    The Art of Survival   
    
(found in The Backwoodsman Magazine, Nov/Dec 92)  

Reprinted from the Colorado  
    Department of Nataral Resoarces



    Preparation For The Trip         
  With all the 4-wheel drive vehicles, snowmobiles and trail bikes
survival is a problem that any outdoorsman may have to face.      
Transportation may break down in a remote area.                    
  There is no pat answer to survival because no two situations are
alike.  However, there are some basic points which help to explain why
some people pass a survival test but others fail.           
  Survival is serious business.  We leave the recreational exercises
and the stalking of the wild hickory nut to those who address it in the
scores of popular books available now.  We can distill our philosophy
of survival down into two words.  "Staylng Alive."  Therefore we must
have some basic rules for survival.        

       Rules For Survival
1.  Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to
return.  If you change your general area, tell someone of that change.
2.  Never go into a wilderness area by yourself.  Unavoidable accidents
do happen.
3.  Wear proper clothing and take proper equipment.  The weather can
and will change.
4.  If you do get lost or stranded.  Stay Put.  We will find you if you
have followed rule No. 1.
5.  Learn how to use a compass, take a map of the area and orient
yourself before leaving camp.
6. Always carry a survival kit and know how to use it.  A survival kit
in the hands of someone who does not know how to use it can kill.
               
  To keep yourself alive in the wilderness, you must have given some
thought to the possibility before the situation comes up.  Survival is
80 percent attitude, 10 percent equipment, and 10 percent skill and
knowledge to use that equipment.
  Survival is also a very personal thing.  You are like no one else in
the world.  Survival may be seasonal, and definitely is geographical.
Equip yourself for the three necessities no matter who you are, where
you go or at what time of year.  Shelter, Fire and Signal.  Let's call
them The Big Three.

            I - Shelter
  You must have shelter each night.  This is a cardinal rule that you
must keep in mind.  You may consider your shelter to be the number one
priority of life.  You must have something that will completely protect
your body.  You have to protect it not only from the rain or snow that's 
going to come, but also from the wind that's going to blow it around.
If you have nothing else going for you - no fire or food or anything -
and you have totally adequate shelter, you're probably going to be alive 
when rescuers come to get you.
  Your campsite should be chosen with care.  Avoid avalanche or snowslide 
areas.  Choose a site well protected from wind, if possible but also near 
a large clearing suitable for ground to air signaling.  An overhanging
rock shelf makes an ideal shelter.  In timber country where snow is deep,
removing the snow from under a spruce tree will provide a quickly
available shelter.  Branches at snow level form the roof or branches may 
be cut and placed around the edges.
  A snow cave may be dug in the winter wherever snowdrifts of sufficient 
depth can be found.  A one-man cave should be dug about 3'wide x 7'1ong
and just high enough for comfort.  Do not make it any larger than
necessary.  Snowcaves are difficult to dig without getting wet and
therefore are less desirable than other forms of shelter.  However, they
do offer excellent insulation.  Be certain to maintain ventilation in
your snow cave by making a hole in the roof.  It is also advisable to
arch the inside roof so water will run down the sides.  The sleeping
shelf should be a foot or more above the entrance and covered with
boughs or a ground cloth.  Water and dirt destroy the insulating
properties of clothing.  Water conducts heat away from the body 27
times faster than dry, still air.
  A lean-to can be made in timbered terrain.  Support is required for a
ridge pole about three feet from the ground.  Two upright poles or
crotches in trees will provide the upright support.  Limbs or branches
are leaned (butt end up if they have foliage), against the ridge pole.
Cross members inter-woven make the lean-to more secure and help make
the shelter water resistant.  Thatch the roof with spruce or fir
branches by placing the butt end toward the top.  Complete the ends in
the same manner.  The lean-to may be improved by banking with snow or
soil.  A fire between the lean-to and a reflector made of logs, stones
(not from a stream bed, they may explode when heated) or a space rescue  
"blanket" will warm the shelter.
  With shelters, plan for the worst first.  Conserve and build up all
resources from the beginning before greater emergencies overtake you.
In applying this theory to shelters, it is obvious that the probability
of early rescus should be completely disregarded.  You should build the
most secure and comfortable sheIter that can be erected - one that will
require little maintenance once it is constructed.  The importance of
doing the job well while you are able to do it cannot be overemphasised.
        CLOTHING
  Clothing is the shelter you wear around your body.  Dress for the
weather - remember it can and will change.  Layers of clothing (shirts,
vest, sweaters) are recommended.  You put on a layer before you become
chilled and take off a layer before, not after you become perspiration
damp.  No matter how you get wet, from outside climatic conditions or
your own body perspiration; when you're wet you're wet, and when you're
wet you are in trouble.
  Good head gear is essential.  You lose up to 45 percent of your heat
around your head, neck and shoulders.  Winter head gear should conserve
heat, breathe and be water repellent.  Summer head gear should
ventilate and provide shade.
  The body radiates heat readily from the head and extremities.  The
old saying, "If your feet are cold put your hat on" is good advice.
Good headgear, footwear and gloves or mittens are absolute necessities
to help conserve body heat.  Keep clothing clean and dry.
  Choice of footwear is critical.  Choose hoots suitable for the terrain, 
weather and amount of walking to be done.  Regardless of boot type, it
is important to have a change of socks (wool recommended) to prevent
dampness from perspiration condensation.
  Sturdy leather hoots are excellent footwear.  Waterproofing used on
leather boots should permit the leather to breathe.  When boots become
wet, dry slowly and carefully.  Walk boots dry if conditions permit.
Leather-lined and insulated leather boots are extremely difficult to dry.
  Rubber pac-type boots with removable felt liners are excellent
footwear, but felts are difficult to dry when perspiration soaks the
outer layers of felt and the inside of the boot.  Some prefer the nylon
or leather-topped rubber pac with the removable felt liners.  The
leather-topped rubber pac is superior to the all-rubber pac, especially
for walking, because of the breathing qualities of leather.
  Gloves or mittens are a must even if weather is not cold.  Gloves
will prevent injury to the hands when breaking firewood or building a
shelter.  In extreme cold, mittens are superior to gloves.
  Some type of rain gear should be carried.  Remember, waterproof
clothing does not breathe.  A raincoat, water-repellent parka, or poncho  
should offer some ventilation and ease of movement.  Movement should be
kept at a minimum when wearing rain gear to lessen perspiration.
              2 - Flre
  The ability to build a fire is paramount.  No matter where you are,
or no matter what your survival situation, you must be able to build a
fire.  You may consider fire to be the nnmber two priority of life.
  There are five basic uses for a fire under survival conditions:
1.  Warmth (warm your body, dry your clothes, cook your food, etc.)
2.  Companionship (you are never really alone when you have a fire.)  
3.  Signaling (ground to air and ground to ground.)           
4.  Lighting (we are a light - oriented society).                  
5.  Protection (it protects us against all those wild beasts that
    are not out there).
  The fireplace location should be carefully selected.  Do not build a
fire under a tree as it may catch fire.  Heat may also melt snow from
the branches and make everything wet.  If the fire must be built upon
snow, construct a platform of green logs or stones.  Avoid wet, porous
rocks as they may explode when heated.  If the ground is dry, scrape down
to bare dirt to avoid starting a grass or forest fire.  Build the fire
against a rock or wall of logs which will reflect heat into your
shelter.  Most fuels cannot be started burning directly from a match.
You will need some easily inflammable tinder such as small twigs, wood
shavings, bark, dead pine needles, dry leaves, grass or tissue paper to
get the fire going.  Place the tinder in a low pyramid.  Powder from a
cartridge may help ignite the tinder.  For fuel, gather dry standing
dead wood or dried dung.  The inside of dead tree trunks or large
branches may be dry even if the outside is wet.  Have all materials
(tinder, kindling, and fuel) on hand before attempting to light your fire.
      Fire-Building        
  Your ability to build a fire is made easier by - advance preparation.
The individual who has given fire building some thought or has had to
start a fire under adverse conditions is usually better prepared to
meet an emgrgency.  In addition to carrying a visible fuel supply
(Butane lighter metal match or wooden matches in a waterproof container)  
we recommend carrying tinder such as cotton balls, 0000 steel wool or
sawdust saturated with paint thinner in a suitable container.  A candle
may also aid as a fire starter and - provide heat and light.  When using 
steel-wool or cotton balls, fluff the material, by pulling the strands
apart gently.  Both materials will ignite readily from a spark.  Steel
wool burns brightly after ignition if you blow gently upon it.  Both
materials should be kept in a waterproof or water resistant container
such as a sealable sandwich baggies.  Saw-dust saturated with paint
thinner may be carried in a plastic pill vial or a handy container may
be fashioned out of spent 12 and 16 gauge plastic shotgun hulls.  Merely 
fill the 16-gauge hull with the saturated sawdust and cap it with the
12-gauge hull.  Tape can be used to seal the joint.  This device will
enable you to start many fires with a match or spark.  Although they
may last longer we recommend you replenish the thinner and sawdust
annually.  We strongly recommend experlmentation with various methods
and any firestarting materials before going into the field.

          Usefnl Hints...
  Store kindling and fuel in as dry a place as possible.  Don't waste
matches by trying to start a poorly prepared fire base.  Build a small
fire and conserve fuel and energy.  Stay away from waterproof windproof
matches.  They are a safety match requiring a striker.  If the striker
gets wet (same as paper matchbook) you may wipe out your strike and
then all the matches are useless.  Always build your fire before it
gets dark and be sure to gather 10 times the amount of fuel you think
you will need.
       3 - SIGNAL
  You have put to use all the techniques for building a shelter,
building a fire, and you've made it for just about 17 hours.  This is
a fine place to visit but you don't want to live here.  Now you must
think about signaling.  You may consider signaling your third priorlty
of life.  There are two goals here; first to let someone know where you
are; and second, to let someone know you need help.  The main rule to
keep in mind regarding signaling is that a good signal is anything that
makes you bigger than you are and attracts attention to your situation.
  Signaling, like everything else in survival, is not a spur-of-the
moment thing.  You must prepare for it so that it is ready when you
need it.  You never know when help may come within sight or hearing.
You must be prepared for two types of signaling - ground-to-air and
ground-to-ground.
  One of the early decisions to make is to locate in a clearing where
signaling efforts can be seen.  If you are not in that clearing when
you become lost, you must move to a clearing, then stay put until a
highly-qualified search and rescue team finds you.
  Your signaling process is dictated, to some extent, by geography and
the time of year.  If you are in the mountains it is more than likely
that any signaling you do at night is going to be a waste of time.
Because of hazardous flying conditions, most search flights end at sundown,
and treacherous terrain may rule out ground searches as well.  In the
desert or on the plains, however, searches often go on around the clock.
           Symbols....
  There is a new set of international symbols that has been developed
by a committee on international civil aviation.  Keep in mind, though,
that if the symbols are being used to attract attention, they need to
be from 30 to 50 feet in length and 3 to 4 feet wide.  If they are
being used in response to a question asked by a pilot in the air via a
PA system, they need only be large enough to convey your message.  These
symbols should be constructed out of any kind of ground litter or debris  
or tramped in snows or sand or whatever is avaiLable.
  The first symbol is a "V."  This means Require Assistance.  The second 
symbol is an "X."  This means Require Medical Assistance. "N" means NO.
"Y" means YES.  An arrow pointing in a direction means Proceeding in
Thls Direction.  These do not replace any of the military symbols - this 
is strictly for civil aviation.
         Slgnal Fires....
  Fire is a powerful signaling tool and one that takes advance
preparation.  Three fire bases should be prepared in a triangle 30 to 50
feet apart.  This creates a V which means "Require Assistance".  The
fire at the apex of your V should be your camp fire which will be burning 
at all times.  The fire bases on the points of the V will be prepared but 
not burning.  When a search aircraft (a single engine aircraft or a
helicopter) enters your area, touch off your other two fire bases.
This will give you a triangle of fire which will distinguish your plea
for help from other fires that may be in the vicinity that you know
nothing about.  The same applies to smoking fires.  Build your fire
bases, on the points, with extremely dry tinder on the bottom.  On top
of that put lots of dry kindling, and on top of that pile green
vegetation.  When a search aircraft enters your area pile green material
on top of your existing fire, and torch off your other two fire bases.
This will give you the triangle of smoke.
          Signal Mirror...
  The very best type of ground-to-air signal during sunlit hours is the
glass G.I. type slgnal mirror.  This type of mirror will generate 5 to 7 
million candlepower of light in bright sunshine and can be seen for 20
to 25 miles.  This type of power will never be generated by the nearly
useless metal mirror.  This mirror is available at most surplus stores.
Read the directions on the back of the mirror and practice.
              Sound...
   Ground-to-ground signaling takes various forms.  We have found that
a vinyl police or coach type whistle makes the finest ground signals.
It can be heard for quite a distance, except in heavy timber/brush.  Rain, 
fog and snow will also dampen the sound.  Rember three blasts of a
whistle repeated over and over is a distress signal.
           Signal Flares...
  The use of aerial flares is not only geographical, but is also
determined by law.  Many states prohibit them in forested areas.  Most
aerial flares are designed for marine use and are intended to extinguish 
in the water.  This means that most flares are still burning when they
hit the ground.  You cannot outrun a forest fire!
  We have now covered The Big Three: Shelter, Fire and Signal and it is
time to think about some things that are almost as vital as The Big Three.
                WATER...
  Many years ago finding safe drinking water was one of the easiest of
survival techniques.  Water was readily available from lakes, ponds,
streams, springs or snow banks.  Today all these sources must be
considered suspect, and the collecting of drinking water much more of a
problem.  Keeping oneself hydrated can be quite a problem at any time
of year.  In a survival situation (except in a desert) a person needs
about three quarts of water a day to metabolize our own body's energy
reserves and to carry away the waste.  Your body will not demand this
much water, so you must measure your daily intake so that you get a
minimum of three quarts a day.  Another thing to remember; warm up water 
when in a cold environment.  Drinking three quarts of ice cold water
could lower your body's core temperature and put you in hypothermia.
  Water can be gathered in lots of ways and places, it can even be
squeezed out of damp moss.  The beneficial effects of water can be
cancelled out if that water contains one or more disease causing
organisms.  Giardia lamblia is a surface water born intestinal parasite.  
It produces a disease called Giardiases and is now found thoughout the 
United States.  Man carried it into the back country and the animals
are spreading it around.  Do Not Drink Raw [untreated] Water Anywhere
In the Back County.  For short trips take your own water supply with you.
For longer trips be prepared to purify your drinking water.
 The most common method of drinking water purification is by boiling.
You must not start counting boiling time until you have a rolling boil,
start with five minutes at sea level; add one more minute for every
1,000 feet of altitude you think you are at, then add a couple more
minutes more because you probably don't know where the heck you are
anyway.

          Water Purification Tablets..
  When you follow the directions on the bottle carefully, they will
take care of most water borne diseases.  Check the label to determine
what disease organisms it is effective against.  Chlorine bleach and
2 percent tincture of iodine is also effective.  Use 10 drops of either
in one quart of water.  All three methods of water purification require
a minimum of 30 minutes of contact time.  Do not cut the time short.  If 
your water is very cold or cloudy, give additional contact time.

              Solar Still...
  If you are low or out of water in a semi-arid region you may wish
to construct a solar still.  This takes some specialized equipment
so it is only for the well prepared.  A solar still consists of a bowl-
shaped hole in the ground about 3 feet in diameter and 18 inches deep.
A one quart, squat, plastic container is placed in the bottom of the hole.  
A 4-5 foot section of surgical tubing is secured to the bottom of the
water collection container with a piece of duct tape.  A sheet of clear
plastic, 6 foot by 6 foot 3 mil in thickness, covers the hole.  The
drinking tube extends to the outside, under the plastic.  A 4 inch square 
of duct tape is placed in the center of the plastic to support a small
rock placed there in the center to cause the plastic to form a cone
shape.  Water condenses on the underside of the plastic sheet, runs down 
and drips into the container.  The tubing lets you sip collected water
without dismantling the still.  Vegetation put into the hole during
construction will increase water output.  One solar still might give you 
one to three quarts of water per 24 hour period.  This is not enough to
keep you alive so you must build three or four stills.  Remember, soils
in many semi-arid areas are baked hard by the sun.  If you waste more
body water digging through the ground than you are going to get out of
it, you are quickly in the area of diminishing returns.

           FOOD....
  Food really is not important in short term survival situations.  You
can live up to three or four weeks without food.  No one should starve
to death in the continental United States.  You will, however, be
efficient and alert, and have more confidence if you are able to satisfy 
your hunger.  Don't get hung up on wild green edibles as they contain
cellulose and you cannot digest cellulose.
  There are probably many sources of food in your area but it will be
necessary to change your way of thinking to recognize them. If you are
fortunate enough to get lost in a pinon pine forest, pinon nuts and pine 
needle tea will keep you alive for a long period of time.  Generally
speaking anything that walks, crawls, hops, flies, swims or wiggles is
edible.  But all must be cooked before eating.  Your gun or fishing
equipment, assuming you have them, should provide the best means for a
meal.  Don't waste more energy catching an animal than you will get from 
it.  Avoid game or fish that appears to be sick, lazy, or acts strange.
Learn how to make and use snares.  You must have enough wire to make a
dozen or more snares.  Set them over a wide area and hope for the best.
Divison of Wildlife laws and regulations must be followed unless you are
in a true survival situation.
  There is not enough space in this pamphlet to get into the many ways of 
acquiring food, but you should remember this.  Never eat wild berries or  
mushrooms.  A single mouthful could be enough to kill you.  95 percent of 
all white and yellow berries are poisonous, 50 percent of all red
berries are also poisonous.  85 percent of blue and black berries are
edible, but of the remaining 15 percent, about 5 percent will-kill you,
and the other 10 percent will make you wish you were dead.  Best of all,
carry enough food with you to sustain you in an emergency.

  MINIMUM EQUIPMENT
1. Proper clothing - Dress for the weather but remember it can change.
2.  First Aid Kit - Get a kit that addresses wilderness emergencies.   
3.  Knife - This is your most important survival tool.
4.  Rain Gear - Poncho preferred.
5.  Water - For short trips, and water purification tables.
6.  Food - High energy and light weight
7.  Survival Kit - it must provide Tbe Big Tbree.
Shelter Package:
  2 ea. Gold and silver emergency blanket
  1 ea. Sbeet plastic, 3 mil. 6 foot by 6 foot                 
  1 ea. 50 feet paracbute cord
  1 ea. Electricians tape, mnst be cold resistant
Fire Package:   
  2 ea. Matcbes, strike anywbere in waterproof containers
  1 ea. Magnesium Firestarting Tool or Metal Match   
  2 ea. Steel wool, #0000, in ziplock baggies
  1 ea. Candle
Signal Package:  
  1 ea. Glass G.1. type signal mirror
  1 ea. Wbistle, plastic "coacb" type
  1 ea. Dayligbt fluorescent orange clotb signal panel, 3 foot by 3 foot
  These are the items we insist on in a basic survival kit.  There are
other items yet to-be considered but let's look at and explain these 12
first.
  Emergency Blanket Sbelter...
  The emergency blanket is a handy and versatile item, essential in your 
survival kit.  This heat reflector can also be used to construct a shelter 
in itself.  It's a good item to have along when there is a shortage of
natural construction materials at hand.
  Remember, this emergency blanket is a heat reflector and nothing else.  
It is simply a thin sheet of plastic with a highly reflective material,
usually on one side only.  This side is the silver side.  Because of the  
thin material used in this blanket, they are not particularly strong.
They will shatter in windstorms, so they must be backed up with a heavier
piece of material to prevent them from coming apart in the wind.  If you 
do not have this sort of backing, the emergency blanket is not adequate
as a shelter.
  To construct the shelter, tie the cord between two trees or other
uprights about three feet from the ground.  Backing/reinforcing the
emergency blanket with the 3 mil plastic, tape the combination over the
cord all the way along the surface.  Then, by straightening the blanket
plastic combination out and putting rocks, snow or other ground litter
or debris on the far edge, you have completed a lean-to.  The wind
direction, at least initially, should be over the back of the shelter.
Then, beneath the shelter put down another emergency blanket with the
silver side up, put insulating material (pine boughs or whatever) on top, 
and build a fire out front.  Now approximately 8O percent of the heat
that goes into the shelter from the fire will be reflected down onto you 
from the top blanket, and heat will be reflected back up to you from the
blanket underneath.  In effect, you have a reflector oven which can
"toast" you all night long.  Another emergency blanket or piece of plastic 
thrown over the front of the shelter about one to one and one-half feet 
will help to hold the heat in.
  Fire.. . .
  For fire-making, your first bit of flame capability should be plain old 
strike-anywhere kitchen matches.  Weatherproof these by dipping them in
paraffin, and store them in water proof containers.  In addition to the
matches, you should include two pads of #0000 steel wool.  This can be   
ignited by applying a spark from any source, such as by touching it to
the terminals of a nine-volt battery.  Candle wax may be rubbed into any 
piece of cloth to make a fire starter.  Add to this a Metal Match or
Magnesium Fire-starting Tool and you have the ability to start fire in a 
wide variety of ways.
  Signalling...
  A glass G.I. style signal mirror is a primary signalling device.
The emphasis on "glass" and "G.I. style" is to be noted.  Metal mirrors
are extremely poor as far as reflectivity is concerned.  The glass mirror 
will prove much more satisfactory when the chips are down.  "G.I. style" 
indicates that this is the type of mirror that incorporates an aiming
device to assist in controlling the reflection.  It's easy to see where
you're shinning a mirror on the ground when you can see the spot of light
in the dirt or trees, but shine it up into the sky to try to attract a
pilot's attention and you're out of luck.  With the aiming device type
of mirror, you can tell exactly where the light is shining.
  The gold side of your Emergency Blanket makes an excellent signal panel, 
ground-to-air, when placed in a clearing.  The same is true with the
daylight fluorescent orange cloth.  The cloth may be purchased at a
fabric store.  Placed in a clearing, it can be seen for miles.
  Water....
  Water is an important necessity of life, but water taken from tainted
sources can actually do more harm than good.  Make sure that your survival 
kit includes water purification tables, preferably Potable Aqua brand.
These tables, when used in conjunction with boiling, can keep Montezuma's 
Revenge (diarrhea from Giardiases) away from your survival campsite.   
  This takes care of The Big Three Plns One, so now lets look into
other equipment items that you may want to consider.  Remember the,
personal, seasonal and geographica1?
*  Fishing Tackle - 3 small hooks, 2 flies, 10 yards monofilament line,
      split shot.  Fits into small plastic box.   (don't forget a float)  
*  Aluminum foil - Heavy duty for cooking.  
*  T.P. - If you don't know what that stands for you're in trouble already.
*  G.I. canteen cup - Boil water, cook food, melt snow.
*  Flashlight  -  survival,  small
*  Snare wire - smooth wire found in hobby shops
*  Dental floss - Sew your clothes (place needles in container), fishing 
      line, snare line
*  Insect repellent - In some areas a must    
  There  are  many  other  items you might consider but make sure you
keep your survival kit light in weight.  Do not carry unnecessary items.   

      PROCEDURES
  If you find yourself in a situation where you are lost or stranded,
sit down and try to stay calm.  Think over past events to see if you
can retrace your footsteps or travel pattern.  Think before dark.  If
you realize you will be unable to return to your camp destination, or
are uncertain as to your location, committ yourself to spending the
night where you are.  Immediately begin preparations for the night.
Pick the best campsite in the immediate area and build a small fire.
Campsite selection should include readily available firewood, materials
for shelter construction and it should be free of natural hazards.
Availability of drinking water is also an important factor.  Gather
enough firewood to last the night.  A roaring fire is not a necessity
unless being used as a signal for help.  Keep clothing as dry and as
clean as possible.  Take care of equipment.  Don't lose or waste anything.  
Build or set up your shelter.  If you do not have materials for
constructing or setting up shelter in your gear, construct a lean-to or
fashion a shelter from available materials.
  In shelter construction, thought should be given to wind direction.
Heat should be radiated into a shelter, not blown into it.  Heat
reflectors on the back side of a fire may be constructed of logs,
rocks, boulders, green boughs or a space rescue blanket.  Caution
should be used as the space rescue blanket may catch fire.
  Time permitting, improve your shelter.  The importance of doing
the job well while you are able to do it cannot be overemphasized.
A bough bed, if about 8 inches or more in thickness, will insulate
you from the ground.  Boughs should be placed in rows with the
broken ends toward the ground.  Use of boughs is not recommended for
ordinary camping because of the unnecessary destruction of foliage.  
  Take Care Of Yonrself: Your best survival tool is your head - use it!  
When faced with a survival situation, it is particularly important to
check yourself for injuries.  Don't add to your problem.  If you become
frightened and panic, the chances of injuring yourself or inducing
hypothermia are increased.  Do only what is necessary, very carefully
and after thinking it out.  If you are already injured, take time to care
for yourself, as pain or loss of blood can reduce your efficiency.  You
should have first aid equipment as part of your survival kit.
  In cold, damp or snowy weather your first problem may be frostbite.
To prevent frostbite keep your hands, feet and exposed areas warm, dry
and protected from wind.  Check frequently for numbness or a change in
skin color to gray or to yellow white spots.  Do not rub frost bitten
areas with snow.  Warm affected areas by placing next to your abdominal
region or other area of the body. If you get wet (perspiration or
immersion) find a way to dry yourself and your clothes immediately.
Protect your eyes from overexposure by taking along sun glasses or goggles.
  In a desert or a hot area you must take precautions against overexposure 
to the sun.  You may be affected by sunburn, heat cramps, heat exhaustion 
or heat stroke.  All may be prevented by staying out of the sun and
avoiding overexertion since sweating uses body fluids rapidly.
     HYPOTHERMIA
 "Killer Of The Unprepared "
  Exposure is a term that crops up every winter and often during warmer
times of the year.  Exposure has no definite medical meaning but is
probaly a substitute for the word hypothermia.  Have you ever been so
cold that you could not stop shivering?  Uncontrolled shivering is one of
the first signs of hypothermia or the lowering of the inner core
temperature of the body. As the condition progresses, there is an
increasing lack of coordination followed by loss of judgment and a fairly 
rapid descent into unconsciousness and death.  An unprepared person may
become a victim at temperatures as high as 45 degrees F.  In cases affecting
hunters or hikers a combination of four factors are usually present
1.  Cold (45 deg or below)
2.  Wetness(caused by rain, snow, immersion or condensed perspiration)
3.  Wind (chill factor)
4.  A likely victim (meaning a person who is exhausted and certainly
      unprepared to protect himself or herself)
  Good clothing, adequate knowledge, emergency shelter and emergency
rations would prevent most fatalities from accidental hypothermia.
This is why hypothermia is called the "Killer of the Unprepared"
  Immediate steps should be taken if you or one of your party
shows signs of uncontrolled shivering.  Warming of the body and
intake of warm liquids (do not take or give alcoholic beverages)
and quick energy foods are recommended to restore body functions to
normal.
  Know your enemy.  Never underestimate the power of cold, dampness
and wind.  Do not over-estimate your own strength or that of your party.  
One individual or mishap can pin you to a location exposed to the elements.
       SUMMARY
  Always tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
  Always take someone with you, never go out alone.
  Always stick to your plan, stay put if you become lost or stranded.  
  Always carry a survival kit and first aid kit and know how to use both.
  Always dress for the weather but prepare for changes.
  Always carry rain gear, you must protect yourself from the elements. 
  Always remember that there is no shame in getting lost, the shame is
      in having to come out in a body bag.

 SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL READING

The W.I.S.E. Man's Guide to Wilderness Survival - Whitmore, Papa Bear
Outdoor Survival Skills - Olson, Larry Dean
Surviving The Unexpected Wilderness Emergency - Fear, Eugene.
The Search - Brown,Tom, Jr.
The Secrets of Warmth - Weiss, hal.
Poisonous Dwellers of the Deserts - The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum 
Medicine For Mountaineering - The Seattle Mountaineers
               
                       

Three pictures were available and are included as windchil.pcx;
watch.pcx; and still.pcx.  

