(S) Survey the situation.   

Size Up Your Surroundings

Check out your surroundings; look at the slopes and their steepness. Look at the surface is it loose or firm, bare rock or turfs, slippery or dry, are there sharp edges. Do you hear animals, birds, or insects? Discover the pattern of nature around you. Look at the sky what kind of clouds are there, is there a storm coming?

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Size Up Your Physical Condition

Sometimes the trauma of being in a survival situation whether it was accidental or you were driven to it, may have caused you to overlook wounds and wear you received. Check your wounds and provide yourself any first aid that may be needed. Ensure you won’t inflict more bodily harm. Prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water. Dress for the climate, more clothes for cold and thin light coverings for especially hot areas.

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Inventory Your Equipment

Perhaps you were put in this predicament by accident, maybe you had time to supply yourself before being driven to it. Do a quick inventory of your equipment and supplies. Clothes, tools, weapons, food, water, just what do you have to work with.

Once you have sized up your situation, surroundings, physical condition, and equipment, you are ready to make your survival plan. When this task is at hand remember to keep in mind your basic physical needs--water, food, and shelter. You may first want to locate and fortify a “safe place”. Look for a place that will protect you from the elements, is easily defended, and offers a good view of the surroundings.  Stay observant and note changes in noises, birds or insects stop singing, changes in temperature, or new smells.

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(U) - Unwind and relax.

Take a deep breath. Now you have a few moments to plan your next moves. Relax and get your thoughts together, focus on the task at hand. Making decisions too fast can be worse for you in the long run. You may make a wrong move when you react quickly without thinking or planning. One of the first decision you have to make is how long do you have to make your next decisions. I know that sounds kind of circular but if you only a minute, the decisions you must make will be different than if you have hours to plan. Consider all aspects of your situation If you only have a minute or two you should survey the area and plan to get to a place that will affords you more time to plan. Use all of your senses to interpret as much information as you can. Making a move before you have the right plan may result in severe injury or death. Be observant. U -Use All Your Senses evaluate the situation. Be sensitive to temperature changes. Undue Haste Makes Waste. Be ready to move out quickly without endangering yourself. Note sounds and smells.

 

(R) - Remember where you are located.

Get a good idea where you are “globally”. Use a map if you have to but it is important to know things like if you are on the eastern or western slope, are you way north on the hemisphere, are there lakes, dams, cities close by and if so which direction.  Do you know of forests, game preserves et cetera? When you start out you need to have a clear idea of which direction you are heading or you will waste time and resources. Always try to determine, as a minimum, how your location relates to--Safe havens, friendly

territory or people warmth, food and water. Without this information logical

and intelligent are next to impossible.

 

(V) - Vanquish fear, emotion, and panic.

Panic and fear cause you to react to imaginary stimulus. Fear drains your energy leads to despair. Panic causes over reacting. Emotion is a luxury you can’t afford in survival situations. Guard against the “fight or flight” response and think your way out of danger. Methodical reactions are generally safer for everyone concerned.

 

( I )- Improvise.

With today’s use once and throw it away attitude far too many of us have gotten away from improvisation. Take the time to relearn your improvisation skills. Look at all the items in your survival gear, bug out bag, or on your person. How many uses can each item have? By selecting items that have multiple uses you can lower the number of items you carry and the weight. This will in turn lower the cost and allow you to be prepared for more situations with less. Take a look at items in nature. Learn to use rocks and branches, vines and sand for survival purposes. No matter how complete a survival kit you have with you, it will wear out after a while. Your imagination must take over when your kit wears out.

 

(V) Value Life

Our ancestors had a will and drive to live that wouldn’t stop. Today’s American has lost some of that in born instinct. To be a survivor you need to be able to draw on that tenacious never quit quality. When a tough situation presents itself, set your jaw, your mind to overcoming the obstacle, never give in to the lay down and quit option or you will surely fail. From birth we have this trait, rediscover it and crystalize it. Put that attitude in a place you can draw on it the moment you need it. All of our comforts and luxuries can be gone in an instant. It just takes the wrong turn of events to put us in a do or die situation. If you are to survive you must value life, yours, your families, your neighborhood. As much as you may dislike the inconvenience of raw survival you have to refuse to give in to the obstacles whether they are physical or mental.

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(A) -Act Native

To survive you need to blend in with your environment. Observe how the locals and animals get along with the region. They thrive there because they have adapted to what is around them. Learn from that. Watch their daily routine. What and where do the animals and locals eat? Where is the water source? Where and when do they sleep? These actions are important to you when you are trying to blend in.

If there are no people animal life in the area can still provide valuable clues on Animals also require food, water, and shelter. By watching them, you can find sources of water and food.

Learning to observe without being observed is an art/skill all on its own. The better you are at this the better your research will be.

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WARNING

Don’t count on animals as an absolute guide to what you can eat and drink. Many animals eat plants that are toxic to humans.

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(L) - Learn Basic Skills and develop a live by Your Wits outlook

Without training in basic skills your chances of survival are slight. Learn these basic skills now and you will be prepared from now on. If you wait to acquire the skills when you need them it will, in all likelihood, be too late. Know how to equip yourself, what to expect in the various environments, how to obtain water and food, how to shelter yourself in any environment. How you decide to equip yourself before deployment will impact on whether or not you survive. Study and prepare now, and practice until you are comfortable. Being prepared with an education and practical experience reduces fear of the unknown and allows you to think (live by your wits). The more practiced and trained you are the more confident you will be to care for yourself and others in the wild.

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DISCLAIMER

All information contained in “Surviving in the Mountains” is only meant as a resource in augmenting a person’s survival skills. This collection of strategies and information are recommendations by the authors, and using this information in no way guarantees one’s ones success. What is stated as fact at the time of this writing, may become outdated or simply inapplicable at a later date

The author has made all reasonable efforts to provide current and accurate information for the readers of this manual. The author will not be held liable for any unintentional errors or omissions that may be found. What is stated as fact at the time of this writing, may become outdated or simply inapplicable at a later date.

The information in this manual was distilled from the US Army Field Manual FM 3-97.61 Military Mountaineering as well as other survival source.