Wilderness Survival

    I don’t know about you, but I just love a good survival story.  When I read of someone who has been given an opportunity to lose a battle against nature, but then comes out on top, I want to find out how he did it.  What did he do?  What did he have with him that was useful in his battle against the elements?  What little tidbit can I learn that I may be able to use if I’m ever in that situation?

A few weeks ago, most of the major news networks carried the story of 72 year old Gene Penaflor who had gone deer hunting in Northern California. Nineteen days earlier, Penaflor and his hunting partner split up to try to flush out a deer.  A search was launched after Penaflor failed to meet up with his companion a few hours later.  Unknown to his hunting partner, Penaflor had fallen and was knocked unconscious for several hours.  When he woke, it was foggy and he was disoriented.  According to news reports, he kept his wits about him and managed to get a small fire going and find shelter.  Among the items he carried were a rifle and some ammo, two garbage bags, a knife, a lighter and a water bottle.  The knife and water bottle were lost in the fall.  

Although the temperature at times fell to 25 degrees, he built a small fire and sought shelter from rain and snow under a fallen tree.  He also stuffed dry leaves and grass under his clothing for insulation and used the garbage bags as makeshift rain gear.  His Gore-Tex boots were another key item credited with his survival.  

Penaflor reported he survived by eating three squirrels, one snake, two frogs and two lizards.  He simply threw them on the embers of his fire and made sure they were thoroughly cooked before he ate them.  

He was rescued 19 days later by a group of hunters who heard him yelling for help.  After a short stay in the hospital for observation, he was released and is reportedly doing fine.

So lets take a look at what he did that helped keep him alive.  First, although he was injured and disoriented, he did not panic.  He simply took stock of his situation and calmly did all the right things.  

Secondly he had some things with him that were of value.  A cigarette lighter probably contributed greatly in that it was a great fire starter.  Not only was the fire used for warmth and companionship, but he now had a means by which to cook his food.  And speaking of food, you and I might think it odd (or downright icky) to eat squirrel, snake or lizard, but we only say that because we aren’t real hungry at the moment!  Never look down your well-fed nose and say you wouldn’t eat something like that just because at the moment it seems gross!  Your opinion may change if you haven’t eaten for a few days.  

Lastly, we get a hint of the value he places on quality equipment when we learn he was wearing Gore-Tex boots. Some life-saving decisions are made before you ever leave home!

So the next time you prepare to venture out, pause for a moment to consider what you may want to add to your pockets (or backpack) that just may increase your chances if something goes wrong.

As always, send your comments, questions or survival stories to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.  

Fire Season

    Already this weekend,I have heard the fire siren go off at least three times summoning our volunteer department to respond to someone’s personal disaster.  Personally I chalk it up to wood burning stoves, excessive creosote buildup and possibly a lack of proper maintenance.  According to the American Red Cross, home fires are the biggest disaster threat in the United States.  The Red Cross responds to a fire in someone’s home about every eight minutes.  Home fires are more prevalent than floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes.  Simply by following a few simple safety rules you can drastically reduce the danger of fire in your home.  

    Before I start with safety rules, I want to mention a couple of pieces of equipment.  First are your smoke detectors.  The Red Cross recommends having a working smoke detector on every level of your home and in every bedroom.  Test them each month by pushing the little button and while you’re at it, get the kids in on the act to teach them what the alarm sounds like and what means if they hear it go off.  Then pick one special day each year to replace the batteries.  Or at least listen for the little chirp that signals an almost dead battery and swap out the battery right away.

    Secondly, how many of you actually have a fire extinguisher in your home?  Before you run out and buy a supply of fire extinguishers for home use, stop by the local fire department for suggestions on the right type (usually a Class A,B,C) and instructions for proper use.  And for those of you non-NRA types who are opposed to using guns for home defense, if the occasion arises and you need to defend yourself and your family, just hose the perp down with your fire extinguisher.  Besides being 100% legal to have in your home, you can purchase one without a permit, (or a background check) and it will incapacitate an attacker by making him unable to breathe, see or even hear anything.  

Electric heaters; get the kind that turn off automatically when they tip over.  Also never leave them running when you leave the house or go to sleep.  Talk to your kids regularly about the dangers of fire and the misuse of matches and lighters.  Keep them out of reach of small children.  And here’s one for the “duh” category; Never smoke in bed!  For a more complete list, go to www.redcross.org.  There is a printable checklist on their website.

Don’t forget to have a fire escape plan.  Not only should your plan include alternate routes to get out of the house but a common gathering point needs to be established as well.  And finally if your power goes out and the temperature in your home is dropping, DO NOT use a charcoal grill for warmth.  Every year I read of some bonehead who brought the charcoal grill in the house and tragedy ensued.  Carbon monoxide kills!  

If you burn wood for heat, have your chimney inspected and cleaned, if necessary.  Don’t cut corners when so much is at stake.

    As always, send your comments and questions to disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.

Winter Travel

    “Over the river and through the wood, to Grandmother’s house we go.  The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow.” And so goes the old song about holiday travel to visit the relatives.  Now I’ll admit I have never actually travelled by sleigh to visit relatives, but plenty of us hit the road during winter months to spend the holidays with loved ones.   Winter travel requires some extra planning to make your trip a safe one.

First, factor in a little extra time for your journey.  Safe driving in nasty weather requires slowing down.  In fact, snowy and icy roads require a whole different skill set.  If your route takes you over any mountain passes, the possibility of snow and icy roads may affect your trip.  Making sure your car is ready for the trip is just smart planning.  Are your tires up for the trip?  Do you have a set of tire chains that actually fit your car?  Do you know how to install your chains?  Studded tires are always an option, although here on the South Coast of Oregon few motorists make that investment as we rarely have a need for them.  And you can file this one in the “Duh” category, is your gas tank full? More than one motorist has been stranded along the interstate for several hours because of nasty weather.  Running out of gas is unacceptable, as is being without a couple of blankets in the trunk or some snacks for the kids.

So when you get ready to head out, go to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) website and check their webcams at www.tripcheck.com.  Every known hazardous spot (and some that aren’t so hazardous) has a webcam set up monitoring the road conditions.  Accompanying the video display is a list of up-to-the-minute weather conditions listing the temperature, wind information and precipitation. The wise traveler will adjust his travel plans according to what he learns about the weather conditions enroute.  Every pilot has had to either cancel a trip or change his flight plans because of weather.  There is an old saying, “there are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots!”  The same may be true for the winter traveler.  Making changes in your road trip shows wisdom and maturity of thought for the safe consideration of your loved ones.   

Before you head out, grab your “go” bag, top off your gas tank and your coffee thermos.  A few food items can’t hurt, along with your tire chains, tow strap, jumper cables (for someone else, you understand) and maybe one of those folding shovels.  Be sure to get an early start, because those slick roads demand slower speeds, and a willingness to abort the mission if it gets a little too risky out there.  This trip isn’t worth anyone getting injured just because your bone-headed macho-man attitude wasn’t about to be pushed around by some little ol’ snow storm.  Be a real hero to your family and make the hard decision if you need to.  Ultimately being prepared will bring a whole element of safety to your journey.

“Over the river and through the wood, now Grandmother’s cap I spy.  Hurrah for the fun.  Is the pudding done?  Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!”

As always, send your comments, questions and winter driving stories to www.disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.