by Sheri Goeser Stritof
If you like to hike or camp, you could find yourself lost. Surviving such an experience is not that hard if a person knows what to do.
Tell someone where you are going.
Be prepared.
Wear layered clothing that has bright colors and is warm. Have a hat with you, too.
Carry a multi-tool device that has the bottle opener, pliers, screwdrivers, knife blade, etc.
Purchase a metal match. It is unaffected by weather and is an excellent fire starter.
Make sure you have a small plastic mirror with you. It could help attract rescuers.
Dip some cottonballs in Vaseline and keep in a zippered plastic bag.
Carry a tiny bottle of household bleach to purify water for drinking. All you need is two drops per quart of water.
Pack some lightweight nylon rope and a space blanket or a garbage bag.
Buy a whistle.
Bring along some duct tape. It can be useful for lots of situations including taping a sprained ankle.
Hug a tree. Once you realize you are lost, stay put. Donīt keep on the move. It makes it harder for rescuers to find you.
Remember that most people are found by rescuers within 24 to 48 hours.
Try to maintain your body core temperature and keep warm.
Build a fire by scraping the knife blade along the metal match next to one of the dipped cottonballs. Try to do this on a flat rock or a piece of wood that keeps your fire off damp ground.
You can find dry firewood even in a damp forest by cutting toward the middle of a tree limb.
Make yourself a shelter out of the space blanket or get underneath a tree.
To get off the cold or damp ground, sit on a stack of evergreen branches.
If you are bleeding, try to stop the bleeding.
If you are very hungry, you can eat most anything that crawls, creeps or slithers. Earth worms may not sound delectable, but they are edible.
Donīt panic. The average person can live 30 to 60 days without food intake at all. They can last 3 to 7 days without water. This varies and depends on their physical condition and level of activity and the type of environment they are in.
