Ultimate Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook

by David Borgenicht

  High-Altitude Illnesses

  ILLNESS: Mild acute mountain sickness

  SYMPTOMS: Headache, dizziness, and nausea during first 12 hours in high altitude

  TREATMENT: Descend 1,500 feet or more and wait for body to acclimate.

  ILLNESS: Moderate acute mountain sickness

  SYMPTOMS: Bad headache, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, fatigue, and fluid retention after 12 hours at high altitude

  TREATMENT: Descend at least 1,500 feet; take oxygen if possible.

  ILLNESS: High-altitude cerebral edema

  SYMPTOMS: Acute headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue for 24 hours; mental confusion; clumsiness and lack of muscle coordination

  TREATMENT: Take oxygen; descend immediately; evacuate the mountain or use a portable hyperbaric chamber; take dexamethasone and/or acetazolamide.

  ILLNESS: High-altitude pulmonary edema

  SYMPTOMS: Moist cough, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, severe weakness and drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, bluish skin

  TREATMENT: Take oxygen; descend as soon as possible; use a portable hyperbaric chamber; take nifedipine.

  ILLNESS: High-altitude retinal hemorrhage (bleeding in retina)

  SYMPTOMS: Blind spots; if bleeding is light, may have no symptoms

  TREATMENT: Descend immediately if blind spots develop. Problem typically resolves itself two to eight weeks after occurrence.

  JUNGLE

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  HOW TO BUILD A JUNGLE SHELTER

  1 Clear the vegetation from a flat, dry area.

  The space for your shelter need only be slightly longer than your body and about twice the width. Avoid areas where signs of erosion indicate a danger of flash floods.

  2 Drive four posts into the ground, one at each corner of the area.

  Collect four logs or branches about as tall as your shoulder and about six inches across. Use a sharpened stick to dig the post holes; then pound a post into each hole to a depth of at least one foot, so the pole stands as tall as your waist.

  3 Carve a notch on each pole.

  Use a pocketknife or a sharp stick to carve a two-inch notch into the outward face of each pole, at a uniform height just below knee level.

  4 Collect materials for the frame of the structure.

  Find six straight sapling trunks or sturdy tree branches about four inches in diameter, or thick enough to hold your weight. You’ll need two saplings about two feet longer than the width of your shelter area (probably five and seven feet long) and four more saplings about two feet longer than the length of your shelter (about nine feet long).

  5 Create the frame at the head and foot of the shelter.

  Form a horizontal bar by placing the ends of one of the shorter saplings into the notches in the poles at the head of the shelter. Repeat at the foot of the shelter. Secure both saplings to the poles with ropes or vines. Ideally, the ends of both crossbars should protrude about one foot beyond the posts they’re resting on.

  6 Create the frame for the sides of the shelter.

  Use two of the long remaining saplings to form the crossbars for the sides, laying them on top of the protruding ends of the crossbars at the shelter’s top and bottom. Lash them in place with ropes or vines.

  7 Make a bed from sturdy, smaller branches.

  Gather several dozen straight branches about two inches in diameter and about two feet longer than the width of the shelter frame. Place them so that they span from one side of the frame to the other, and lash them in place with ropes or vines.

  8 Collect materials to make the roof.

  Find five straight branches or saplings measuring about two inches in diameter: one should be two feet longer than the length of the shelter (this will form the apex), and the other four should be two feet longer than the width of the shelter (these will form the gables).

  Sleep about two feet off of the ground to protect yourself from flash floods, insects, fungal infections, hypothermia, and wild animal attacks.

  9 Make the frame for the roof.

  Carve a two-inch notch into the outward face of each upright pole an inch or two from the top. Lay the two remaining long and thick saplings gathered in step 4 into the notches to create another pair of lengthwise crossbars at the top of the shelter. Lash a pair of gable branches together at one end, creating a right angle between them; then lash the free ends to the top of the head posts. Repeat with the other gable branches at the foot of the shelter. Finally, lash the long apex sapling into the V shape at the top of each gable, creating a lengthwise crossbar for your roof.

  10 Finish the roof.

  Fill in the frame by lashing branches that run horizontally from one end of the shelter to the other. These branches should be about an inch thick, or sturdy enough to support heavy leaves. Drape large leaves over the frame, overlapping them from top to bottom to form natural shingles.

  WARNING!

  An elevated shelter is essential in tropical environments. Sleeping directly on the ground may lead to fungal infections; leech infestation; attacks from wild boars, snakes, and other large animals; hypothermia; or drowning by fash food.

  HOW TO SURVIVE WHEN LOST IN THE JUNGLE

  How to Find Civilization

  1 Locate a river.

  Generally, animal trails will lead you to water. Water is the key to jungle navigation and usually the quickest way to travel.

  2 Fashion a makeshift raft.

  3 Let the current carry you downstream.

  4 Travel on the river only during the daylight hours.

  Alligators and crocodiles are generally night hunters, so avoid traveling on water at night.

  5 Watch closely for signs of villages or settlements.

  Many jungle settlements and villages are located along the shores of rivers.

  How to Find Food and Water

  If you do not have the means to purify water, cut sections from large water vines, or cut banana trees and capture the water welling out of the stalks.

  Only drink water from streams and rivers as a last resort, when dehydration and death are a near certainty. Diarrhea will most likely result, so increase your water intake and keep moving.

  If you cannot peel it or cook it, do not eat it.

  Avoid brightly colored plants or plants with a milky sap (many of these are poisonous). Insects, grubs, and raw fish (except those with bristles or spines rather than scales) are safe to eat. Look for grubs and insects beneath rotting logs and vegetation. Pinch the heads off and eat them raw. Peel fruits carefully before eating; the peels may harbor diarrhea-causing bacteria.

  How to Travel over Land

  Mark your trail by breaking and turning over fresh vegetation. This will reveal the bright undersides of leaves and will leave a clear trail should you need to backtrack.

  Look for shelter during bad weather. Large, hollow tree buttresses can often be used. Line the ground with palm fronds, and stand several more palm fronds over the opening. Note: Do not build this shelter under a tall tree during a thunderstorm because of lightning danger.

  WARNING!

  Before traveling to a remote area, take the time to look at any available maps. Pay attention to topography and any roads or waterways nearby If you get lost, you will need to know what general direction of travel will intersect a road or waterway and thus, eventually, civilization.

  The jungle canopy can totally occlude the sun, so a compass may be your only means of determining direction. The same heavy canopy will make it impossible for would-be rescuers to find you, or even to locate a downed aircraft. Unlike being lost in a wilderness situation, staying put in the jungle means virtually certain death.

  To make a natural insect repellent, you can use a termite nest. These nests are abundant on the ground and in trees. They resemble irregular-shaped dirt mounds the size of five-gallon barrels. Break up the mounds (they look like dirt but are actually digested wood) and rub the material on your skin.

  How to Make a Raft

&nb
sp; You will need two tarps or ponchos, green brush, two large saplings, and ropes or vines. Tie rope to the corners of one tarp. Pile fresh green brush 18 inches high all around. Place two saplings across the brush in an X. Pile another 18 inches of brush atop the X.

  Compress the brush. Pull the sides of the tarp tightly around the pile and tie diagonally.

  Place another tarp on the ground. Put the bundle open-side down in the center of the tarp on the ground. Tie tightly as shown. Use the raft rope-side up.

  THE FOREST

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  HOW TO LEAVE A TRAIL FOR RESCUERS IF LOST IN THE WILDERNESS

  1 Walk through “track traps.”

  Mud pools, wet sandy areas, snow, and other soft terrain can hold footprints for long periods (days or weeks, between storms). Step in these areas, write “HELP,” and draw arrows to signal your direction of travel to potential rescuers. If you reverse course, step in the tracks again on your way out. Your footprints will indicate that the search should not continue past the track trap.

  2 Build campfires.

  Smoke from campfires can be seen for miles, and fires show up well at night. Warm fire rings also indicate to rescuers that you were recently in a particular area. Do not leave fires burning, but make sure coals or dirt is still warm when you leave. (Warm coals can reignite, so leave warm fire rings only in wet areas or under conditions of low fire danger.)

  The Universal Edibility Test

  1. Abstain from eating for eight hours before testing a new possible food source.

  2. Separate the plant into its basic components: seeds, leaves, stems, flowers, buds, and roots.

  3. Test for contact poisoning by placing the plant part in the crook of your elbow for 15 minutes. If no irritation follows, proceed.

  4. Place the plant part on your lips for three minutes to make sure it won’t cause a burning or itching sensation.

  5. Place the plant part on your tongue for 15 minutes to make sure it causes no irritation.

  6. If there has been no adverse reaction, chew a small portion and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes.

  7. If no irritation or numbness results, swallow the small plant morsel.

  8. Abstain from eating anything else for eight hours. If vomiting or nausea ensues, drink plenty of water to flush out your system. If there are no adverse effects, prepare a small handful of the plant part and eat the whole portion. If another eight hours pass without irritation or vomiting, consider the plant safe to eat.

  Step in soft terrain to signal rescuers.

  Form an arrow to mark your direction.

  3 Follow roads and rivers.

  Rescuers will use natural boundaries to limit their search area. Do not cross roads or rivers. Rather, follow them to more populated areas. Do not climb steep slopes unless you must: your searchers will follow, delaying your rescue.

  4 Leave markers.

  If you abandon marked trails, signal your direction of travel by turning over fresh vegetation or leaving small piles of rocks.

  5 Listen carefully.

  In addition to shouting your name, searchers may use a “call word,” an unusual word yelled back and forth to distinguish members of the search party from the victim when not in the line of sight. Listen for odd words (“Hoboken,” “spaghetti,” “Internet”) that sound out of place in the wilderness.

  6 Yell loudly and make noises in groups of three.

  Three calls is the international distress signal. Use a whistle, if available, to signal your position.

  7 Sleep lightly.

  A rescue party may continue during the night, so use a flashlight or head lamp. Look for flashlights and listen for searchers between naps.

  8 Leave personal items behind.

  If you are lost in warm weather and have excess clothing or supplies, leave small items along your path as a signal to rescuers. Traveling light will also make hiking easier.

  9 Use a mirror to signal to air searchers.

  A mirror or other reflective device will help rescuers in planes or helicopters locate your position. Special “survival” mirrors with a hole in the center are especially effective in focusing sunlight.

  HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A FOREST FIRE

  1 Monitor the horizon.

  If you see smoke rising above the trees in the distance, watch to see if it increases in size or strength. If so, move upwind and downslope, away from the fire.

  2 Watch for burning embers.

  The wind may blow embers more than half a mile from their origin; remain alert to avoid getting burned, and be ready to change course in case a stray ember ignites another area of the forest.

  3 Find a firebreak.

  Move to a pond, river, road, rocky area, open field, or another area lacking in burnable fuel. Avoid areas thick with brush and dried grasses, as these materials burn quickly and hot. Do not climb uphill, as the fire and superheated air will updraft on even the slightest slope, concentrating the flames and heat most intensely in these chimneys.

  4 Seek a gap in the fire line.

  A forest fire may advance across a front several miles wide, but it does not always travel at a uniform rate. If you are trapped by a wall of fire, look for a spot where the flames are thin and low to the ground. If possible, cloak your body in natural fibers (synthetic materials may melt and burn your skin) and soak yourself with water. Wrap a wet cloth around your mouth and nose. Cover your face and head with your arms and run through a thin line of fire as fast as possible. If the moisture in the cloth around your mouth turns into steam, take it off to protect your lungs.

  5 If you are trapped on a hillside, move to an outward curve in the trail.

  The contour of the land can concentrate intensely hot air currents in protected pockets and indentations on the hillside. The outward rounding bends on the outside of a hill provide a safer location; the heat is more diffuse and travels more slowly. Position yourself as far away from the trail’s outer edge as possible to avoid rising heat. Once the fire has burned up the chimneys, you may be able to move to the burnt area before the fire reaches the outside curve.

  6 Crawl in a ditch.

  If the fire is near and you cannot find another means of escape, lie down in a ditch with your feet facing the direction of the fire. Cover your feet, legs, and body with as much dirt and noncombustible material as possible. Wait for the fire to pass completely before getting back up.

  7 Signal passing aircraft to seek their attention.

  Wave white or brightly colored clothing, or shine a reflective mirror toward the airplane. If the plane contains fire fighting personnel, they will likely provide you with instructions over their loudspeaker.

  WARNING!

  A field of grass can produce a fire more than 10 feet tall that moves at a rate of 20 mph. Deciduous trees burn more slowly than grass but can elevate temperatures to preheat the nearby trees, causing them to ignite more quickly The needles and resin in pine trees are highly combustible and will rapidly spread a very hot fire.

  Dangerous wild animals, such as rattlesnakes, bears, and mountain lions, will also be anxious to escape the fire and may cross your path as you seek safety.

  If you are surrounded by a forest fire while you’re in your vehicle, remain inside rather than attempting to escape on foot—the protection offered by the car outweighs the relatively low risk that your gas tank will explode in the heat. Drive to low, bare ground as free from brush and trees as possible and park facing the oncoming fire. Roll up the windows, shut all the air vents, and turn on your hazards and headlights to make the car more visible to rescuers. Lie on the floor below window level, and cover your head and face with blankets to protect yourself from radiant heat. Smoke will enter the vehicle as the fire surrounds the car, so take shallow breaths close to the floor, breathing through a damp cloth. Stay in the vehicle until the fire passes and the radiant heat has dissipated enough so that the air feels no hotter than the heat felt from bad sunburn. The door handles and interior c
ar parts will be extremely hot; do not touch them with bare skin.

  RIVERS AND RAPIDS

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  HOW TO CROSS THE AMAZON RIVER

  If You Are Alone

  1 Protect your feet.

  Remove your socks and lace up your shoes as tightly as possible to shield your feet from rocks or sticks that could cut them and lead to infection. Shoes with sturdy soles offer the best protection against stingrays that may be found nestling in the river bottom. If you are wearing boots, tuck in your pant legs to reduce your resistance in the water.

  2 Assess the depth and speed of the current.

  The force of the current will be weakest where the river is at its widest. If the water is moving quickly and filled with stationary or moving obstacles, explore the area to find the widest point you can. Find a long, sturdy branch and probe the water from the bank to gauge the depth and force of the current. Fast-moving water higher than your knees can sweep you off your feet and carry you away.

  3 Wear your backpack by the shoulder straps only.

  Unfasten the waist strap to enable a quick jettisoning of the backpack in an emergency.

  4 If wading is possible, use your branch to help you across.