal mirrors: After radio communications,
the signal mirror has accounted for more rescues
than any other signal device. Commercial
models, which are effective and have been
known to send visible signals up to 20 statute
miles, are available from outdoor equipment
stores. A rear view mirror taken from an
automobile is also effective, but is slower to use
and not as accurate. It is essential to practice
using the mirror, especially when using an
automobile or vanity-type mirror. Time will be of
the essence in signaling a fast moving aircraft.
WARNING: Do not practice on aircraft in flight
or on other moving vehicles. It is a federal
offense to falsely signal for rescue.
D) Signal flares: All boats and airplanes are required
to carry signal flares, and highway flares are
commonly carried in automobiles for emergencies.
NOTE: Ground searches are only done in daylight.
Keep Warm: Humans are tropical in nature and
to maintain good health, clear thinking and
muscular control, you must keep warm. This is true
in the desert, in the tropics, in the arctic, and in
temperate regions. Whenever and wherever the
temperatures are below comfortable norms, and
when it is wet and windy, the body will begin to lose
heat faster than it can produce it. While cold
injuries are not a problem in the tropics, dampness
and night cooling can seriously hamper survival
efforts. The desert environment presents the
problems of keeping cool during the day and warm
at night. These temperature extremes can seriously
menace comfort, health and survival. Temperate
regions, the sub-arctic and the arctic present the
problems of hypothermia, frostbite and other cold
injuries. Even when protective cold weather clothing
is worn, prolonged exposure to the cold and
continued heat loss can cause cold injuries.
Good health and heat from an external source will
ward off cold-related problems. Heat from the sun
(with clear skies) has a warming effect on the body.
If you are in an automobile and have available fuel,
you can use the heater for warmth during a blizzard
10
or whiteout, but BEWARE! More people have died
from carbon monoxide (the breath of death)
poisoning in the cold than they have from freezing.
When using your car as shelter, always
open a window about one (1) inch on each side for
ventilation when the engine is running. If rain or
snow is blowing in the windows, close the window
on the windward side and roll down the leeward side
window two (2) inches.
Keep your coat, hat, gloves and other clothing on to
conserve body heat. Run the engine until the
temperature in the car in comfortable and then turn
it off. Start the car again only when it begins to get
uncomfortably cool. Remove snow from around the
tail pipe frequently. If you know about how much
fuel you have, you can figure out how many hours of
heat you will have. A V-8 engine will burn
approximately one (1) gallon per hour at idle. A V-6
engine will burn approximately .9 gallons per hour.
By running the engine for 15 minutes and turning it
off for 15 minutes, you will double your comfortable
heat time.
WARNING: Do not go to sleep while the engine is
running. If you do, the silent killer, carbon monoxide,
will claim yet another victim. A simple heater for
inside your vehicle is a slow burning candle in the
bottom of a coffee can. Votive or yahrzeit candles
(available in the ethnic foods section of your grocery)
will burn for 24 hours.
Long before your car runs out of fuel, it is wise to consider
the primitive provider of heat: Fire.
Step-by-Step Fire Building
To assure success, fire building must be done step by
step. Three things are required. (1) fuel, or a material for
burning, (2) oxygen, a colorless, odorless gas and (3) heat,
a degree of hotness. Sources for starting a fire include
matches (wooden Strike Anywhere brand), a lighter, or a
flint fire starter.
A.
B.
12
Select a safe site. Clear an 8’ diameter circle down
to mineral soil. Make sure all combustible materials
are removed from this circle. Build your fire in the
center of the circle. Cut away any very low hanging
branches from directly over the fire site. Gather
tinder. Tinder must be finely shaved or shredded to
provide a low combustion point and fluffed to allow
oxygen to flow freely through. Tinder includes dry
grass, cedar bark, pitch, foam rubber, plastic
utensils, pine needles and pine cones. To get tinder
to burn hotter and longer, place the waxed cotton
cloth fire starter (described in the Ten Essentials)
under the tinder. Other good starters are Chapstick ®
and insect repellent.
Gather tinder. Tinder must be finely shaved or
shredded to provide a low combustion point, and
fluffed to allow oxygen to flow freely through. Tinder
includes dry grass, cedar bark, pitch, foam rubber,
plastic utensils, pine needles and pine cones. To get
tinder to burn hotter and longer, place the waxed
cotton cloth fire starter (described in the Ten
Essentials) under the tinder. Other good starters are
Chap-Stick ® and insect repellent.
Long before your car runs out of fuel, it is wise to consider
the primitive provider of heat: Fire.
Step-by-Step Fire Building
To assure success, fire building must be done step by
step. Three things are required. (1) fuel, or a material for
burning, (2) oxygen, a colorless, odorless gas and (3) heat,
a degree of hotness. Sources for starting a fire include
matches (wooden Strike Anywhere brand), a lighter, or a
flint fire starter.
A.
B.
12
Select a safe site. Clear an 8’ diameter circle down
to mineral soil. Make sure all combustible materials
are removed from this circle. Build your fire in the
center of the circle. Cut away any very low hanging
branches from directly over the fire site. Gather
tinder. Tinder must be finely shaved or shredded to
provide a low combustion point and fluffed to allow
oxygen to flow freely through. Tinder includes dry
grass, cedar bark, pitch, foam rubber, plastic
utensils, pine needles and pine cones. To get tinder
to burn hotter and longer, place the waxed cotton
cloth fire starter (described in the Ten Essentials)
under the tinder. Other good starters are Chapstick ®
and insect repellent.
Gather tinder. Tinder must be finely shaved or
shredded to provide a low combustion point, and
fluffed to allow oxygen to flow freely through. Tinder
C. Gather kindling. Kindling must be small enough to
ignite from the small flame of the fire starter and
tinder. Gradually build up around tinder, teepee
fashion, through the larger kindling until arriving at
the size of the fuel that is to be burned.
D. Fuel. Continue the teepee procedure with fuel until
two rows of fuel are in place. Examples of fuels
include dead, dry limbs broken from trees and dry
dung from plant eating animals. Consider anything
that will burn. Rags soaked in engine oil can burn,
too.
E. Light the fire. Remove a wooden Strike Anywhere
match from the waterproof container. Stand with
your back to the wind. Hunker down to the fire.
Check to see if there is an opening at ground level
in the tepee. If not, spread the fuel and kindling
until you can see the waxed cloth fire starter and
tinder. Strike the match and touch the flame to the
fire starter. Move to the side and let the wind carry
the flame through the tepee.
Sounds simple doesn’t it? It is, with practice. Practice on
a wet, windy, cold day. Anyone can build a fire on a dry,
calm, warm day, but people usually don’t get lost on calm,
warm, dry days. And, if they do, they don’t need a fire to
stay alive.
Fire Building Tips:
14
• Newspaper, paper towels, Kleenex or toilet tissue are
not recommended. Paper draws dampness and has a
low burning temperature. It does not heat kindling
well enough for good combustion.
• Build a fire on dry ground. When dry ground is not
available, use aluminum foil (see Essentials list).
• When building a fire on the snow, construct a
platform of wood to raise the fire off the snow.
• When two people are involved in fire building, both
may do the gathering, but only one should do the
building. The only help the builder should have is to
be left to do the task alone. The other person should
be gathering more fuel.
• Dry building materials are essential. Look under fir,
cedar, pine or other evergreen trees for small dead
branches. These branches, which should be brittle
and snap like a wooden match would if you broke it
in two, can be turned into tinder and kindling. The
larger ones can be used for fuel.
• Always gather more fire building materials than you
think you will need, especially fuel, during daylight
hours. It will be a long night.
• Place a tire a couple hundred feet downwind from the
vehicle. Let the air out of the tire by making a small
cut across the valve stem near the wheel. Failure to
let the air out can result in a dangerous heat-induced
explosion. To insure a good fire start, shave small
slices of rubber from the tread. This is best done by
wetting the knife blade with water (saliva and urine
will also work). If the ground is wet, place the rubber
shavings on a piece of aluminum foil. Place the foil
close to the upwind side of the tire and light the
shavings. Gather dry wood and keep it close by and
ready to put on the tire as it burns down.
- Food and Water: Without water a person may die in
a few days, but may live for a month without food.
However, hunger is not a comfortable experience.
A small amount of food should be carried on every trip
into the back country. A good food choice is lightweight,
takes little water to digest, has a long shelf life and
doesn’t melt from body heat. Jelly beans meet all of
these requirements. Most of us like a varied diet and
jelly beans come in many delicious flavors. All food
requires water for digestion.
When water is in short supply, it is recommended that
you do not eat. Water is the most important substance
we consume. To safeguard good health and maximize
your survivability, sip water throughout the day. Carry a
water supply with you and a supply of titratable iodine
water purification tablets. Otherwise, boil all water for
ten minutes before drinking it. Do not eat snow as a
water substitute. It requires 12 eight-ounce glasses of
snow to equal one eight—ounce glass of water. Eating
great amounts of snow over a period of time will lower
your body temperature and increase the risk of
hypothermia and frostbite. Snow should be melted
before consumption. This can be done in a container
over a fire. In cold climates drink the water warm. In
snow country carry a wide mouth plastic water bottle as
a canteen (the one-quart size is best). As water is
consumed, add more snow. The container is best hung
on a cord around the neck. Place the container under
the outer clothing. Body heat will melt the snow.
16
Unfortunately, lost people do not realize they are
becoming dehydrated, nor do they consider the
associated dangers. The lost person is frightened,
embarrassed and confused. Being lost or becoming
involved in any outdoor emergency is the time for
clear thinking and appropriate action. Neither is
possible when the person is dehydrated. Dehydration
also predisposes cold injuries, the most serious of
which are hypothermia and frost-bite. The smart
survivor will avoid these injuries at all costs. When
water is in short supply or unavailable, the water
transpiration bag surpasses all other methods. All that
is needed is a heavy duty clear or opaque plastic bag
and cord. As a water producer in dry, semi-dry or
desert environments, it may take up to 3 bags to
sustain one survivor. When selecting foliage to be
bagged, sample a leaf for taste. All foliage will have
their own taste and some may be bitter. Select one
you can stomach.
Water transpiration bag
Water Transpiration Bag Instructions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Select broadleaf and woody bushes – not plants.
Additional leaves or foliage can be placed in
the bag.
Make a tight seal at the bag opening.
Anchor the bag by tying to a log or rock.
Place the bag where it will not be shaded from
the sun.
CAUTION: DO NOT use poisonous/toxic plants in
transpiration bags.
- Shelter: A water and windproof foil space blanket is a
shelter that weighs no more than four ounces,
measures approximately 56” x 84” and can be carried
in the pocket. It is credited with saving at least two
lives. These versatile blankets can be put to a number
of uses. A seat will be needed inside the shelter and
can be constructed from a pack, a pile of fir boughs
or any material that will insulate the person from the
wet or cold ground. While sitting on the pack with the
back to the wind, wrap the blanket (foil side next to
the body) over the head and around the body. Secure
the blanket around the body with plastic camper’s
clothes-pins. These pins will secure the blanket
except in extremely windy conditions. The wrap-
around shelter only offers protection from the wet and
wind and provides no insulation, so it is important to
dress appropriately. Do not let the blanket touch bare
skin or it will rapidly rob the body of heat. An
18
insulating layer of clothing between the skin and
the foil inhibits cooling. Staying dry and keeping
the cool air out increase your chances for
survival.
Shelters you can build:
Numerous people have survived a night in the worst
of weather by staying by a fire. Survival is the
maintenance of body heat, but what happens if there
are not materials available for building a fire? A
shelter from the wet, wind and cold is mandatory.
The environment will dictate the type of shelter that
should be built. When above the tree line, in snow
country or on the arctic ice pack, snow becomes the
shelter building material of choice. Always carry snow
shelter building tools, an expedition snow shovel and
saw, when in these areas.
Quinzees: The quinzee is a snow dome that can be
constructed without deep or hard-packed snow. Its
dimensions, materials for construction and
procedures follow. The size can vary, but a good size
to start with is a mound of snow about 6 feet high
and 12 feet in diameter; this is adequate for three or
four campers. To construct a quinzee, you will need
one pole about 8 feet long (this is the guide pole for
the center) and 30 or 40 sticks about 1 foot long
(these are the gauge sticks for the thickness of the
roof). You will also need a shovel.
Follow these steps to construct a quinzee:
- Find a good area with lots of snow.
- Lay out your location and place the center pole
in the snow. - Take the stout staff and stir the snow in your “quarry”
area. Stirring the snow breaks down the structure
and helps it hold together. Stir an area of about 6 or
8 feet in diameter and then start piling this snow
around the center post. Continue this procedure until
you have a mound about 6 feet high and 12 feet in
diameter. This takes quite awhile and is the easy part. - Let the mound settle. This usually takes an hour
or two. - After the mound has settled, carefully put in your
gauge sticks. - Now comes the moment of truth. You start to dig out
the entrance. A 24-inch thick hole is just about right.
If the entrance remains firm, continue to scoop out
the inside, using the gauge sticks to keep the
thickness to 1 foot. Change diggers often to avoid
overheating. - Pile the excavated snow around the entrance to form
a wind-break. Make a door plug using evergreen
boughs. The door plug is made by tying a cord
approximately six feet long to the center if a stick
about an inch in diameter and a couple of feet long.
gauge sticks 12” long
center marker
vent
door plug
Quinzee
Place the stick with the
cord coiled, on the ground.
Pile evergreen boughs on
top of the stick and cord
at least two feet high.
Reach down through the
center and pull the cord up
through the boughs. Place
Door plug
a second stick on top of the
boughs and press down on
the pile firmly. Wrap the cord around the second stick
and tie it off. There should be several feet of cord
remaining. Set your door to the side of the doorway
and pull the cord inside the quinzee. To close, pull
the door plug to the center and into the doorway.
When boughs are scarce, a snow block will have to be
used to close the doorway.
- When you have finished the inside, be sure to make
vents (usually two or three work best). Let the shelter
stay open so the snow will harden.
Snowblock shelter: - Cut blocks
- Set blocks using staggered
pattern, cover and chink cracks - After the shelter is hardened, you can move in.
Courtesy Sandy Bridges, Natural Boy Scout High Adventure Base; Ely, Minnesota.
"T" Snow cave shelter: - Cover entrance with blocks
- Begin against
a slope - Crossways to entrance,
then dig upward in all
directions leaving
sleeping floor flat - Downward about
a foot
"T" Snow cave shelter:
- Cover entrance with blocks
- Begin against
a slope - Crossways to entrance,
then dig upward in all
directions leaving
sleeping floor flat - Downward about
a foot
Cell Phones and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) - Cut entrance
blocks and place
across entrance
22 - Fill cracks between
blocks with snow - Cross-section of
completed shelter
There is certainly a place for electronic devices in the
arsenal of survival equipment. However, do not trust your
luck or your life on them. Always have back ups and know
how to use the signaling tools on pages 7–10 and carry
a magnetic compass. Cell phones and GPS operate best
in open areas and high ground. High mountains under the
forest canopy and being positioned in deep canyons can
limit their effectiveness. If unable to transmit or receive,
move to a more likely area if possible.
Electronic Device Tips: A Word To The Wise
Cell phones, GPS and flashlight batteries are degraded
by age, normal use, moisture, corrosion and cold
temperatures. Always start out with fresh batteries and
carry an extra set. Carry battery operated equipment in
an inside pocket, close to your body to keep batteries
warm and dry. Be certain that the area you are visiting
is covered by your cell phone provider. Make a local
check of your equipment at the trail head before leaving
your vehicle. It has been estimated that more than 85% of the survival
failures out there could have been prevented. The
survivor’s axiom – plan for the best, but prepare for the
worst.
As always;
DISCLAIMER
I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR LIFE AND/OR PERSON IF ANY ARISES FROM READING THIS ARTICLE. I ASSUME THAT THE READER IS OF LEGAL AGE AND RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS OWN ACTIONS.
THIS ARTICLE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD ONLY BE ATTEMPTED BY PROFESSIONALS IN A LEGAL MANNER. THIS BOOK IS FREELY DOWN-LOADABLE FROM THE INTERNET IF YOU HAVE THE PATIENCE TO SEARCH FOR IT AND DOES NOT INFRINGE ON ANY RIGHTS WHATSOEVER. ALL COPYRIGHT CREDITS GOES TO THE AUTHOR MENTIONED IN THIS BOOK.