THY PRIORITIES
A list of priorities to remember in an emergency situation are as important to survival as the gear you have. Remember the steps and keep them fresh in your head so when the time comes you will know exactly what to do.
My List of priorities might differ from others, but here they are:
First Aid: You have to take care of yourself and others in your party first, above everything. If you're sick or wounded, you're not going to survive unless you deal with all that before you work on the other priorities. So study up on some self-aid buddy care.
Water: I choose to look for water above shelter first. If you don't have water to hydrate when exerting yourself setting up a shelter, well....that's kinda not so smart. I look for a water source then build a shelter at a reasonable distance from the water source to keep me resupplied. Just make sure you keep your distance, animals are most likely to venture to the watering hole at a daily basis and you don't want to be exposed to a possibly dangerous situation with a bear or other deadly fury woodland critter.
Shelter: Try to locate near a watering hole but not too close (like I said previously) and find something with natural protection from the elements and critters. Near a rock, big tree or small cave (just check out the cave beforehand to make sure no nasties are in it). If you have a tent or tarp, Sweet! If not you're gonna have to improvise with what nature provides, branches, foliage and downed trees are your tent.
Fire: Hopefully you have fire gear to light one up (Fingers Crossed). If you're in a dry area, you're gonna make a fire no problem. If you're in a wet environment (like the northwest) then you better practice making fires in the wet damp of the wild. I find the dried sap on some of the trees around Mt. Hood make fantastic fire starters for even the wettest of environments.
Food: Hopefully you have your BOB if it comes down to it but if not, you're gonna have to improvise and be sharp to get some grub. Bugs, fish, frogs, squirrels, birds and edible plants, usually a few of these are around every area and with a little practice and knowledge you can snag a few of them. Use snares (shoe laces/550cord), spears(branches, twigs), traps (rock fall, punji pits) and rocks (throw'em big or small). Always study up on your local edible plants it could save your life one day and always remember don't eat anything unless you're skilled enough to do so (leaves of three let them be, and for god sake don't eat any mushrooms unless you're a mushroom master). It never hurts to pack a book about local edible plants in your pack.
Rescue: If you're in need of rescue, set up markers, signal fires, pretty much anything you can think of that someone can find easily. Don't move around too much, you might get yourselves more lost, hurt or even dead.
BE SAFE
Anytime your head out to a hike or camping trip, be prepared for such an occasion and tell a few of your peeps where you're gonna be and when you're coming back just to be safe. Better safe then sorry, you never plan for a car accident but we all still wear a seat belt.
Stay Safe and Have Fun Out There!
Stay Informed, Stay Sharp and Stay On The Move.
I'm Oscar Mike
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