Disasters happen more often than you realize, particularly with global warming on the rise. If a major disaster had to strike tomorrow, most people would be wholly unprepared. Surviving is more than just having hard skills; it is also a mental battle – one for which you can never truly prepare. Wilderness survival tips can be the difference between life and death, but for the most part, they are what will keep you fighting to see another day. Below are the top six survival tips that everyone needs to know:
How To Build A Decent Fire
Learning how to build a fire should be your number one priority. Keeping warm, boiling water, and cooking food are three things that will keep death from knocking on your door. To build a fire, use dry leaves or pine needles to start a blaze that will last. If you have waterproof matches with you, even better – but those will eventually run out.
How To Prioritize
When you’re in survival mode, it will be easy to fall prey to panic and anxiety. You must remain calm, preserve your energy, and learn to prioritize. First things first, assess the situation and get the right knife ready. When you’re calm and collected, you’ll be able to recognize what needs to be done. Keeping safe, staying fed, and being warm should be some of your immediate priorities. The average person can generally survive three hours without shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food – establish your priorities according to those needs.
How To Clean Water
Knowing that you can only survive about three days without water will mean that finding and collecting safe drinking water should be one of your top priorities. You can do this by using a water filter, iodine tablets, or by boiling water over a fire. Look for these and other tips from American Patriot Survivalist. Make sure to clean enough water to meet your hydration needs, as well as for cooking and rinsing your mouth after eating. Staving off cavities may not seem like a priority at first, but toothache will rapidly change your mind.
Smoke Signals
Unless the zombie apocalypse happens, there is every chance that when faced with a survival situation – you’re going to want to find help pretty quickly. Use auditory and visual aids to attract the attention of rescuers. Whistles, mirrors, and smoke signals are three effective ways to call for help when you’re stuck in the wild. By letting rescuers and emergency responders know where you are, they can put a plan together to evacuate you.
How To Use A Compass
A compass is a tool for determining direction using a magnetic needle to point north. To determine which direction you are facing, you measure the angle between the object in question and the magnetized needle. A compass will always point to magnetic north, which is not the same as true north so ensure you know the difference. A compass can be an intimidating piece of equipment to use, but once you get the hang of it – you’ll be better off for it.
Travel With Charcoal
Activated charcoal is known to absorb toxins in the digestive tract, as they pass through your system. Bacteria, parasites, and pathogens enter your body through dodgy or uncooked food sources. By keeping a bottle of charcoal handy when you travel or hike, you can lessen the blow that some of those nasties deliver.