FAQs : Learn to Survive

Q: Could you give advice on the best way/places to train and gain experience in a wilderness survival situation? I'm looking for instructors/schools that teach wilderness survival, but so far, the ones I find are too far from home or too expensive to afford (I live in Houston, Texas). I currently attend the University of Houston, but they don't offer any courses/programs that deal with wilderness survival, etc. I'd greatly appreciate it if you could give your advice/opinion on the best course of action.
Much thanks,
Dushaun

A: Experience is life's best teacher! Take a look at this Web site -- www.equipped.com/srvschol.htm. Due diligence will help you find the school that best fits your needs. Do you want training in just basic survival or something more advanced? What topics would you like to learn -- there are many. Some schools will offer one- or two-day courses; some for as low as $150 per day. Save the necessary funds and do it! Believe me, you'll find what you want and get what you pay for. You might also want to whet your appetite by ordering some of the DVDs offered on many of the individual sites. These DVDs offer information by topic and are normally very informative. However, try as you may, you will never gain the education you seek by watching a DVD. I remember learning to start a fire using a bow and drill. I watched someone else do it and couldn't wait to try it myself. I gathered everything the other guy had. I went to work tying the string to the bow, making a socket for the drill/spindle to rest in, etc. I tried and tried to no avail. I even set off a few smoke alarms in the barracks, but no fire! I was physically exhausted and mentally perplexed when I finally gave up. Kind of like the MythBusters episode where they tried and tried and failed to do it. Then I found someone with experience that could work with and teach me until I got it. Without his guidance and hands-on expertise I wouldn't have gained the proper experience to succeed.

Q: What is a "reliable tender"?
-- "B_Hurt"

A: Around my house a "reliable tender" is a lot of elbow grease or my wife's personal favorite -- U.S. dollars. If however you're referring to the art of fire craft, then you'll need "reliable tinder." First, tinder is any type of material that can be ignited easily with a minimum amount of heat -- even a spark. It must be aerated well and dry. It should burn for a couple of minutes on its own, and you must have an adequate amount (which is another topic altogether).

There is a multitude of reliable tinders that can be gathered from nearly any environment. But an excellent tinder that most people have access to in their own home is cotton balls with petroleum jelly. Just take a handful of cotton balls and a scoop of petroleum jelly and mash them together. Work the jelly in until the cotton balls are somewhat saturated with it. Then store them in a small container, like a 35-mm film canister, for future use. Since the film canister doesn't take up much room, you can carry it in your pocket or put it in your grab bag. Besides being very portable, they're great because even if you get them wet, they are still useable as tinder. To use them, just take a couple out and pull at the fibers until they're separated and hair-like. Then ignite them.

Enjoy!

Q: Can the human body produce something internally that helps them survive? Sometimes we hear stories where men or women perform amazing feats like carrying unbelievable weights and such. Is there a survival mechanism in the body that occurs in deadly situations that helps a person survive?
-- "Arda Durmaz"

A: YES! It's called "the will to survive." It has been defined as "the desire to live despite seemingly insurmountable mental or physical obstacles." The key word there is "seemingly." Your outlook may not be the same as the next guy. While we all have a will to survive, it comes in varying degree from person to person. Training and the tools you have are important, but they are not always the deciding factor. That said, being properly prepared will have an impact on you mentally that will carry over to your will to survive. Even so, under life-threatening circumstances, one person will choose to die while the next guy will make different choices to live. A couple of stories come to mind.

The first is of a man who was stranded in the Arizona desert for eight days without food or water. He traveled more than 150 miles during searing temperatures, losing 25 percent of his body weight due to water loss (usually a 10 percent loss is fatal).His blood became so thick that his multiple lacerations didn't bleed until after he was rescued and given large quantities of fluids. Obviously his only thoughts were of surviving. This hasn't been substantiated, but I heard that he was going through a divorce and didn't want his wife to get everything!

The second story is of a Canadian bush pilot who had engine troubles and made a deadstick landing onto a frozen lake. He did a great job and came to a stop in the middle of the lake. He left the aircraft and checked it for damage. After surveying the area, he noticed a wooded shoreline about 200 yards away where food and shelter could be provided. About halfway there, he changed his mind and went back to the plane. He climbed into the cockpit, smoked a cigar, took out his pistol and blew his brains out. Less than 24 hours later, a rescue team found him. No one will ever know why he just gave up, or why some people will go on by eating their belt or drinking broth from their boots. But it all comes down to one's will to survive!

Here are some things to remember that you can use to strengthen your chances of survival:

1) Don't panic -- "flying off the handle" can be a death sentence.

2) If possible, relax and think through your situation rationally.

3) Develop a plan and take action. Doing nothing does just that -- nothing.

4) Having a positive mental attitude is critical. Keeping your hope and faith alive depends on your PMA.

5) Prayer or meditation and thoughts of your family can also be very helpful.

Keep in mind that, no matter what, you can and will survive.

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