SURVIVAL ACTIONS

The following paragraphs expand on the meaning of each letter of the word SURVIVAL. Study and remember what each letter signifies because you may some day have to make it work for you. The following information is drawn from the U.S. Army Manual and was written as a survival guide in times of war, however, these techniques can be applied to any situation where disaster has occurred and modern conveniences are no longer an option. In disaster situations, like in the case of Katrina, these actions can be beneficial to one's state of mind and what actions can be taken to lesson the fear and isolation which may occur after modern conveniences, like electricity, cell phones and a trip to your local supermarket is impossible.

Size Up the Situation and Your Surroundings

Determine the possible dangers and pattern of the area. Get a feel for what is going on around you. Every environment, whether forest, jungle, or desert, has a rhythm or pattern. This rhythm or pattern includes animal and bird noises and movements and insect sounds.

Use All Your Senses

Use all your senses to evaluate the situation. Note sounds and smells. Be sensitive to temperature changes. Be observant.

Remember Where You Are

Pay close attention to where you are and to where you are going. Do not rely on others in the group to keep track of the route. Constantly orient yourself and always try to determine, as a minimum, how your location relates to the location of local water sources (especially important in the desert) amd depending on the situation, areas that will provide good cover and concealment.

Vanquish Fear and Panic

The greatest enemies in a survival situation are fear and panic. If uncontrolled, they can destroy your ability to make an intelligent decision. They may cause you to react to your feelings and imagination rather than to your situation. They can drain your energy and thereby cause other negative emotions. Think positive.

Improvise

Learn to improvise like taking a tool designed for a specific purpose and see how many other uses you can make of it. Learn to use natural objects around you for different needs. An example is using a rock for a hammer. No matter how complete a survival kit you have with you, it will run out or wear out after a while. Your imagination must take over when your kit wears out.

Value Living

All of us were born kicking and fighting to live, but we have become used to the soft life. We have become creatures of comfort. We dislike inconveniences and discomforts. What happens when we are faced with a survival situation with its stresses, inconveniences, and discomforts?  This is when the will to live - placing a high value on living - is vital.  Stubbornness, a refusal to give in to problems and obstacles that face you, will give you the mental and physical strength to endure.

Act Like the Natives

The natives and animals of a region have adapted to their environment. To get a feel of the area, watch how the people go about their daily routine. When and what do they eat? When, where, and how do they get their food? When and where do they go for water? What time do they usually go to bed and get up? Animal life in the area can also give you clues on how to survive. Animals also require food, water, and shelter. By watching them, you can find sources of water and food.

WARNING: Animals cannot serve as an absolute guide to what you can eat and drink.  Many animals eat plants that are toxic to humans

Live by Your Wits, but for now, Learn Basic Skills

Learn these basic skills now –not when you are headed for or are in a dire situation. You need to know about the environment to which you are going, and you must practice basic skills geared to that environment. For instance, if you are going to a desert, you need to know how to get water in the desert. Learning survival skills reduces fear of the unknown and gives you self-confidence.  It teaches you to live by your wits.

PATTERN FOR SURVIVAL

This survival pattern must include food, water, shelter, fire, first aid, and signals placed in order of importance. For example, in a cold environment, you would need a fire to get warm; a shelter to protect you from the cold, wind, and rain or snow; traps or snares to get food; and first aid to maintain health. If injured, first aid has top priority no matter what climate you are in. Change your survival pattern to meet your immediate physical needs as the environment changes.