Outdoor survival an important skill

MOSES LAKE - Those who venture into the Great Outdoors should realize the chance of becoming lost is certainly real. Once or twice a year it is my responsibility to discuss this possibility and what to do when it happens. Entire books have been published about outdoor survival. There is no way to cover the entire spectrum of survival in this one column, but consider these random survival thoughts about staying alive when lost.

A few years ago two men and a woman were on an outing in the Cascade Mountains. This was during the winter with snow on the ground and the three were wearing snow shoes. The woman became cold and wanted to return to the vehicle, so she left the two men and began the hike to the starting point.

Somehow she missed a turn and became disoriented. She was lost.

This story has a suitable ending, as the woman was found a day or two later, cold, hungry and it was expected she would not survive another night in the mountains.

This person made several mistakes. First she was not prepared to spend time in the outdoors if she became lost. Second, when she realized she was lost, she did not stop and remain in one place.

Stop and stay put should be the mantra of the person who realizes they do not know where they are located. Do not move from this general location, except to gather firewood and shelter material. Your job at this point should be to establish a comfortable campsite and continue to improve it.

The garbage bag you placed in your pocket will serve as a rain jacket after a hole is cut in the top for a head to penetrate. Of course, arm holes could also be made in the sides of the bag. Try this at home, so you and your family will realize the value of the bag to keep a person warm and dry.

An emergency shelter is easily constructed using existing debris or natural material found nearby, such as leaves, branches and other plant particles. A simple structure can be made by simply piling up a bunch of brush and crawling inside.

The women and men who have spent a reasonable amount of time camping, fishing and hunting wouldn't venture into the outdoors without several other survival tools. The basic survival tool is a knife. Also of exceptional help is a GPS with extra batteries, Motorola two-way radios, some sort of fire starter, waterproof matches and a flint and steel. Food, at least a few candy bars, and water or a water purification device is also helpful.

There are many commercial fire starters available in outdoor retail stores. Everyone heading into the outdoors should have some type in their pack when in the wild, along with some sort of way to set it on fire.

An impressive fire starter is easily prepared by taking a cotton ball and saturating it with petroleum jelly. Take a small plastic bag and place several ounces of the jelly inside. Throw in a dozen cotton balls and mix the two items together.

When ready to build a fire, take one cotton ball and pull it apart to double the size. Gather several pieces of tinder and have ready to grow the fire. Use a match or flint and steel to lignite the cotton and jelly.

Imagine this scenario: A family of four begins a hike from a forest service campground. One section of the trail opens into a 50-yard wide meadow. The 7- and 8-year-old run ahead of the adults and disappear into the forest on the other side.

The 7-year-old stops and turns to face her parents. The other continues to run, following the trail for a bit, but then decides to hide and surprise the others when they pass by his location. After a few steps, he realizes he is lost.

If you think this hike into the forest is too simple a situation for a youngster to become lost, you are mistaken.

If each of the family members had a two-way radio, the parents could have called the youth back before they ran out of the meadow. If radios are not available, each person should also carry a whistle in addition to the plastic trash bag. Blowing a whistle beats yelling for help and it takes less energy.

Adults can become as disoriented as a youth. A person who grew up in a large city, such as Tacoma, may not have the same outdoor survival training as a Boy Scout who grew up in Ellensburg. This group of people also needs to be trained to be prepared to spend the night if lost in the outdoors.

The main object is to avoid becoming lost in the first place, but the unthinkable sometimes happens. Why not always be prepared to spend a night or two in the wild and be comfortable during the stay? Be prepared to establish a campsite and survive.