January Newsletter
Survival & Outdoor Safety

"Survival is nearly 100 percent a mental challenge, with all decisions of life resting upon your knowledge of what the body needs and how to acquire those needs."... Gene Fear, survival instructor, author: Surviving The Unexpected Wilderness Emergency.

Rising to the occasion...

Survival episodes come in many forms and levels. In the Air Force, determining when you were in a survival situation was pretty simple... you ejected from your multi-million dollar plane and were parachuting down to earth. In civilian life, this determination is not quite as simple nor as easily defined. Over the past few years, survival stories in the news have been widely varied: skiing off the back side of a mountain and becoming disoriented, resulting in a Californian surviving three miserable days in a tree-well shelter; a snowmobile breaking through a snow-bridge across a stream submerging both riders into the icy waters; miscalculating how much food was necessary for a two week cross-country hike, and running out of food in five days; driving off the road into a ditch and subsequently dying of starvation when rescuers failed to find him in two and a half months. (This was in the state of Oregon); biking in Utah, a sixteen year old died of dehydration when he took the wrong trail and his equipment failed; in Idaho, a young couple with their baby try to drive over an obscure mountain pass (the main passes were closed) during a blizzard and become high-centered in the deep snow...and so on.
Regardless of the cause to your situation, you need to rise to meet the occasion. Depending on the severity of your situation, this may be difficult. Shock generally accompanies injuries, death, and becoming lost or stranded in the wilderness. The first order of business is to get control of the one thing that's going to get you back alive... your mind. Sit down until you get yourself under control. Don't try to come up with solutions to your life-and-death problem while your mind is absorbed by fear. We told our pilots and aircrewmen to tie their shoe laces together if it was necessary to keep them in one place. Panic is quite often accompanied by irrational flight. Practice breathing techniques, say a prayer, whatever it takes to get control.
Next... take inventory of what tools and equipment you have. If you were at one of my clinics and acted upon what I said about survival kits, you have a pretty good chance of feeling positive about the outcome. If not, well... the positive attitude may require some additional work. But, don't beat yourself up. You have a big problem that requires every bit of your creativeness and inventiveness that you can muster.
Now, assess what Nature has to offer. What resources do you have to work with? Are there sufficient materials immediately available or will you need to find a more suitable place?
Develop a plan of action. In a group situation, you need to establish a group leader who has both the confidence as well as the know-how to tackle the problem. Don't give too much power to the person who projects doom and gloom as the outcome. It is important to work as a team toward a specific goal. Many gut-wrenching decisions will have to be made. A democratic solution to these problems may not be the best and timeliest method.
In the winter months you will survive for several days and weeks as long as you have an adequate shelter, a source of heat to ward off the affects of hypothermia, and enough water to stay hydrated. (heat provides that as well).
These are the tasks that should occupy your mind. It doesn't matter what happened to get you in the predicament you're in, or who's fault it is, or what anguish you are causing your loved ones back home. What matters... is staying alive.

True or False?
Maggots, when found in an open wound, should be flushed out immediately to prevent the spread of infection.
Answer at the bottom of this page.

CLASSES COMING TO THE LOS ANGELES AREA IN APRIL

Mark the weekend of April 19th and 20th on your calendars. The Northridge REI Store and Survival and Outdoor Safety are offering a two-day, 16 hour survival class. These classes will include: responding to a life-threatening wilderness emergency and natural shelter construction; firecraft-including bowdrill instruction (each student will receive a complete set); water procurement; cordage-learn how to make a rope out of plant fibres; knots and lashings; complete map and compass 101, position determination, celestial navigation; food procurement-intro to wild edibles, and primitive hunting and snaring devices; emergency signaling-ground-to-air signal, smoke generators and signal mirrors, and rescue techniques;

The Versatile Evergreen Bough

Especially in the winter months, one of the most survivor-friendly natural materials in the woods is the green boughs found on all coniferous trees. In the mountainous regions there simply isn't much else growing above the snow. They will;
cover your shelters, insulate you from the cold ground, create smoke to attract rescuers, and, make excellent block letters in the snow to make a visible SOS to aircraft.
Not all boughs are equal, however. The best boughs for insulating purposes are provided by the spruces and firs. They are distinguishable by their needles; spruce needles are square and will "roll" between your fingers, fir needles, on the other hand, are flat and will not roll between the fingers. Both will break off of the tree trunk fairly easy. So you won't need an axe to procure a large amount of them. Use the tips of the boughs when making a mattress of them. Break off any tip from the main branch that is 8"-10" in length. Make a large pile of these. Set a 2-3 foot log in the snow, and lean the bough tips, with the tips facing up, against the log. Make a complete row. Start a second row right up against the first, and continue until the mattress is the length of your body. it should take you about an hour to construct a good bough-bed.
I assure you, the effort will be well worth the time spent. I have slept on hundreds of them during my days with the Air Force survival program. They are more comfortable than an air-mattress. The spruce do tend to be a little prickly though.
A word of caution... the forest service discourages such use of these for recreational purposes. They will be more forgiving in a survival situation however.

FALSE
Many W.W.II soldiers fighting in the tropical zones of the world claim to owe their lives to the therapeutic services provided by these infection-fighting maggots. Infection is life-threatening in the warmer regions of the planet. Let these miraculous creatures do their work. Do flush them out, however, if they start to feast on living tissue. If you don't have sterile water for this purpose, fresh urine will work in its place. Use your own and don't store it... fresh only.

We at SOS think that this information should appeal to a large segment of our population... don't be shy about forwarding this email to others.

Questions or comments? Email us at geneward@theofficenet.com

December Newsletter

"Survival begins in the mind. The first rule of surviving a disaster is to accept what has happened and make the best of what is left. Self-pity, regrets, hopelessness and surrender will never get you home. Survival begins, continues and is accomplished in the mind." Dick Francis, British author.

To STAY or not to STAY... That is the question!

More people, than not, it seems, choose to attempt to walk out of the wilderness if they have an equipment breakdown in the back-country. I watched, with interest, a television program called Wild Survival this past weekend. Two snowmobilers tried to walk out after their machine broke down out in the middle of nowhere. The snow was powdery and waist-deep, yet they persisted for three days in spite of the fact that they had to literally crawl on their bellies to stay on top of the snow. Fortunately, for them, the local County Search and Rescue found them before they succumbed to both hypothermia and dehydration. Their only saving grace, I suspect, was that they were both wearing highly insulated and waterproof snowmobile suits.
There are times when choosing to travel is the better option. For example; for those of you who saw "Cast Away", Tom Hanks' character decided to make it back to civilization after being stuck on that Island at the end of the earth for four years. In another incident, a man died of starvation when his car slid off the road in Oregon only five years ago. He assumed that rescuers would be by any day. So, he waited for their arrival... for nearly two and a half months. They never came. Civilization was less than fifteen miles away (all downhill), and, he was on a road.
If... you have told someone, anyone, where you are going and when you expect to return... you can expect that a rescue party will be looking for you (and probably find you) within forty-eight hours.
If... you have a survival kit with you, and are able to start a fire and shelter yourself from the elements, two to three days in the woods should not be life-threatening. In fact, you should be able to last several weeks even without food. We're more like bears than you think.
If... however, you choose to walk out... consider the consequences: you will, most likely, be burning up huge amounts of calories without the ability to refuel; the physical exertion will deplete the water you are storing in you body at an alarming and dangerous rate; fatigue will, all but cripple your ability to take care of your survival needs; and, a moving target is much more difficult for searchers to find. All in all, the odds are you are much more likely to die if you choose to walk out.
You are more likely to decide to not walk out if you have a survival kit with you. Being prepared cannot be overstated to someone who is about to spend an unexpected night in the wilderness.

True or False?

Your feet will stay warmer longer if you wear a hat? (answer at the bottom of the page)

Survival Classes coming soon to your area.

I am currently working out arrangements with REI in the Northridge, CA area to offer a two-day, 16-hour survival class in the month of April. These classes will be limited in size. More information coming soon.
In the Bay Area, I am working out arrangements with the San Carlos Park and Recreation District. We hope these can be finalized to be able to offer a class in April as well. Stay tuned.


The Survival Store

If you want to purchase a single item only, or several selected items from the Survival Store (instead of getting a package deal) we can accommodate you if you decide to pay by check or money order.
Email me with your order... I will send you a price quote back (per item)... and, if the purchase is over $90, I will waive the shipping (standard ground only). that goes for website orders as well, over $90 and the standard shipping costs will be waived for the month of December.
In addition, all orders of that amount ($90 or more) will receive a free video on Personal Survival Kits. Don't wait too long if you want to get the order by Christmas. UPS and FedEx get pretty backed up this time of year.

Primitive Skills

When I lived in the Bay Area in 1994-96, I learned from some of the better primitive skills instructors in the country, Norm Kidder (with the East Bay Regional Park District), and Dick Baugh. Both are regular contributors to the magazine - Bulletin of Primitive Technology. Check out their website -
www.primitiveways.com . *Norm teaches some exceptional classes through the EBRPD. (Information on his classes can be obtained on his website). *Definitely check this out.


Bow and Drill Tutorial
For those of you who took advantage of November's special on the free bow and drill set. Learn how to master this ancient fire-making skill by going to my old website at:
http://www.geocities.com/survivorgene/ for detailed, step-by-step, pictorial instruction on this primitive skill.

Answer
True
The number one cause of death in the wilderness is hypothermia. Some estimates put it as high as 70%. If you under-stand how wearing a hat effects your feet, your chances of staying alive out there will increase substantially.
The body has a thermostat that kicks in when the body's temperature falls below 96 degrees Fahrenheit. The major source of this heat loss radiates from the top of your head... up to 70 per cent at zero degrees. In an effort to protect the body's core, the blood is cut off at the periphery i.e. hands and toes, and redirected to protect the vital organs. Hence, your feet get cold as a result of this action. To keep the body from going into this hypothermic mode, stop the heat loss at the head by wearing a hat.

Survival & Outdoor Safety
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER


Winter survival tips:

"The more you need a fire... the more difficult it is to build one." This is especially true during the winter months. These are just a few of the "tricks" that I have applied over the past thirty years that have always ended in success:
1) If you can... dig down to ground level without wearing yourself out and creating too much sweating. Otherwise, build a platform out of green logs on top of the snow. Keep the fire relatively small.
On one occasion I was able to push over a relatively large, dead, standing snag and built the fire on the end of this log which was resting on top of the deep snow.
2) Collect all of your kindling and fuel above the snow and off of the ground. Dead branches on the bottom of coniferous (pine, fire and spruce... avoid tamarack, or eastern larch... they only appear to be dead) trees are a great source of firewood. Push over dead standing snags when possible.
3) If you are in a pine forest utilize the pitchwood (AKA fatwood) stumps and exposed roots to insure that your efforts will be successful. The oily bark from the birch tree is another good alternative. In extreme wet weather these natural products are life-savers. The black smoke they emit is mildly toxic, so don't overdo either of them.
4) Dead cedar stumps provide good tender and kindling but it is a poor source of fuel to sustain a fire... they don't produce coals.
5) Keep the fire small and get up-close and personal with it. Bon-fires are an unnecessary waste of fuels and only "cook" one side of you at a time.
6) Practice, practice, practice. I have known professional guides who were unable to start fires in Washington State's Cascade mountains. Fire starting is difficult when everything is wet. Collect fire starting materials (pitchwood and birchbark) during your day's trek.
7) Start with a "V" fire. Put two logs together in the form of a V. If it's windy, the closed end of the V will be pointing into the wind to keep it from being a factor. If the wind is barely blowing, the open of the V will focus what little breeze onto the fire. Put your tender and kindling at the closed end of the logs. You can put large amounts of kindling directly on top of the fire without smothering it and robbing it of its oxygen.
8) Most importantly... have all of your tenders, kindlings and fuels collected beforehand. Piles of them. Don't starve your fire by not putting enough fuel on it. And, don't go too big, too soon.
Good luck!

It was SRO for SOS in LA

I want to take this opportunity to thank REI for their support in the recent tour of California and Nevada. Especially Amber Halter and Sally Johnson in the Los Angeles area where all five clinics were filled to capacity, Polly Bolling in the Bay Area, and Colette Imasaki in Reno. I achieved personal highs in attendance in Santa Ana (108), and Arcadia (96). The overall average for the five Southern California REI's was 85. Our wilderness survival clinics have now established attendance records at REI locations in Seattle, Bay Area, Chicago, and now, Los Angeles. I'm pleased and honored to be able to share life-saving tips with so many.

True or False? ( answer on the bottom of the page )

If you are unable to dry your wet clothing by a fire before hitting the sack, it is an acceptable and safe practice to place them inside of your sleeping bag and let your body heat do the work for you while you sleep.

What to get as a gift for the person who has everything.

A survival kit for that difficult to buy for person is both a practical as well as thoughtful gift. In earthquake prone California, a survival kit makes more sense than in any part of the country. Every car and household should be equipped with one. It does no good to have the "one" kit sitting at home when the highway system is in shambles. Wouldn't you feel better knowing that your spouse and children were prepared to face a worse case scenario. Give a gift that means a lot.

"The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself".

When I walked across the USA in 1984, this was at the heart of my discussion with hundreds groups of all ages all across the nation. Nothing is more debilitating than to react fearfully to a potentially life-threatening problem. More often than not you'll do the very thing that will exacerbate the problem. For example, if a bear charges you, the absolute worse thing you could do is run. This will only excite this predatory animal. A bears charge is 90% bluff. If, however, you respond like prey, you will be treated as such. Before you decide how to best handle a survival episode, get control of your fears first. The outcome will be much more positive.

A man on a mission

Sharing my experience as a survival teacher as well as a motivational speaker has been a quest of mine since my walk across the country. It is my passion. Please consider me when you are in need of a speaker for your next meeting or convention, or mention me to your school principle. I have shared my experience with nearly 100 schools since 1984. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. There is a speaker request form on my website at www.survivalandoutdoorsafety.com .

November Special From The Survival Store:

Any "full" (valued at $210) or "partial" (valued at $90) survival kit purchased from our website during the month of November, we will include, absolutely free, a complete bow-drill set. When I learned how to create fire by friction, it took my survival skills level up a definite notch or two. These are some of the best bow-drill sets available. They would make an excellent gift for that 'scout' in your family.



Answer:
False

This is a practice utilized by many of the outdoor programs across the country. Many of these programs do not allow their clients or students to dry their highly susceptible nylon and gore-tex products by the fire. A small spark can ruin a $300 parka or sleeping bag. Their alternative is to dry them while sleeping. Whereas this is an effective means of drying out socks, and to some extent, underwear, it can be taken to extremes with some unexpected consequences i.e. a damp sleeping bag that no longer offers a restful, resuscitating night's sleep. Wet clothing can draw heat from your body 40 times faster than dry clothing. Your sleeping bag is your last, and often times best resort in a survival situation. Be careful and don't overdo it.

Again... it is my desire to share my many years of survival experience with as many of you as possible. Forward this newsletter to someone. We will all benefit from it. Thanks !

Any question or comments: email me at gene@survivalandoutdoorsafety.com