For all adventure lovers that enjoy the feel of the outdoors, life at the extremes is not a daunting prospect. But, for those that are family campers or out for the first time, braving the wilds and the unexpected can be a scary thought. However, this needn’t always be so for if correctly planned, any outdoor trip will go smoothly and happily.
Being prepared for eventualities: surviving life at the extremes
Among the things that can go wrong are the chances of people getting lost, losing maps, dry rations, injuries, not finding adequate shelter in time and running out of water/fluids when illness strikes. The best way for dealing with one or all such situations is to remember to keep from panicking and slowly figure out the possible course of action and feasibility of each approach to the problem at hand.
- If one gets lost in a place with extreme weather conditions, the first thing to do is prepare clothing and help gear to protect against the elements since food and fluids are come lower on the list when survival is the question.
- Move to higher ground, share out the food and water, listen out for rescuers, and signal if you hear them. This is where the essentials wilderness survival kit comes in and torchlight, a mirror, a compass and whistle are very significant elements in a complete kit.
- During the day, a person battling the extremes can attempt to light a small smoky fire of green leaves, if the vegetation in the area allows for that. If not rescued by nightfall, light a small, bright fire with dry materials and be prepared to brave it out for a while till help is at hand.
- If the conditions are extreme heat, one can turn pale, get clammy and breathe rapidly. In such a situation, persons experiencing life at the extremes should rest in the shade, sponge self with cool water and drink cool water with a little salt dissolved in it to keep from getting dehydrated.
- Try to protect yourself from the elements by crafting some kind of shelter to keep out the cold and wind and keep yourself as warm and dry as possible.
- If life at the extremes extends to very cold weather conditions, a person’s movements tend to naturally become slow and unsure; a person may stumble, get cramps, shiver suffer from blurred vision. Finding a warm, dry place for shelter from the wind and the rain is crucial in such a circumstance and if part of a group, one should wrap up as warmly as possible, share a sleeping bag and have warm drinks.
- Carry a waterproof electric torch since these give off no noxious fumes and are not a fire risk. Also remember to carry spare batteries in a dry place where they wont get wet.
- Good, strong waterproof boots and lined cloaks for cold weather, uneven terrain and unknown climes are a good buy and carrying several pairs of socks helps one to have padded protection for the feet doing the most hard work throughout an outdoor trip.