Without reference to how much preparation you have put into a trip there’s often the likelihood that things don’t go to plan and maybe by no fault of your own you might possibly find yourself in a critical situation. It may be a road accident or an associate of your team has a medical problem and the obligation for medical services or an evacuation becomes urgent. There’s a high chance you will have cell problems and communication issues or that your location is really tough to identify by the services coming to your rescue.
There are a number of core basic actions that you should take to improve your chances of being found and certainly some things that you should not do. It is imperative that you do not make the circumstances worse, you switch into survival mode and both think before you act by not making any foolish moves. You need to maximise the chance of being found quickly. We hear many stories of individuals somehow maintaining there survival after long periods of time, simply by initiating some golden rules, which might require survival for days if need be.
If your car has broken down or you are in an accident, require aid or are lost, it is important that you stay close to your auto. The prospect of emergency services locating a vehicle are significantly higher than attempting to spot an individual in a remote location wether you are in a very dense forest area or out in the open. Remember even in a light plane if you are out in the open it is very hard to pinpoint life, not to mention in natural bush areas. Your car is basically a useful asset – it can offer valuable shelter from extraordinary temperatures both night time and day time. One engaging tip and easy to execute is to always store some bright fluorescent wide tape which can sometimes be joined to the roof of your car, the prospects of being spotted quickly from the air are significantly increased. This is a straightforward inexpensive solution. Mark a massive cross from corner to corner on the roof and if you are in an open space it’ll stick out loud and clear.
Maybe you are walking or hiking then if you’ve got a map and / or compass, try to confirm the route you took and precisely, slowly back track. If you get into trouble and it is not possible then find and take to any higher ground where you could be spotted. Be conscious of your water supply and use at intervals and fairly, it might have to last days and in hot weather. If you are sufficiently lucky to hear rescuers but they are out of site employ a basic whistle to draw in attention at intervals. It’s quite likely you will need to light a fire if you are trapped in a dense bush area, both to keep body temperature up and help to be spotted. The target during day light hours is to make big plumes of drifting smoke. You can wait till night arrives to use your fire to keep toasty and at that stage the brilliant light will help visualisation from the air. It’s possible the smoke will not be sighted by emergency services, but it can reasonably be smelt some kilometres away. Most of all be patient and calm.
Hopefully you will have taken the precaution of equipping yourself with a comprehensive survival first aid kit which is adequate for your trip. No matter how cumbersome it might seem to carry this with you and keep it handy at all times. A first aid kit can also double up to include such useful items as the whistle, some matches or a lighter, sun cream and some basic food supplies, or even the compass.
Overall one should not panic, gauge your present position and stay together in a group. Even body heat if exposed to cold temperatures could be a life saver. Emergency space blankets ought actually to be kept at all points in your survival emergency kit and they take up nominal space. Help will arrive but by implementing a couple of these simple steps it will not only raise your chance of being found but also keep your spirits high.
Ensure you have a First Aid Kit which can cope with a variety of extreme locations when heading off the beaten track – this Survival First Aid Kit will make life easy.. This article, How To Be Spotted From THe Air has free reprint rights.
