Sunday, July 5th See pictures in CAMN’s Flickr photos
Advanced training on Survival training was held at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Park Interpreter Sarah Jones and a very knowledgeable Mike Thennes lead the group about the priorities of shelter and water. These are just a few of my notes to give you an idea of what was covered in the class. We all appreciated the time they donated to this training event.
Many people become disoriented and confused when lost in the woods. Trying to find your way home can make it hard for people to locate where you are. Stay put, build a shelter, get drinking water, and make lots of noise to let people know where you are.
WHEN and HOW: When we are thirsty, we are already 3% dehydrated because our brain signals us when it is too late. Drink 8 oz every 15 minutes because the body can’t store water. Instead of gulping your water, drink like a wine taster. It will help hydrate the sinuses. We lose water by conduction, convection, radiation, respiration, and perspiration. You can lose up to a liter of water a day by breathing through your mouth. Protein and fat need a lot of water to digest, so while hiking, bring carbohydrates. When you hear water sloshing in your stomach it means you need salt (Replenish at Walmart). Shivering burns up to 500 calories a minute (I was thinking that this weight loss program is not recommended while trying to survive).
FIND IT: Watch the wildlife and looks for tracks. Animals will daily go for water. Use a handkerchief to collect dew by wiping it on grass or leaves of non-poisonous trees then squeezing it in something to purify. Water can come from trees. The ones to look for are maple, birch, hickory, sweet gum and sycamore. A grapevine also contains water. If you are desperate, try the eye of a fish.
FILTERS: Boiling is best but if you can’t there are a lot of types of filters and methods. Many were described and it was suggested we practice at home before we actually need to use them. Eating snow can lower your body temperature and increase the risk of hypothermia. Melt the snow first, and purify the water before drinking.
SHELTER: We saw a survival tent constructed with just a stick, tarp and ropes. Watch for where you put the tent. Observe overhead (lose branches to fall in a storm), drainage, and plants (poison ivy) around you. If you build by a stream, animals follow the bank and you could put yourself in danger. Then we hiked to a previously built A-frame bough shelter. The reality of a survival situation increased my need for knowledge as I attempted to get in the small shelter and visualized myself in the woods alone, hoping to survive the night until help arrived.
KNOTS: Something I had forgotten since Girl Scouts many years ago. Need a refresher on that.
FURTHER READING: Books suggested that interested me were the Tom Brown Jr books in particular the Field Guide for Suburban and City Survival.
