Greg Caggiano

Six Things That Could Save Your Life

You’re driving down a stretch of an old state highway which Google Maps recommended, when all of a sudden, a deer darts across the road. You swerve to avoid it and lose control of the vehicle, helplessly pumping the brakes as the car smashes through the guardrail. It slides down a steep embankment and comes to a stop in a stream. Disoriented but unhurt, you get out of the car and assess the situation. Your car is totaled, the embankment is too steep to climb, and all you have is a plastic water bottle, a light jacket, a lighter, and a cell phone without any service. Thankfully, you have read an informative article in Reporter.

While it is unlikely that you’ll end up in such a dire situation, it is better to be safe than sorry. In any emergency situation, whether it is in the middle of the Canadian wilderness or on the mean streets of Rochester, the most important thing is to keep a cool head. If you can make rational, informed decisions, your chance of survival will be greater. That being said, there are a number of different factors that must be taken into account while attempting to survive in the wilderness.

Greg Caggiano

Shelter

Chances are, if you are stranded with no way of getting help, you will need a place to sleep. You must stay dry at all costs, and therefore, sleeping under the stars is out of the question.

You could sleep in the car. Unfortunately, unless it is the middle of the summer, that would probably be a bad idea. Cars are not built to stay warm. While they provide a nice roof, they are not well insulated.

In a wooded area, it is very easy to build a simple lean-to shelter out of materials lying in the ground. Find a sturdy log, about 10 feet long, and lean one end against a tree or a rock, making sure that it will not fall over. Get smaller branches and lean them against the log, forming walls on both sides. Make sure to leave an entrance opening near the rock or tree. Pile leaves on top of the branches and the floor, ensuring that there is a sizeable layer covering the entire structure. The design is very basic, but it provides a near waterproof cover and a good amount of heat retention.

Greg Caggiano

Warmth

As mentioned before, staying warm and dry is important. Hypothermia, when the body’s core temperature decreases and cannot be maintained, should be avoided at all cost. Contrary to popular belief, hypothermia can develop in any season, provided the conditions are right. First, if needed, leaves can be placed between a shirt and a jacket to add an extra layer of insulation.

A fire is another good way to keep warm, but starting one is not as easy as rubbing two sticks together. If you have a working lighter or a set of matches, then you are all set. However, there are other ways to start a fire.

For example, quartz, a common milky white or grey mineral, will throw sparks when hit with a piece of iron (such as a tire iron). If you can obtain an easily combustible material, (like gasoline) then you have found your source of ignition.

Once you have ignition, you need to apply it to fuel. Gasoline burns fast, so you will need to gather dry wood to keep the fire going. A good fire is built. This means burning small stuff first and adding larger pieces of wood later. If you do manage to get a fire started, make sure it is at a distance from your shelter or anything else flammable.

Greg Caggiano

Hydration

Staying hydrated should be the number one priority in the wild. A human can go weeks without adequate food, but only days without water. Thankfully, water in the Northeast is relatively abundant. Therefore, finding a source of water will be pretty easy.

However, regardless of how clear the water may look, there are bound to be bacteria and other microorganisms living in it. Those microbes may result in nasty cases of gastroenteritis (diarrhea and vomiting), causing you to lose more water than you would gain from drinking it.

If you have no other means of sanitizing the water, such as iodine tablets or a fancy portable filter, boiling the water is your best bet. Rain water is another option, but there may be pollutants due to acid rain.

Greg Caggiano

Nutrition

Depending on how long you are stuck in the wild, you may need to find something to eat. This can be a dangerous undertaking, if you do not know what you are looking for. Many wild edible plants have close cousins that could make you sick. If you can, avoid eating wild plants or fungi. The same goes for meat and fish, unless you have a means of properly cleaning and cooking it.

Signaling

Another top priority in a survival situation is being rescued. Making your presence known is important, especially if no one knows you are missing. Smoke, particularly black smoke, is an easy way to get attention.

Wood and gasoline burn with a weak white smoke that is nearly invisible from a distance. However, burning rubber produces thick black smoke which can be easily seen. Adding a spare tire to your campfire will produce a billowing black tower of smoke that, with luck, will alert someone to your presence.

Rear-view mirrors can also be used to signal to low flying planes or helicopters on a sunny day. In any case, unless you know where you are going, stay put and keep attempting to signal.

Preparation

Hopefully, you will never be in a desperate situation, but it does not hurt to be prepared. Having a working knowledge of outdoor survival skills such as building a fire, orienteering, and performing first aid can be the difference between life and death. Also, having an emergency supply kit in your car, replete with iodine tablets, matches, newspaper, and a first aid kit would be useful. Always inform someone of your itinerary, and watch out for deer.