Analysis: Preparation and knowledge can save your life

Published on Wednesday 15 July 2009 22:12

YOU cannot prepare yourself for every eventuality that could possibly happen in an outdoor environment such as the Blue Mountains – every place is different, writes Alan Finlay.

But there are a lot of things that you can do to minimise the risks and to enhance your chances of survival.

The most important tool at your disposal is knowledge. It is the one thing that will always be with you when things go pear-shaped.

It is vital that you know how to navigate by the use of the sun, moon, stars and natural features, and it is essential that you can build a shelter from what nature provides, to protect you from the elements, be it wind, rain, snow or sun.

As water is more important to the human body than food in the short term, you should learn how to find water: finding the water table, extracting it from plants or trees, or trapping it from the atmosphere. You can even recycle the body's waste system, cleaning the liquid and making it safe water to drink.

The ability to get a fire lit and keep it running is important. It acts as a signal for help, keeps insects away, cleans your water, cooks your food, prevents or reverses the effects of hypothermia, and has a calming and comforting effect.

Without matches, you need to resort to more traditional methods of starting a fire, such as friction with a bow drill, fire plough, or hand drill.

You can also compress fresh air fast enough that it will actually combust, and believe it or not, even water can be used to light a fire in some environments. Depending on what you have in a first aid kit, the right products mixed together will also create a chemical fire.

It's vital to identify food sources. There are many plants that are poisonous and some will actually dehydrate the body.

Having a basic knowledge of wild fruits, nuts, berries and plants in combination with a few trapping techniques will provide more than enough food.

Before all this, though, you should be prepared. Prior to taking your trip, a good start is always to look at a map of the area you are going to, research weather conditions, and get local input when planning your activities.

Putting certain safety procedures in place is a good idea, like making a prearranged phonecall to family at a set time each day, and registering your mobile for a tracking service. This allows you to be located to within a few metres in 98 per cent of the world.

&#149 Alan Finlay is the founder and head instructor of the Survival & Safety School, which operates five sites throughout Scotland.