Shelter - Believe it or not, it is your number
one survival priority!
By Susan Conniry
October 29, 1998
During the last few years teaching not only wilderness survival but also urban
preparedness, it has been amazing to find that so few people understand the
priorities necessary to survive an emergency situation. Y2K makes a current
evaluation of this phenomenon vital and more urgent. Though many people are
setting up communities and preparing for major breakdowns in power,
telecommunications and transportation, it is obvious that most are not skilled
enough to provide for themselves once the disaster occurs.
Knowledge of basic survival skills add one element to the preparation
equation that is oftentimes left out: self-confidence. In order to weather a
survival/emergency/disaster situation you must PROVE to yourself that
you can. Every person who is individually prepared takes the pressure off the
emergency service agencies. Being unprepared is in a way almost selfish. It is
highly recommended that you take the time to participate in a hands-on
survival course. There is nothing better than actually "doing it." However,
realizing that many may not be able to find a course close to home, this article
and the following in the series will provide some simple knowledge that will
make the difference between life and death.
In California last winter, a teenage snowboarder got lost. When he was found
several days later, the media coverage demonstrated the lack of
understanding that the general public has in regards to survival. The headlines
read, "Lost snowboarder lives for six days without food." Somewhere, deep in
the third paragraph was the fact that "he had actually died from exposure." An
associate of mine asked me to review a manuscript that contained, in part,
some advice about Y2K preparedness. When I advised him that he had
incorrectly assigned water as the number one priority, he replied that "it was
my editor's decision." This clearly demonstrates ignorance of the survival
priorities. But, ignorance is no excuse for loss of life.
Without shelter you will die from exposure in minutes to hours depending on
the temperature. Add in the wind chill factor and the rain and you are on
dangerous ground even more rapidly. Hypothermia is by far the most common
killer in a survival situation. Most humans can survive four days without water
and thirty to forty days without food.
In any survival situation, natural disaster, man-made emergency or Y2K
disruption, the priorities are always the same: shelter, water, fire, and food.
Of course, clothing is your first line of defense against the elements. The
layering system is recommended for cold weather conditions. Three items to
include in your personal wardrobe are "expedition weight" Capilene
underwear, fleece outerwear, and a protective outer shell of waterproof
material. A good pair of insulated boots is a must. Also, in extreme conditions
consider fleece mittens, socks and a balaclava. We recommend fleece
because of its warmth factor but also because it is light in weight. Many of you
may want to pack a survival backpack. You need to be able to lift it and carry it
if you plan to travel any distance.
If you are caught short of these supplies in any emergency situation, a tip for
keeping warm: insulate your clothing with the appropriate material as close as
possible to the skin. In an urban setting you can use the pages from your
phone book to stuff your clothes. In the wilderness, use forest debris, leaves
and grasses. If your car breaks down, rip the stuffing out of your seats
(remember it IS an emergency!) and stuff your clothes.
Now, let us move into emergency survival shelters. The main function of any
shelter is to provide warmth, protection and security. If you have to rely on your
body heat, make it small, the smaller the better. In the wilderness the most
effective shelter is the "debris hut." It is built like a squirrel's nest and is small
and well insulated with forest debris.
It is, however, likely that a natural disaster and/or Y2K disruptions will occur
while you are home. Bear in mind that a home without heat is nothing more
than a large tent. Pick the smallest room in the house that is safe, dry and the
least exposed to the cold. Then make a shelter within a shelter. It is best to
have a room without windows or with windows facing the sun. Pick a room that
is not only convenient but also one with doors that can be opened for
ventilation or closed to prevent a draft. Then go hunting! Gather up all the
insulating materials you can find: blankets, pillows mattresses, towels and
clothing. Don't forget the drapes and carpeting. The padding under the carpet
is excellent too.
Make a mattress burrito - roll up in a mattress and stuff the inside with
pillows and other materials. Don't forget to cover your head.
Make a mattress sandwich - sandwich yourself between two mattresses
with stuffing around the edges - this is an excellent way of sheltering two or
more people.
Make a mattress fort - for the larger group of people, this option gives you
more room. Make a rectangular box with mattresses as the walls in a corner of
the room. Fill the interior with pillows, blankets, and cushions and drape a
blanket, quilt or drapes across the entrance. The more insulation you use and
the more people huddle together, the warmer it will be.
All these shelters are based on creating dead air space. Anything in your
house will work. Remember how you made forts when you were a child. That's
all there is to it. Build a fort and stuff it with all the insulating material you can
find.
Once your shelter is built confine your activities to that area. This will conserve
energy and cut down on drafts. Shut all doors and windows. Insulate windows
by hanging drapes or blankets but be very conscious and careful about
ventilation. And, NEVER bring flames or any combustibles of any kind into the
shelter.
Shelter, water, fire and food are your needs. All the rest are wants. Knowledge
of survival priorities and earth skills can never be taken from you. It is the
ultimate insurance.
"A true survivalist is a Caretaker of the Earth."
Read Susan Conniry's Bio
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