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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(NAPSI)-You're lost in the wilderness, a nighttime storm is rolling in and you are out of water. What do you do? While remaining calm may not be the first thing that comes to mind, doing so could actually help save you. Of course, so could building a shelter and finding safe drinking water-but how? Experts say nature generally supplies everything you need to survive. The key is knowing what you need, where to look for it and how to use it. Chances are you'll never find yourself in a situation that calls for extreme survival skills. But if you do, these tips from the experts may help.
• Know Where You're Going -If you happen to get lost in the woods while wearing your best silk suit, you're in luck. You can simply use a silk thread to polarize a needle or hand from your watch. Place the now magnetized needle on a leaf in a small, motionless pool of water. The end of the needle that was magnetized will point north. A second option is known as the moss theory. Moss generally grows on the northern side of trees. This method of finding north is not completely reliable, though, and works best in conjunction with other methods.
• Think Before You Drink-It's vital that you purify water before drinking it. A single drop of impure water can make you so ill you won't be able to care for yourself. Always look for a source of water that is moving rapidly. Bacteria are less likely to collect there. Never drink stagnant water. When you find a seemingly safe source, be sure to boil the water for five minutes before drinking.
• Keep Your Head-Your mind is probably your best asset when lost in the wilderness. For instance, in the movie "Flight of the Phoenix," the cool head of one man helps a crash-landed crew actually rebuild their entire airplane in the middle of the Gobi Desert. The movie highlights a number of survival skills as the crash victims, led by Dennis Quaid, fight the elements and sometimes each other in an attempt to survive. The extra features on the DVD include deleted scenes and director commentary that help shed light on the survival aspect of the film.
• Give Me Shelter-If rebuilding your crashed airplane seems out of the question-and chances are it just might-you'll have to build a shelter. Using what's known as the "junk pile technique" may help. Simply gather dry debris into a large pile and use it for shelter. The key is to have enough branches and debris between you and the cold ground. About four inches should suffice.
For more information on the DVD, visit www.foxstore.com.
Use Your Head-Your mind may be your best asset if you're lost.
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